Wednesday, January 15, 2014

DREAMS AND FLASHBACKS--TO USE, OR NOT TO USE? by CHERYL PIERSON


Have you ever tried to write a dream sequence or a flashback in your novels? What did you think of it when you were finished? Were you happy with the end result, or did it leave you feeling a little flat when you read back over it?

The school of thought on dreams and flashbacks is divided. Some believe that the use of these devices exhibit the writer's immature efforts at crafting backstory and plugging it in, resulting in an amateurish debut into the literary world.

If not done well, this could prove true.

But why pick on flashbacks and dreams? Even plain storytelling without the use of these literary devices can sometimes result in what dissolves into, at best, a "freshman effort." It's not necessarily due to using these tools, though some critics may call upon this as their "rule of thumb" to judge by.

Another argument against flashbacks and dreams is that they lead the reader out of the actual moment of the story, and may somehow "confuse the reader."

Oh, come on.

The only bit of confusion that might occur is not the result of the dream or flashback itself; rather, the inability of the writer to make his meaning clear--again, resulting in an immature presentation.

Yes, flashbacks and dreams are sometimes tough to transition to and from, and make that transition "work." But they can be invaluable tools in creating your backstory.

What are the advantages of dream sequences? They can foreshadow events to come, or provide information about events that the dreamer witnessed.

In my book, Fire Eyes, U.S. Marshal Kaed Turner is being tortured by a band of renegades, so he isn't paying attention to some of the details of events and conversation that is taking place around him at the time. But later, when he's safely recovering, he dreams about what happened to him. This dream does two things for the reader:

1.) It lets us know what, exactly, was being done to Kaed through the conversation and actions of the participants. We see and hear what is happening, as if we are there, in the moment, without Kaed having to re-tell it to someone.

2.) It allows Kaed (and the reader) to seize upon a very important piece of information that's pertinent to the plot.

He was not aware of it consciously, but his subconscious thoughts had picked it up, and it was revealed in the dream.

If you are writing a story with psychic or paranormal happenings, dreams could be a shared link between characters. This device is used often in novels that include time travel, as well.

One thing to consider when writing a dream sequence is the way your character sees life, and what his or her culture is. Make your dreams and flashbacks reflect this appropriately. In Native American culture, an owl is a symbol of impending death--not wisdom. It might mean different things to people from other cultures. Yet, a raven will probably hold much the same symbolism for everyone.

Your characters can solve problems in their dreams. This happens in reality--it can happen in fiction.

"You didn't kill Liberty Valance. Think back..."

Remember, like the presentation of a gourmet meal, a seamless story is in the telling, or the writing. Backstory is sometimes essential, as are clues to the story that might not be able to be presented any other way. Make your transitions to the past, or in and out of the dream state, as flawless as possible.

If you do this, your readers won't be confused, and you'll hold them spellbound as they see the story unfold along with your characters.

Do you use dreams and flashbacks in your writing? I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts on this. I personally love both dreams and flashbacks, and use both quite frequently in my writing. Let me hear from you!

22 comments:

  1. Cheryl,

    Never knew flashbacks were frowned upon. I use them. Good writing is good writing.

    I believe every time a reader is stopped by poor sentence structure, or confused for any reason and the reader has to go back to the previous sentences or paragraphs for clarification, the writer has made a huge error and is in great trouble.

    Yes, always as you say: “Make your transitions to the past, or in and out of the dream state, as flawless as possible.”

    Charlie

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  2. Cheryl,
    I am so glad you addressed this issue, as I have heard from both sides - and I use both devices. It's a great way to climb inside the head of your characters, push description, and even advance story if we see the same event from different points of view (ala VALANCE); one would be hard pressed to find a Euro-western that didn't use the flashback structure. But if we shy away from the movies, this is literature, and these are literary devices. Not all approaches work for all genres, but if something's well written, and works within the context of your story, then it works.

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  3. Okie, I'm so glad you addressed this. Are you as tired as I am of one "writing guru" or another castigating a perfectly legitimate technique simply because some writers don't use it well? Like alliteration, simile, metaphor, and hundreds of other tools of the wordsmith's trade, dreams and flashbacks can work extremely well. Poorly done, they yank readers out of the story, and nobody wants that. Freshman and sophomore writers learn by doing. Discouraging them with blanket "don't ever do this" messages is not helpful, IMO. :-)

    I've never found the dreams and flashbacks in your stories disruptive, and I think that's the key to using the technique effectively. Keep both short and tightly focused, employ good transitions, and dreams and flashbacks can be powerful.

    A good editor can help a writer evaluate any writing technique and massage the ones that aren't working. Thank goodness I have a good editor. ;-)

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  4. The story is the most important. The way it is told uses whatever allows it to unfold as it should. RULES are made to be brokenm, as long as you know them. Great post. Doris

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  5. Charlie, that is so true. "Good writing is good writing." That's the way I believe, too.

    Yes, having to backtrack and try to figure something out is going to put the reader off, for sure. Maybe even make them want to put the book down in frustration.

    Thanks for coming by today!
    Cheryl

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  6. Hi Court! Good to hear from you today! You know, I think there's a good reason why flashbacks and dreams ARE used in film! How else could that scene in Liberty Valance have been written? That was so perfect. And of course, there are others, but that is the one that springs to mind most readily.

    I use dreams and flashbacks a lot in my writing, just for the reasons you mention--showing a different viewpoint, or something that the person might not have realized at the time it was happening, or advancing the story--these are all so important.

