My younger son lives in LA, and he told me this is a game he and his friends play, looking at the people walking down the street talking to themselves, and asking, "Insane, or Bluetooth?"
(That is, crazy, or talking to someone on the phone?)
Another contemporary issue:
Flashback, or memory?
A commenter asked:
(That is, crazy, or talking to someone on the phone?)
Another contemporary issue:
Flashback, or memory?
A commenter asked:
What is the difference between a flashback and the thought level POV when the
character is thinking about the past?
From Alicia:
A flashback is an actual scene that takes place in the past. It might start
in the character's POV, but doesn't stay there.
Think of it this way. I'm going to assign years to the same character,
because the PRESENT character might be remembering the PAST character
experience, but isn't experiencing it:
Memory:
2013 Anna looks back and remembers 1995 Anna's firing. She has a wider
perspective on it now. She realizes that the job was really wrong for her, and
she probably wasn't very good at it; however, with the benefit of hindsight, she
has figured out that her boss was threatened by her greater insight. Anna now
gets that she was lucky to get out of the toxic situation, and anyway, if she
hadn't been fired, she might never have gone back to school and gotten the
computer security degree which has led to her getting the job she really wanted.
So 2013 Anna looks back and remembers what happens, but also realizes it was all
for the best.
Flashback (book is in 2013, and 2013 Anna is the main character):
1995 Anna gets called into her boss's office. She goes in to find her boss
cursing at and pounding the computer, having once again clicked on an email
attachment that has let loose the virus that eats all the files AND sends the
whole company's clientlist a pornographic picture. 1995 Anna feels guilty
because she forgot to back up her own files last night, and they're probably
gone now, eaten by the virus. She ventures a comment that maybe we should have a
company-wide meeting about computer safety. Her boss yells at her, and then
fires her. 1995 Anna stumbles out, feeling like a loser, full of shame as her
coworkers watch her pack up her stuff and leave.
(Back to 2013, and super-accomplished and happy Anna with the computer
security degree and the great job).
See the difference? It's 2013 Anna. Is she remembering? Then it's a
memory.
If she stops being for a moment, and 1995 Anna has a scene, then it's a
flashback, and presumably 2013 Anna isn't remembering-- it's just being related
to the reader.
So which is yours? Is this "happening" to 2013 Anna? Is she changed by the
memory in some way (like feeling better about herself when she realizes it was
good that she got fired back in 1995)? Then it's a memory.
But if it's an actual scene that takes place with 1995 Anna, then it's a
flashback.
I never have any success persuading writers who love flashbacks to rethink
them (been trying a long time: http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/2008/06/revelations-and-flashbacks.html)
or at least to understand how to make them work. But let me just say, the
"present of the story" is when almost all the scenes and actions should take
place. If too much happens in the past, then why aren't I writing about that
great exciting past time? Why am I setting the book in 2013 if I'm really so
interested in 1995?
Now if what I want is for 2013 Anna to realize that she was lucky to be
fired back then, I'd make something happen NOW that makes her remember (briefly)
getting fired. What sets off the memory? Seeing that her old boss was sent to
jail, I don't know.
That said, I tend to use flashbacks AND memory when I'm stuck for plot
events in the present. That's always a sign I need to plot better quickly.
So what do you think you're doing? It's possible to improve the scene, even
a flashback, so it doesn't bother readers and actually adds to the story. Here's
the question: What difference does it make? How does this memory or flashback
change things in the present?
What do you think?
Alicia
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