I love me some good flashbacks. Mainly because I love learning more about my favorite characters and about the moments in their past that helped shape them into who they are today. Hearing about their first kiss, first day on the job, first case, and first heartbreak always makes me feel like I'm getting closer to the characters I enjoy reading about.
On the same subject though, I'm iffy about the use of flashbacks in books. Sometimes it works wonderfully and other times it just clogs up what would be an otherwise decent novel.
In my case, I love my MC in my current WIP, Dr. Stella Lennon. She is a forensic archaeologist who works for the FBI and local police to help solve homicides. I think in order to make a character great, every author has to have an extensive backstory for them, either in their head or planned out on paper. And unfortunately, the majority of this never makes the cut for the final story. Now, I have SO much in my head about Stella and my problem is I want to get it out, but I don't want to put it in my book. She has a past love affair with my other MC, Xavier Martin, and many other interesting tidbits from her past that I want to share with you and with my future readers. So, here's my question:
How would you feel about me posting a little short story every Wednesday, giving you some insight into who my two MCs are? Do you think this would intrigue you and make you want to read my book more, or would it turn you off of my book because you would think you knew everything about them now? Please let me know in the comments cause I think this could be a really fun experiment!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
I think I would love little hints about them, but I would really want to know what would happen next, and in order to do that, the back story has to HINT at something that will come in your book. For example, and unfinished character arc, or development that hasn't occurred, or character that might come back and Stella will get revenge. Something like that, because if we knew her a bunch, there's not much mystery. The biggest thing, I feel, is using unfinished character arcs so we think, "Will she develop? Will she grow? Will she overcome ____ obstacle?
ReplyDeleteThis is my dilemma, ah! LOL. I always want to share as much as possible about my characters, cause I feel the people I love most in books are the ones I know everything about. I get so frustrated when an author creates some amazing character and we never get to know half of the things about them or their life. I will use an example from HP, just for you :). I am obsessed with both the Marauders and the founding members of Hogwarts. I would actually sell my soul to the devil to get a detailed book about those groups of characters, and it kills me that I will probably never get it.
Delete