    Thanks for coming by today, Court, it's always good to see you!
    Cheryl

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  7. Yes, Kathleen! I can think of one example of an entire genre being dumped for several years because of the number of poorly written books in that area--time travel! I had an agent flat out tell me they were not taking any more time travel books because there were so many "awful ones" on the market. Once Diana Gabaldon's books came out, agents began taking a look at time travel again. It's the same way for dreams and flashbacks--yes, they can be poorly written and ineffectively used, but that's the writer's fault--not the fact that the technique itself is a bad one.

    Thanks for the kind words, Tex!
    Cheryl

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  8. Doris, every time I think of broken rules I think of Stephen King...and look at the stories he's written and the money he's made! Thanks for coming by. You're so right--the story is the important thing, and telling it the most interesting way possible!
    Cheryl

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  9. I agree with you 100% Cheryl, if used correctly dreams and flashbacks can be a valuable tool to the writer. I have story where a bit takes place in the years before I pick it up. All the characters know what happened, so it wouldn't make sense for the heroine/hero to explain everything. By using dreams I could pass along the information without a inappropriate monologue. Also, the hero is a veteran of the Civil War so using a dream I could pass along information needed, but that he wouldn't talk about.

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  10. Kirsten, that's a great use of the dream, too! Many of the things that happen in war would be something that most men might not want to discuss with even their wives. And you're right, sometimes there are things that are known to everyone and there's no way to discuss them without it seeming weird. LOL Thanks so much for coming over today and commenting! I'm looking forward to reading that story of yours!
    Cheryl

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  11. I used flashbacks in my novel, Lost Hearts. The hero, suffered from PTSD and doesn't remember what happened to him in the war. So I used the flash backs, which he doesn't remember to show the reader what happened to him.
    In this case there was no other way to deliver the information and my critique group kept it tight and my editor tightened them some more.
    I do understand why they are frowned on and agree with all the reasons, but as with every 'rule' you have to know how to use it before you can break it. Just my opinion, which is generally worth what you paid for it. Great discussion.

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  12. Kathy, I believe when we have a war-time protagonist, or someone who has been through something traumatic, this is a great way of showing the reader what happened to them. As in real life, they're not going to just remember everything, so to keep it realistic, you have to employ these techniques, I believe. So glad you came over today!
    Cheryl

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  13. The male protagonist Rafe, in Ghost Warrior, first appeared in a past-life regression a reiki friend did for me after my guy died. So when people ask if Rafe is real or fictional, I have to say, "I don't know."

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  14. I've never used a flashback although I can't imagine anyone saying it's not a viable tool. I will say that as a reader, I'm very impatient with flashbacks because I want the story to continue, and a flashback interrupts the story (for me), so I have to wait until the author gets done, or I skip ahead. I enjoy fast-paced books so am partial to the here-and-now.

    Dreams are another matter. I enjoy a dream sequence and have written a couple. The only problem with reading them is that they're in italics, so I generally skim them because italics is hard to read. But that's just me.

    Overall, I have a hard time thinking any writing tool is "good" or "bad." Tools are tools, to be used appropriately.

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  15. I agree, Jacquie. I think it's all in the way the tool is used as to whether it is effective or not. But I would not want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Thanks for commenting!
    Cheryl

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  16. I used a flashback in my mystery, Wedding Cake Killer. I opened with my main character in jail. I thought it worked very well as the opening, but then I had to flashback to cover why she was in jail. Editor had no problem with the flashback.

    I do remember having a dream scene in a historical novel James and I wrote together years ago that the editor insisted be removed. We were told no dream scenes. Of course that was so long ago, maybe I dreamed it...

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  17. Livia, you crack me up! I think a lot of it DOES depend on the editor and if they are one of those that feel they have to do what every other editor (they think) is doing, or if you are lucky enough to get one who can actually think for themselves! Sometimes these devices work and sometimes they don't, but I really hate those blanket rules about them. I actually love to use them, if there's a place where they fit well.
    Cheryl

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  18. I finally got over here to read your blog, Cheryl.
    I've used dreams twice to illustrate deep distress in the characters. Neither of the dreams was very long--just enough to demonstrate the intense feelings inside the characters.
    I enjoyed reading your blog and the comments of others on a subject of great interest to many of us.
    I'm sorry for getting here so late.

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  19. Sarah, never fear! That's the great thing about the internet--you're never late! I always love to get comments no matter when they come. I always love to hear what other people think about these things. So many ways to look at it!
    Cheryl

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  20. I use dream sequences in my YA who h have a paranormal flavor, to tie past and present together. And I do get weary of theso- called rules. If writers don't "break" them, every story would sound the same. Snore. You sure believed in, and encouraged my Christmas story, Covenant, when the hero isn't the first handsome man in the story and who does even appear until closer to the end. Yet it worked.Thanks,Cheryl. .

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  21. Tanya, I get tired of that, too. We have to have some differences in our writing! That's what makes it all different and interesting to a variety of people. You're so right--I DID believe in your story, Covenant, and it was just wonderful! I think it added to the suspense all through it, not knowing what was going to happen. It worked great! Very good job.
    Cheryl

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  22. Nice post, Cheryl. As you and several commenters point out, it's the transition to the flashback that trips us up. Something Jackie said really hit home. She said she wants the story to move along. If a flashback doesn't' progress the present story, I'm doing it wrong. One method I use is to have a character telling a story to another character for a sentence or two--then move into the next chapter in "real time" having the rest of that story "happen" to the character as it did in the past, rather than have him or her "telling" it.
    Anyway, great points.

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