Gandalf vs. Balrog by Flavio Hoffe ( http://www.flaviohoffe.com/category/fan-art/ )
I took a stand last week and told the universe how I feel. Yes, I’d love steak sauce with my giant plate of crow. Thank you.
I bitched about the pacing of the first few chapters of my novel. Said I needed to fix things but that I wouldn’t be using flashbacks. Because I hate them. I think most of the time they feel contrived, forced. And except in the hands of really good writers…they suck.
I’ve spent several days re-reading the first few chapters of every first person book I own. Guess what? THEY ALL HAVE FLASHBACKS. I’m shouting because you can’t see me punching holes in the walls with my face.
Gah! I’m going to have to figure out flashbacks. And make them not suck.
I need a beginning that grabs you by the balls (sorry ladies, since you are my reading audience for this book, the balls are metaphorical) and gets the story running, racing. And I think that might mean – at least at the begining – flashing back to get important plot points.
I’m kicking dirt into that line I drew in the sand.