Dealing with history

[Sunadmire]

I am currently working on two stories where the reader would benefit from earlier/historic information. I twisted my mind on how to present these info bits without writing long paragraphs which do not contribute to the actual story.

One option is to write the back-story (or two), but this would break my speed with the current story. Also, the back-story may have its own back-story, with even more delays.

An alternative is to provide clear markers in the text '*******' to indicate when these historic jumps takes place. These historic 'side notes' may hint at sex, but since these are not the focus of the story/plot, the reader may loose interest.

I'll try to illustrate my predicament:

Two 20 yo male friends (A and B) sleeps over at the home of C (A's mother) on their way to their sea holiday. A has migraine and the medication knocked him out for the night, leaving B and C to enjoy each other.

Back Stories:
1. How C and A's dad got together and why they divorced.
2. How C got back on the love scene (with her gym instructor)
3. Why she left het gym instructor which led to some breast augmentation.
4. Trying out her new breasts with her son's best friend.

At this stage, I am (reluctantly) considering doing these back-stories first. I say reluctant, because I'll have to dream out much more flesh to cover the bare bones ideas provided above for the back stories, while I am very excited to write the story where the friend bangs the mother.

NOTE: I am asking for an elegant way to include the history, not for an entire new plot. This story fits in with others which leaves little space changes to the plot/story line.

Best regards

Sun

 

[MillieDynamite]

I am currently working on two stories where the reader would benefit from earlier/historic information. I twisted my mind on how to present these info bits without writing long paragraphs which do not contribute to the actual story.

One option is to write the back-story (or two), but this would break my speed with the current story. Also, the back-story may have its own back-story, with even more delays.

An alternative is to provide clear markers in the text '*******' to indicate when these historic jumps takes place. These historic 'side notes' may hint at sex, but since these are not the focus of the story/plot, the reader may loose interest.

I'll try to illustrate my predicament:

Two 20 yo male friends (A and B) sleeps over at the home of C (A's mother) on their way to their sea holiday. A has migraine and the medication knocked him out for the night, leaving B and C to enjoy each other.

Back Stories:
1. How C and A's dad got together and why they divorced.
2. How C got back on the love scene (with her gym instructor)
3. Why she left het gym instructor which led to some breast augmentation.
4. Trying out her new breasts with her son's best friend.

At this stage, I am (reluctantly) considering doing these back-stories first. I say reluctant, because I'll have to dream out much more flesh to cover the bare bones ideas provided above for the back stories, while I am very excited to write the story where the friend bangs the mother.

NOTE: I am asking for an elegant way to include the history, not for an entire new plot. This story fits in with others which leaves little space changes to the plot/story line.

Best regards

Sun

Short intense flashbacks can add the history without breaking the flow.

 

[NotWise]

How much of the history helps tell the story? From what you've written, it doesn't sound crucial.

It's fairly natural to tell back stories in conversation. Breaking the flow of the story to insert the back story seems like a bad idea.

 

[KeithD]

Can't tell much without seeing the specific text, but, in general, it should work if you clearly mark it off in different, clearly designated, sections. It's also helpful if you keep the historical flashbacks relatively short so that the reader doesn't lose the context of the current story.

Current Story
* * * *
Flashback to historical context
* * * *
Current Story

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I have a LOT of flashbacks in my series 'Mike & Karen' from the Alexaverse. To be honest, I jump back and forth a lot. But I always mark a new section of the chapter with ***, regardless of whether there's a flashback or not.

I also preface these new sections with an italicized header, to give readers some context. 'A certain dorm room, 1987...'. 'Kapuskasing, 1985...'

The historically relevant info would then be provided likely through narrative in the prose, running on the premise that if the reader saw it, then the characters looking for said info would. I find it gives the whole story a more organic feel.

I've had a few readers have tantrums at me about my Pulp Fiction-style jumping back and forth, but then copped that they overlooked the headlines I put in front of them. Reading is apparently inconvenient.

But in general, giving my extensive use of flashbacks every chapter, it's nothing short of essential.

 

[gordo12]

Back Stories:
1. How C and A's dad got together and why they divorced.
2. How C got back on the love scene (with her gym instructor)
3. Why she left het gym instructor which led to some breast augmentation.
4. Trying out her new breasts with her son's best friend.

