how do you...

gp101 · Apr 12, 2006

...make the Main Character's past work as chapter 1? In short, I have an action scene that shows how the main character became who he is now, but it takes place several years before the current story begins. It's important beause the MC stole somebody's identity, but he spends the bulk of the rest of the story referred to by his new identity. How he stole the identity is interesting enough (IMHO) to catch a reader's attention from the start. If he's referred to as "Fred" in this scene, but is referred to as "John" for most of the rest of the story, how would you transition that first chapter (scene) to the next chapter which takes place in the "now" under his assumed identity (and picks up several years later, no less)?

I don't want to make this initial scene a prologue, and I can't really use a clunky transitional opener in chapter two like "...three years later" because I don't want the reader to know that the character they meet in chapter two is actually the character they met in chapter one; he now looks much different and has a different name and lifestyle.

I guess a more fair question would be to ask what books have you read that have done such a thing. I'm sure there are some out there but I can't think of any off the top of my head. It would really help with my own inspiration if I could read something that has already tackled the problem.

I know I'm not giving much info here, but those are the basics: first chapter is how the MC attained his new identity several years earlier, second chapter picks up in the now, with the MC's current problem, only the reader won't know that the MC from the first chapter is the same person as the MC in the second chapter.

Confused? Me too.

Chickenchargrill · Apr 12, 2006

Confused? A little.

If you don't want the reader to know until later on inthe book tht they are the same person, then you hve no problem with transistion. Yeah, the reader might think a couple of chapter's later, where's Fred gone? But isn't that what you want to achieve?

three seven · Apr 12, 2006

It would seem logical to me, without knowing the full ins and outs, to reveal how he got his new identity after his old one is revealed (which it presumably will be). I don't see what purpose this opening flashback can serve other than to potentially alert the reader to the twist.

rbflynn · Apr 12, 2006

Questions...

1- What's the impetus for the flashback? Is the main char "remembering" who he was and what got him to this point? Is it setup (aka info dump) for what is happening now?
Basically sets the tone for the main char moving forward in the story. Character driven vs event driven
2- What's more important for the overall throughline of the story, what his name was, or the fact that he isn't who he says he is?
Revealing that he has changed his ID in chapter 1 without revealing his name sets up some potentially interesting situations for the reader if who he was is referred to later in the story. If this is a character driven story, however, then that may prove difficult, especially if he is wrestling with the choice he made in that first chapter.

It sounds to me like you are sort of treating Fred and John as 2 distinct characters. My personal choice would be to go all the way with that, bringing them closer together as the story progresses. I think perhaps your confusion stems from linking them too soon. three seven has a good point in that scene might be better served at some point after the immediate situation is established.

cwfgal · Apr 12, 2006

I wouldn't reveal anything about the past up front. Delve right into the new character's life and pepper your story with hints about his past. Let the reader know that something isn't right but don't reveal what that is until much later. It will pique the reader's interest more and make the character more interesting. You might reveal things about Fred through other characters' dialogue and such, even John's own...have him talk about his past identity as if it is another person.

Beth

L.Jones · Apr 12, 2006

Secrets propel stories, why give us the answer on page one and risk taking potential fuel out of the story? Even if the book isn't about that secret, it sounds like it's a big motivator. Leave out the specifics and feed in references so that when it's revealed readers say - I see it now!

This makes the reader feel they have participated more fully in the story.

The old trying to show just enough of a secret while actually keeping the reader in the dark is hard to pull off. Begin where the story begins.

annie
Luanne Jones
(Heathen Girls, Mira)

Chickenchargrill · Apr 12, 2006

L.Jones said:
Secrets propel stories, why give us the answer on page one and risk taking potential fuel out of the story? Even if the book isn't about that secret, it sounds like it's a big motivator. Leave out the specifics and feed in references so that when it's revealed readers say - I see it now!

This makes the reader feel they have participated more fully in the story.

The old trying to show just enough of a secret while actually keeping the reader in the dark is hard to pull off. Begin where the story begins.

annie
Luanne Jones
(Heathen Girls, Mira)

I agree. Having thought about it, it might seem a bit obvious it's the same character anyway, just because you have a bloke in the first chapter getting a new identity, people will probably just assume John is Jack (sorry, can't remember your character's names)

Garpy · Apr 12, 2006

Have the old/new character share the same (supposedly unimportant and throw-way detail) identical tick or mannerism.

ie: Fred and Jack both share a unique hatred for poofy cushions.

If you mention that Fred has that cushion-phobia, and then several chapters later mention that Jack has the same bizarre fear...the reader will quickly put two and two together.

maestrowork · Apr 12, 2006

That kind of background/backstory/etc. is not essential for you to tell the story at that point, at least not "starting" a story. Let the readers meet the guy, see where things are going, then you can drop the info about his past. Suspense goes a long way. And in real life, do you prefer someone telling you his life history first before he introduces himself and tells you about something very interesting that happened to him earlier? Or would you rather hear the story, then find out more about him and his past later?

Linda Adams · Apr 12, 2006

We have something like that in ours. What was did was briefly--a few sentences--ties it directly into something that is happening in the context of the first chapter. Then, after that, it turns up again and again, providing a little more information each time and with it more questions.

If you do something like that, it'll be much more interesting and suspenseful. A flashback to show up it all up front steals the opportunity for suspense.

how do you...

gp101

Chickenchargrill

three seven

(Graeme Cameron)

rbflynn

cwfgal

On the rocks

L.Jones

Chickenchargrill

Garpy

keyboard monkey

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller