When the memories of characters are essential to your narrative, you will need to master the art of writing flashbacks. Flashbacks are scenes embedded into the present narrative timeframe from a period that precedes the primary story arc. And in this article, we discuss 8 steps to writing a fascinating, cohesive flashback scene. 

1. Understand the need for a flashback

Flashbacks are essential in stories involving characters’ recollections or enormous leaps in time. They help establish formative or crucial moments that propel characters’ present-time attitudes and judgments. A forty-something-year-old female narrator narrating the events at her father's funeral is an excellent example of a flashback. Here, the narration evokes the memories that emotionally influence the character. It could be a happy moment, or in this case, a sad event.

2. Decide whether a flashback is best for your narrative

You can use exposition in place of flashbacks. But narrating the scene as though your character is witnessing it for the first time can be more effective in evoking the right emotions. This shows the reader the momentous story event with immediacy from your character’s perspective. An earlier event is flashback worthy if it's important enough to break from the narrative continuity of your central story arc. These events must contain meaningful clues or explanations for your characters’ dispositions or actions and make your story more cohesive. 

3. Learn from classic examples

Writing flashbacks can be difficult. But you can master the use of this narrative device by researching novels that use it to see how other writers approach flashbacks. You can consider examples like the opening of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, where the narrator Nick Carraway recalls advice from his father:

In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

Flashbacks are usually lengthier, and this example is just a snippet. And here, Scott depicts a self-aware character and demonstrates one central theme of The Great Gatsby: How people respond to their lot in life.

4. Decide the length of your flashback timeframe

Flashbacks usually cover a short timeframe, an event within a single day, a few days, or a few weeks. If you need to convey events over a year in your character's life, it's best to employ an expository narrative. So, before you write a flashback, you need to choose a reasonable period for the scene. This can be a single conversation or event; the shorter, the better. A brief flashback won't distract readers from the current arc of your story. But, if there's a need to insert an entire week's events, you can't make your flashback that long. 

5. Identify the distinguishing details

The settings of your current story arc and a flashback scene are bound to be different, except the period is not that long ago. A story occurring in 2020, with a flashback from 1996, would have significant differences in setting elements. You need to decide what those elements are and which of them you will include in your flashback to convey the change in the timeframe. These elements can be slang, fashion style, music, or other cultural details that show readers you are narrating a flashback.

6. Be consistent with your tenses

One problem you may encounter with writing flashbacks is how to apply the correct tense. You can write your flashback in the same tense as your present-time narrative, distinguishing periods by expressly stating the year it occurs. Or, you can choose a different tense from the present-time narrative, but whatever method you choose, be consistent throughout your flashback scene. Select a tense and stick with it.

7. Master a seamless transition

The tricky part of writing flashback scenes is transitioning them in and out of your main story. You can do this by starting a new scene or chapter with a flashback, making the transition less obvious by signaling a change in the time simply in narration. Also, you can insert flashback scenes after powerful scenes in the present time of your story. This method allows readers to readily recognize where the present-time narration left off once your flashback scene ends.

8. Ensure you meet your goal

After writing your flashback scene, ensure the narration is relevant to the future of the main story. It may supply a crucial clue in a mystery novel or convey a relationship, dialogue, or dispute that defines your character’s disposition. Ensure your flashback scene points your readers to the essential story elements, which will deepen their understanding of major future scenes. This way, the break in the linear progression of your narration will make your story even more cohesive.