If you're more focused on the interaction between her and the son's friend, then it seems like the above aren't necessary. You can write your story without any of them.

Maybe include 4. You can use that as part of the seduction sequence. In doing so two or three lines referring to the gym instructor, breast augmentation and she was shocked when her husband abandoned her will cover 1,2,&3. It doesn't have to be complicated or long.

 

[Handley_Page]

I am currently working on two stories where the reader would benefit from earlier/historic information.
.

One option is to write the back-story (or two), but this would break my speed with the current story. Also, the back-story may have its own back-story, with even more delays.

I'll try to illustrate my predicament:

Two 20 yo male friends (A and B) sleeps over at the home of C (A's mother) on their way to their sea holiday. A has migraine and the medication knocked him out for the night, leaving B and C to enjoy each other.

Back Stories:
1. How C and A's dad got together and why they divorced.
2. How C got back on the love scene (with her gym instructor)
3. Why she left het gym instructor which led to some breast augmentation.
4. Trying out her new breasts with her son's best friend.

NOTE: I am asking for an elegant way to include the history, not for an entire new plot. This story fits in with others which leaves little space changes to the plot/story line.

Best regards

Sun

I think you could be getting a trifle confused, by the sound of it.

1] you can clear this on with a a simple line or two in a statement by 'C'.
2] ditto. ("oh he's wonderful; or was until I caught him with . . .. . .").
3] "And the lottery paid for my new boobs. . . ."
4] "What'ja think of these. . . .?"

 

[AlinaX]

If the backstory is itself erotic, then it's a bit of a non-issue. Just make it a chapter.
If it's just exposition, then you can either weave in relevant details bit by bit, perhaps even as dialogue during sex; or have short intermediate sections as suggested.

Too much nonlinearity will confuse readers, as I've learned to my cost just recently with my Vale series, but keep the fragments short and keep the main story going strong and it can work well. (My Anahita Ch. 02 works quite well, I think.)

 

[ElectricBlue]

Is the back story relevant to the current moment?

Sure, it's part of the character's history, but so is the stale pastrami sandwich they had that Tuesday in Ghopa, that gave them the shits all night, but you're not going to tell us about that, are you?

Ask yourself, "Who cares about this stuff?" and if the answer is no-one, don't write it.

 

[SimonDoom]

If it were me, based on the information you've provided so far, I would avoid extensive flashbacks. It doesn't sound like any of the four historical bits are that sexy, so using up a lot of words about them in your story will disturb the flow and probably dull the story.

I assume the story is told mostly or entirely from the mother's (C's) point of view, since all four of the past events concern her.

If so, there's no need for flashbacks.

First, figure out exactly how much of the past you REALLY need to include in your story for it to make sense. Only include those elements of the past that are truly necessary to make sense of the present. The present is what matters.

Second, use the mother's internal thoughts to recall the past in bite-sized chunks as you tell the story, rather than in a big-block flashback.

Third, tell part of the past via dialogue between B and C. They could have a dialogue about how much her likes her breasts and she reveals some information about them. It doesn't have to be much.

Fourth, reveal some of the information about C's relationship with her ex-husband through dialogue between A and B. But if you do this, then the first part of the story where they are going to the house must be told from B's POV, not C's, obviously. Part 1, going to the house, could be from B's POV. Part 2, when B and C get together, could be from C's POV. Part 3, the climax and aftermath, could be from B's POV once again. I'd do this in 3d person limited rather than alternating 1st person POV, but that's just because I don't like alternating 1st person POV most of the time. Or you could do it in the omniscient, although that could be tricky.

I think the above will do it. No need for long flashbacks that take the reader away from the good stuff.

 

[SamScribble]

As Arnold Toynbee is reputed to have said: ‘History is just one damn thing after another’. But so is a good yarn.

My ‘rule’ tends to be ‘weave or leave’. If the ‘history helps to move the story forward, weave it in to the main story. If it doesn’t, leave it out.

 

[Athalia]

Can't tell much without seeing the specific text, but, in general, it should work if you clearly mark it off in different, clearly designated, sections. It's also helpful if you keep the historical flashbacks relatively short so that the reader doesn't lose the context of the current story.

Current Story
* * * *
Flashback to historical context
* * * *
Current Story

This is my technique, as well, when I'm writing such a story.

