  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Vivian  
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Welcome to my second Short Story Newsletter. I hope what I write will be helpful.
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Flashback the Flashbacks
The book started with an attention grabbing first paragraph and continued showing the reader what happened and how. The writer brought me into the story and held me captured. Then suddenly I was confused, lost, and wondering what I had missed. The author used a flashback without warning, transition, or notice. He continued to commit the same error throughout the book: disrupting the unity, the flow of the story. If flashbacks used incorrectly in a novel can disrupt the unity, the flow, the focus of the story, just image what incorrectly used flashbacks can do to a short story. Flashbacks can be effective in novels, when used correctly, but long flashbacks aren’t recommended in short fiction and, if used, should be used carefully.
Perhaps we should discuss flashbacks first. These are brief scenes of past occurrences, before the main action of the story, that are inserted to explain motivations, character histories, background influences or information that cannot told during the chronological sequence of a story.
Edgar Allen Poe believed the unity of focus in a short story was paramount. Flashbacks interrupt the unity of a story. Therefore, if one is absolutely needed, it should be short and with smooth transitions.
In novels, prologues can be used to “set the stage” with information that won’t fit into the story line but which is needed for the reader to understand certain elements of the book. Short stories don’t have that option. However, according to Nancy Kress, in “...And My Whole Life Flashed Before My Eyes...” Writers’ Digest, October 2000, The advantages of flashbacks can be maximized by following a few guidelines:
1. Flashbacks should follow a strong scene. They should never be the first scene or even a second scene after an introductory scene. The flashback should also show, not tell. It needs to be a vivid action scene in active voice. Dialogue is a good tool to use in flashbacks.
2. Smooth, clear transitions are a must. Readers should never have to stop and decide where a flashback begins or ends. Letting the reader know who, what, and when helps keep him or her from becoming lost.
3. Using verb tenses wisely helps the transition of a flashback. If the story is written in present tense, then a flashback should be in past tense. If the story is written in past tense, then starting the flashback in past perfect tense, then moving into simple past tense, then finishing the last few verbs in past perfect will give verbal signals to the reader.
4. Avoid jumping from one flashback into another. In fact, more than one flashback in a short story may be too much.
The most effective flashbacks have a catalyst such as a song, place, person, an aroma, a sight, a sound, or an event that causes a memory for a character. The flashback needs to be integrated into the plot while adding to an issue or character. The flashback must be related to the present action.
Remember that since flashbacks stop the story, use them rarely and then with smooth transition. The plot, characters, and conflict should be thoroughly introduced before using a flashback. Be brief. Illustrate the information before quickly returning to the story.
Certain places in a story should never include a flashback: never in the middle of an emotional or eventful action; never in climatic scenes. Also don’t use flashbacks to characterize and replace dramatic scenes.
A final note, an emphasis actually, remember to use smooth, clear transitions and use flashbacks only when absolutely necessary. As James V. Smith wrote: “When you reach a moment of truth in such a story, you realize that that literary instant results from a confluence of a hundred facts and circumstances you’ve read earlier in the story. Every iota is a related, orderly part of a whole that cannot be taken out without damaging the overall structure. When you read a work that gives you this feeling, you know it was written by a master of transition.”
Using what I have studied and written, I wrote a short story using a flashback. I wonder if I did a credible job.
Sources:
1. ©Fall, 2003, Dory Lynch Page location: www.bloomington.in.us/~dory/creative
2. Nancy Kress, <i>Writers’ Digest</i>, October 2000
3. http://www.allworth.com/Samples/Authors_Toolkit.pdf
4. Jessica Page Morrell, http://www.writing-life.com/fiction/fashbacks.html
5. http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~tpl/tests/time.html
6. Notes and lesson plans from Vivian Zabel |
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Words from Our Readers
Thank you for all the feedback. Wow! Now I'm spoiled.
I appreciate those who understood what I meant in the editorial and those who didn't. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough that the full meaning was that we as writers need to make what we write believable or real to the the reader. I was not making any claim that young people couldn't love older people or that "beautiful" people couldn't love "unbeautiful" people. I just suggest that we show how and why anyone does what we show he or she does in our writing.
ncblondie  :
Great newsletter! I've found that it's easy to forget that the readers don't have all the details the writer has and, as a result, we sometimes write a scene without enough background to make it make sense. I ran into this problem with my romance. Even though it made perfect sense to me for my characters to kiss at that point in the story, I got several reviews saying the kiss came out of nowhere and without enough background for the reader to fully understand why.
Making a couple fall in love with each other, and to be able to make it believable, takes care. Everything that happens in a story needs some kind of motivation.
dmack :
Hello Vivian, Well done, this is a good newsletter. I hope you will do more. I occasionally will read a Romance Story and find them urealistic. When I look around me I find very few 'beautiful people'. Those I see are ordinary like myself. Ordinary people fall in love all the time and their stories are often very romantic.
I enjoy your poetry newsletters but hope to see you do more with this one.
Thank you. Yes, I agree. There are more "ordinary" people than there are "beautiful" people. However, all people are capable of love and falling in love. We as writers just need to make their stories beautiful.
welkerdeb:
I enjoyed this newsletter this month! I found some great stories to read that were listed in this issue! I especially liked the "lets keep it real" info!
I'm glad you enjoyed the newsletter and the highlighted items.
ldylore:
Excellant newsletter. It's actually something I've never really thought about before.
I'm always glad to help writers consider something new or something that helps them improve their writing.
