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As I mentioned last week, I finished the first draft of Second to None. I got a few critiques, which were mostly positive. One compliment I received was that I did a good job of weaving in the backstory, which put a smile on my face. I’d worried. (Of course, I worry about everything, but this had been a major concern). 

The backstory is especially important in this story because the hero, Jeremiah, and the heroine, Dee, knew each other in college. Their history is important, but it can’t overwhelm the present. The story is always about the present.  This home truth was always in the back of my mind as I wrote, so I did my best to reveal it only as needed, while keeping the plot moving forward.

I also struggled with the big reveal of their past conflict. As it stands now, Dee recounts the story to her best friend. However, I’m almost positive I’m going to change it to a flashback scene. I think it’ll have a bigger impact if the reader can see and hear what happened, instead of just being told about it.

Originally, way back when, I had planned on the scene being a flashback, but then I started reading blogs that equated flashbacks with the devil. These blogs also pooped on prologues, and I definitely have one of those bad boys in my first manuscript. The way I figure it – I already broke the rules the first time around, why stop now?

As the experts say, know why you’re breaking the rules. Don’t break them just for the sake of breaking them. I do know, therefore I am.

In other words, the flashback is back. I hope it works as well on paper as it does in my head.

That’s where I am now with the writing.

What about you? How’s your writing going?

xoxo,
Jamie
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