Episode 86 - Handle with care! Writing and placing the flashback scene

[Andrew]

Loved and hated in equal measures, the flashback remains a firm favourite with authors. When it's done well it can enthrall readers, give them a poignant and dramatic experience, and drive the engine of your story. Done badly, and it will leave your reader confused and frustrated. In this episode we look at the good and bad of the flashback scene, and identify the guiding principles for using this type of scene appropriately.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/e...

[Kate]

Sounds like an important episode. I once read a short story 75% of the way thru before realizing it had opened with a flashback, then the story catching up to the opening scene. No wonder I was confused.

[Andrew]

One of the lessons I learnt out of researching this episode was to give the flashback a strong delineation, so make sure it stands out from the rest of the work, clearly that didn't work very well in the case you mention here!

A