A question about flashbacks and "flashforwards" : What would you do?

[MLyons]

Hello all,

I have a question for authors and readers alike:

I'm working on a story that includes two major flashbacks. One of the flashbacks is interrupted on two occasions with brief "flashforwards" to the present as the character has growing feelings of remorse in the present while vividly recalling his own past wrongs.

The flashback itself is several word pages in length, while the "flashforwards" are only a paragraph each. It was suggested by a friend that I put the entire flashback in italics, and then leave the "flashforwards" unitalicized. I'm concerend about doing this because I feel that italics are difficult to read in big chunks. I thought briefly about reversing it, so that the flashback was seperated with a line of "- - - -" and then the flashforwards were done in italics, but I don't think it works.

Having said all that, the words in the story itself make a specific effort to indicate the shifts in time, since my original intention was to avoid the use of italics altogether.

I can quote specific passages from the story if anyone's interested, but I'd like to know if there are any options I might not have considered. What would you do? What would you prefer as a reader?

Thanks for your time.

 

[oggbashan]

I tend to eschew italics.

I break the story with a line of *** for a major time shift (or a change of location/narrator)

I don't think it matters how you do it as long as the writing makes it clear what you intend.

Og

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I would prefer no distinction at all, except the one you're using the separate different scenes - an extra line of separation between paragraphs, for example, or ***'s. The story should be structured and/or worded in a way that I would know these events don't fit the chronological flow, though.

 

[MLyons]

Thanks for the thoughts, both of you.

So Lauren, are you suggesting then that I should put in a "- - - -" (my separator for big changes of time or location) between the story and the flashback AND between the flashback and the flashforwards? Or just for the flashback and leave the flashforwards to speak for themselves?

The way it is, I'm pretty sure the words are clear enough that the time shift is happening. My inclination at this point is to just seperate the flashback from the rest of the story, and leave the flashforwards within it to stand for themselves without any separator or italics.

Thanks again for helping me out.

 

[doormouse]

If you don't like the italics idea, what about having the first word of your 'flash-forward' done in bold?

Just a thought, and it shows the reader that it's a new or different direction for your story.

 

[Guest]

 

[MLyons]

Lime,

In a way, that's how my story is constructed. Certain lines that he spoke 10 years ago are prompting him to remember lines that someone else spoke only 10 MINUTES ago. It's quite complex, and perhaps I can make more clear use of those bridges in dialogue as a transition..

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[rgraham666]

I'm doing a similar story at the moment. No flash forwards though.

I'm using a separator between the two perspectives and the flash backs are done in the past tense.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

So Lauren, are you suggesting then that I should put in a "- - - -" (my separator for big changes of time or location) between the story and the flashback AND between the flashback and the flashforwards? Or just for the flashback and leave the flashforwards to speak for themselves?

I would go for consistency. If you're separating some temporal juxtapositions, you should separate them all, even if they're just a paragraph long. If you don't want to separate those, then I wouldn't separate anything - and maybe then use the italics for both types of juxtaposition.

Personally, I think "- - - -" makes for an ugly, intrusive separator, but that's just my opinion.

 

[TheEarl]

I've used a couple of flashback in my current project andthey're difficult to manage. My POV is that if you cannot show the reader that it is a flashback through writing and a judicious *** between the sections, then you don't have the writing skills to be using them. Sounds like you've got it spot on.

Note: Italics are horrible. It is (and I hesistate to use the phrase, but it's true) 'scientifically proven' that italics are much harder to read that normal text. Hence hwy all the small print on credit card adverts are italicised.

The Earl

 

[gauchecritic]

I'd go for abrupt and confusing. I like confusing my readers.

Maybe a double space for either side of the present time paragraphs.

I'm not clear about how 'back' the flashback is.

Is the story mainly the flashback with short nowtime pararagraphs or is the nowtime as long as the flashback?

If it's the second I'd make them chapters.
If it's the first I'd say bugger 'em (the readers) if they can't make sense of it then they're not worthy of reading your work.

Gauche

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Amen

 

[MLyons]

I just wanted to say thanks again for the replies. They were very helpful.