I must add, though, that I never hop between past and present more than once in a single chapter. And immediately after the time shift, I insert enough clues to let the reader determine which time period I'm referring to.

 

[PennameWombat]

Let me say here, that, of your four listed "items," and your described plot, four seems to be the actual plot and the first three items are (IMHO) not at all necessary in the story... I see no need for such a level of anguish. "Divorced mom gets with son's friend"... done. But, ok, some suggestions below.

<snip>An alternative is to provide clear markers in the text '*******' to indicate when these historic jumps takes place. These historic 'side notes' may hint at sex, but since these are not the focus of the story/plot, the reader may loose interest.

I'll try to illustrate my predicament:

Two 20 yo male friends (A and B) sleeps over at the home of C (A's mother) on their way to their sea holiday. A has migraine and the medication knocked him out for the night, leaving B and C to enjoy each other.

Back Stories:
1. How C and A's dad got together and why they divorced.

That's another story. For now, B says to A, "your mom's so much nicer since the divorce." A can add "yeah, dumping that gym instructor asshole helped even more."

2. How C got back on the love scene (with her gym instructor)

Who cares? Why? She's divorced and horny. That's NEVER happened before. No one will expect it.

3. Why she left het gym instructor which led to some breast augmentation.

Uh, why do we need to know all that? B nudges A at some point and asks, "Whoa, did your mom get, uh, new..." A passes out before he can punch B, or A gets embarrassed. Done. Again, divorced mom gets breast job. Never, ever happened before.

4. Trying out her new breasts with her son's best friend.

<snip>

Sun

Um, it strikes me that the core of your story is "divorced mom thinks her son's friend is hot so she decides to try out her new breasts with him."

I don't mean to sound dismissive... but it seems to me you've wrapped yourself around the axle unnecessarily. The vast majority of readers here, on an erotic stories site, will accept a divorced mom deciding on a breast job and to jump a young guy without needing to know the ins and outs of her justifications.

Also. Divorce and an uncomfortable fling tend to be different kinds of moods than what this seems to be. This seems to be light, hot, horny, fulfilling a young dude's dreams while giving the mom satisfaction and boosting her self-esteem. (Maybe?) Not what the woman went through (hell?) to get here. Again, that's all worthy material, just maybe not the mood for this story.

I've done flashbacks. If they're a paragraph, I just do them inline with a couple of words, 'Fergal thought back on...' If they're long, yeah, a section break with clear indication in the opening text. But again, I see zero need for such here, beyond a few words.

 

[SimonDoom]

Let me say here, that, of your four listed "items," and your described plot, four seems to be the actual plot and the first three items are (IMHO) not at all necessary in the story... I see no need for such a level of anguish. "Divorced mom gets with son's friend"... done. But, ok, some suggestions below.



That's another story. For now, B says to A, "your mom's so much nicer since the divorce." A can add "yeah, dumping that gym instructor asshole helped even more."



Who cares? Why? She's divorced and horny. That's NEVER happened before. No one will expect it.



Uh, why do we need to know all that? B nudges A at some point and asks, "Whoa, did your mom get, uh, new..." A passes out before he can punch B, or A gets embarrassed. Done. Again, divorced mom gets breast job. Never, ever happened before.



Um, it strikes me that the core of your story is "divorced mom thinks her son's friend is hot so she decides to try out her new breasts with him."

I don't mean to sound dismissive... but it seems to me you've wrapped yourself around the axle unnecessarily. The vast majority of readers here, on an erotic stories site, will accept a divorced mom deciding on a breast job and to jump a young guy without needing to know the ins and outs of her justifications.

Also. Divorce and an uncomfortable fling tend to be different kinds of moods than what this seems to be. This seems to be light, hot, horny, fulfilling a young dude's dreams while giving the mom satisfaction and boosting her self-esteem. (Maybe?) Not what the woman went through (hell?) to get here. Again, that's all worthy material, just maybe not the mood for this story.

I've done flashbacks. If they're a paragraph, I just do them inline with a couple of words, 'Fergal thought back on...' If they're long, yeah, a section break with clear indication in the opening text. But again, I see zero need for such here, beyond a few words.

I think this is good advice and analysis. I agree with all of this.

Obviously, it's the OP story and the OP's choice. But this has been a helpful thread for emphasizing the importance of "killing one's darlings" -- not just with characters but with plot and story ideas that perhaps will distract from the essential story.