Yeah, Jay—that’s what happens now. He’s found trembling in a corner or whatever, and the other character pieces together what’s happening.
This is a big reason why i haven’t been writing. I get overwhelmed and stressed out and shut down.
Yeah, Jay—that’s what happens now. He’s found trembling in a corner or whatever, and the other character pieces together what’s happening.
Remember, the beta was only one person. The others didn't have a problem with it. There's every chance your flashback scenes were fine, it just wasn't this particular person's cup of tea. It happens. At the end of the day, it's your book and your story. Take other opinions into account, but trust your gut.
Eek. I just posted the first three sentences of my new shiny. It's been forever since I posted any of my own writing on AW. I'm strangely nervous!
This is good advice. Thanks.I know that feeling. The key is to take it one step at a time. I mean, I just rewrote half my bloody book. I almost chucked it in, coz it was overwhelming. Change one aspect, the knock-on effects were paralysing to think about as a writer. But I found if I just focused on one small part then another, without thinking about the overwhelming amount ahead, I rediscovered my enthusiasm as the new thing started to take shape.
BF—where did you post them? I wanna read!
Thanks guys. Talking this out really helps. I am pretty sure I saved all the flashbacks I took out in a seperate document, so I should be able to add them back in without too much trouble. I need more...meat to the story. More internal dialogue, more background. It’s a good story, in its bones, I know it is. I just need to flesh it out.
I found it!!lol. Here. (The password is vista, same as SYW).
Yay for unshelving, Lil. Is this the MS you had in QLH a while back?
Always happy to talk things out about writing, or pretty much anything. I bet it's an awesome story. Just get those flashbacks put back in place and write the story YOU want to tell! You can do it!
oh, thanks!Oh good. I thought that MS had real potential.
Ack! I just realized I need to make an anniversary card for Mr. BF. Totally forgot. (About the card, not our anniversary).
Happy Anniversary! Coming up. How many years, BF?
BF - he's got you, why does he need a card?
Sounds like a hassle, BF. Sorry.
Okay, I have a writing question. How do you, personally, feel about flashbacks in a book? Originally in my ms, my MC had PTSD that caused flashbacks. It was through those flashbacks that the reader learned about the character’s past, what happened, why he was so screwed up. I had some beta readers who liked it, but one in particular said it broke up the story too much, pulled her out of the story. So I took them all out. The problem is, it left the character feeling one-dimensional to me. And then I ended up sort of info-dumping his story. I’m unhappy with the results.
Any opinions? I’m just curious what you guys think of books that flashback or perhaps have an alternating timeline. I want to add the flashbacks back into the story and make it work. But is that stupid? Can it work? I dunno...
Thanks, Jay. Yeah, I felt they happened pretty naturally, you know. But it’s hard to know what advice to take from betas and what to ignore.
In the end, it is your story. You take what resonates, and discard the rest. But if a few come back with the same suggestion, it is worth reviewing why it has to be the way you have put it.
I think I read somewhere in the last 22 pages you guys have written tonight that only one person of the betas had issue with the flashbacks? It would take a whole lot more than that to make me do that kind of alteration, and even then I think I would leave some of them in.
That sounds like fun. Not.
I'm fooded now. My tummy's less grumbly. But it needs more coffee...