Things You Should Try to Avoid Doing as an Author

Flashbacks

This chapter was requested by AngelicAngel_26

Flashbacks;

It's best and easiest to start with a definition. So here is the definition of a flashback; 

flash·back/ˈflaSHˌbak/

Noun:

1. A scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story.

2. A sudden and disturbing vivid memory of an event in the past, typically as the result of psychological trauma or taking LSD.

How do we know if it is a flashback or not? 

Your reader has to know that this is a flashback. It can be obvious, or subtle, but either way the reader has to know! 

“A distant memory plays through my mind...”

This would be a more obvious introduction as would; 

“The picture/memory was clear in his/her mind...” 

This is telling them that they are about to or are experiencing a flashback. And so we'll stick with this simple way of telling the reader first. 

Here is a quick example; 

Who could James be? Why was he so familiar? Jen kept wondering. She knew she had seen his face before, but where? Out of all of her memories one stuck out. A morning just like any other...

“Who’s that?” Jen remembered asking her father. She was pointing at a picture in the morning paper. The handsome boy had caught her eye.

“It says here that his name is Jeremiah Collins. ‘An escaped convict, Collins has been convicted of three murders. He was due to move to Grey Walls Prison this afternoon where he would have served his forty year sentence. The public are warned that this man could be dangerous, if you see him please report to the police immediately.’" He read a small part of the story aloud.

Maybe he wasn’t so hot after all. 

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that...” was all she said aloud to her father. Her voice trailed off into her coffee cup as she took a sip of the bitter drink.

“It’s a shame,” her father had answered. “Such a young boy. It says here that he’s barely eighteen.” 

“Well it can’t be helped now. Let’s just hope they catch him before he does any harm to anyone else.” Even as she said it she couldn’t help but stare back down at the picture. He looked dangerous, like one would expect a murderer to look, but there was something underneath that exterior. Something innocent.

End...

As you can see the flashback is in italics. This also helps the reader see that it is a different part of the story. And there was an introduction telling us that this would be a flashback. 

Another way to show that it is a flashback without telling the reader could be past tense. Your flashback should always be in italics so that the reader knows that this isn't happening right at this moment. And it should be long enough so that the reader knows that this is not just a thought trail. 

If your story is in past tense this won't work!

Another attempt at an example;

"Where could I possibly know James from?" Jen says voicing her thoughts aloud.

Jen had been pouring herself a cup of coffee when she noticed the handsome boys picture over her father's shoulder. "Who's that?" she asked pointing at the picture. 

Do you see how that's different from the previous example, but still clearly shows it as a flashback? 

Un-needed Backstory vs. Vital Information;

Do you need your character to have this flashback or is it un-needed backstory? 

I'll admit that before I have used a flashback that was not needed. I realise that now. I'm sure we have all done it at one point or another. You have to think "Do I need to use this flashback? Is it going to take the story anywhere at all?" If it's not then you don't need a flashback, if it is necessary then you should use the flashback. 

Handled improperly, backstory stalls the forward-moving narrative. - From Be-A-Better-Writer.com

You don't want to stall or move backwards with your story. You want to move forward, so try to avoid unnecessary backstory.

Don't go over board;

Your story or characters may be effected by the past, but there doesn't need to be a flashback ever chapter or so. If you were to do that you might as well just write a story/book in that time rather than the present time you are writing it. So try to avoid using too many flashbacks.

Conclusion;

Flashbacks should be necessary and mocve the story forward. They should contain important information only. 

Try to avoid unnecessary backstory when using flashbacks in your writing.

What would you guys think if I edited and tried to publish, or self-published this when it's finished? Is that a good idea or not?

Did I miss anything? 

What are your thoughts on this chapter and flashbacks?

The next chapter will be Breaks Within The Chapter as requested by AThousandYears!