J.M. Butler
Great newsletter! I really enjoyed it. Just one thought that I wanted to add to the discussion of believability and all.
I had a friend who was 22 and absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful red hair, blue eyes. Smart. All that great stuff. But she ended up getting involved with a 40 year old man who was a manager at Marsh and who was not exactly a male super model. I asked her why and she said that the reason was because she wanted the security. Not to mention the fact that she thought he was better off financially and more likely to make good decisions.
The story goes on the opposite side too. A couple in town are over twenty years apart. He was 20 and she was 43 or something like that. Reason for the marriage: he liked older and more mature women.
So even though it seems strange, it does happen. But personally, I want to marry someone within my age bracket, lol.
Oh, yes, a younger person and older person can and do fall in love, or at least become partners. However, the young woman didn't fall in love with his flabby muscles, but with his healthy money. The young man had his reasons. If either couple were put into a story, though, the author would need to bring the reasons for the attraction into the plot.
Heide needs a new job again :(
You wrote " If attractive younger people should fall in love with unattractive much older people, there should be reasons that are covered in depth so that readers can accept those reasons, since the likelihood of such a thing actually happening is unlikely."
I find it unsettling that in this day and age, we still think only looks govern love. I do think we should lay out reasons for love in romance stories, but it should be done always, not just make make people believe the 'unattractive' can be loved. I really hope I misunderstood this passage.
The reasons for any couple falling in love must be developed in a story. The idea of anyone suddenly falling in love with someone, whether attractive or not, won't be believed unless the author has shown motivation. However, I think you missed the point of this editorial: not that unattractive people can't be loved, but that it is unbelievable that a young, virile, attractive person would fall madly in love with one who is older and physically unattractive unless a foundation for that love is built in the story. In so many "male romances," a beautiful woman falls madly in love with an older man who has flabby muscles, a beer belly, and nothing else to recommend him. That is unrealistic. The whole point was make stories believable, lay a foundation and motivation in the story.
Whew, so many comments. The following ones don't all have individual replies from me because I've covered the topics above. Thank you for writing about this editorial, and if I didn't answer any concerns, please let me know.
iwill
I just thought it was because women are deep and men are shallow. Women see the heart and soul, while men only see the, well, you know. It's gratifying to know that women can be just as shallow.
Starr Phenix 
I enjoyed this article and found it timely, personally, as I used some of my internet 'down time' to work out themes for a new novel. I took out a notebook and just let loose with the random thought processes, focusing on what I want to say with this book - what it's deeper meaning will be underneath the entertaining (I hope!) veneer. I hope to keep this ultimate 'higher' goal in mind as I write. (Starr says with fingers crossed. )
barastanda
You never know what it can be good for. First I thought for critisising and breaking down completely American literature and art in general but in fact it's only the movies resembling to nothing. Can you enumerate me ONE convenient one? Unless those for kids maybe.
I haven't any feedback yet.
Red Writing Hood <3 
Great job, Viv!
April Sunday
Dear Viv, This is an informative, yet informal news item filled with usable info. Good luck & have fun! Adding stories is very welcome indeed.
TEFF
billwilcox:
Vivian,
As always, you have so much to offer. Great newsletter!
Thanks, Red, Teff, and Bill.
Breezy-E ~ In College
I think the reason why girls DO sometimes fall in love with not-so-handsome guys is because they've gotten to know them, and the futur spouse has a beautiful personality. I doubt that they ever ooze romantic compliments, or some of the more ridiculous things in love stories, though.
Breezy-E
mightywriter
What an interesting topic. I agree that it is a double standard to accept blindly that Middle Aged Bald Guy getting Hot Young Bimbo, is more plausible than Dumpy Middle Aged Housefrau getting Hot young Stud Muffin.
I think you are correct, such contrivances should be explained and not just written as acceptable fact. I mean come on, who exactly are any of us fooling?
Thank you for the thoughts.
Rose Petals
schipperke
Hello Viv! Congrats on your first newsletter, and it was a great one.
Perhaps men get the inspiration to write about unreal romances like the dumpy man, hot chick because they see in real life the ability someone like Donald Trump has in attracting young, nubile ladies?
Yes, but not all dumpy men (or women} have the money that Donald Trump has. The money has much to do with his attraction to hot chicks, don't you think?
ftrinta
Hi Vivian,
I found interesting the aspect you have focused here in this newsletter. And I really agree that so "unbeliavable" relationships should be explained and dissecated by the writer to make it believable. I also think that even beliavable atractions would be justified in a story to make it an agreable piece of writing.
Only one comment: there's a soap opera actor in Brasil (my mother country) that is an Adonis and he's in a relationship with a 50+ journalist. Situations like this really exists!
Cheers,
Nanda
writeone
I have seen really skinny people end up with really not-so-skinny people in real life. I believe the point, especially for women, is to be able to remove ourselves from our mirror images and become the long-tressed, long-legged heroine despite the stretch marks from three children, and the ten - okay, fifteen - extra pounds from the last birth. After saying that: there is a trick in literature called "the suspension of disbelief" You can write about one-eyed, three handed women being swept off their feet by Prince Charming as long as it is believable through dialogue, description and vivid detail. Real means it has to exactly reflect life as we know it. Believable means we can stretch our minds to agree with the author as to the chances of it happening. THAT is where the masters of writing come in.
Thanks again for all the comments. If nothing else, I seem to have stirred up some conversations.{c}
Until the next time we meet, read and write exciting, well-writen short stories.
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Short Stories: March 22, 2006 Issue [#902]
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