Working backwards (and forwards)

‘It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' says the White Queen to Alice.
― Lewis Carroll. 

The great thing about using your character’s past as a part of your story is that you are in control of which memories, how much of them is told, and what order they come in. Memories are non-linear, and that opens wonderful opportunities for controlling narrative tension, teasing the reader with glimpses of the past to create story questions, and revealing consequences before you reveal causes.

Your character’s memories, whether simply told or remembered or flashbacked, will make them and your story feel richer, more believable, and stronger. 

This seminar explores the following:

• When should you use memories or flashbacks?
• What’s the difference between writing a memory and a flashback?
• How do you decide which to use?
• Are there times when you should just tell what’s happened, rather than show it?
• Are there rules about which tenses to use (hint: there are)?
• If you’re using a lot of memories, do you need a dual timeline?
• How do you transition between the past and the present without confusing readers or losing pace?
• Do you need to keep the memories in chronological order?
• And much more!