# Flash Forwards as a Hook



## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

Just a question I'd like some opinions on....  

What do you think of flash forwards used as a book's opening chapter?....Something short, full of intense conflict, & perhaps mildly disturbing in terms of an unlikable character.  

The next chapter would then show the story at its beginning, immediately following the inciting event.

If you think this type of beginning can work, what are the considerations you believe necessary for its success? 

If you aren't a fan of flash forwards used in this way, why?


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## Steerpike (Nov 10, 2014)

I've seen this done more than once, though I can't think of which books they were offhand. I thought it worked just fine. That kind of opening can raise a lot of questions in the reader's mind about how things get to the point reflected in the opening. If done well, I think that can drive reader interest in the story. I know I've also seen a few movies that do this, although again my brain isn't cooperating by providing me with titles or concrete examples. It certainly isn't something that would put me off a story.


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## cupiscent (Nov 10, 2014)

I want to say that _Red Seas Under Red Skies_ did this, but I think it was just that because my version of _Lies of Locke Lamora_ had a "sneak preview" in the back, and it came from the middle of RSURS, it felt like that.

Never mind that digression: I think the flash-forward open can definitely work. Like Steerpike, most of the most compelling examples I can think of are movies - which might be something to think about: what makes it so effective in a film format? how can you channel that into your story?

Oh wait, _Twilight_ did it, right? Not very effectively, though, for me - the flash-forward material came from _so_ near the end that long before I'd made it that far, I'd forgotten about the flash forward. So maybe that's something to consider as well. Don't flash too far forward. You don't want the tension you create with that element to be dissipated by the time it "pays off".


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## Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

cupiscent said:


> I want to say that _Red Seas Under Red Skies_ did this, but I think it was just that because my version of _Lies of Locke Lamora_ had a "sneak preview" in the back, and it came from the middle of RSURS, it felt like that.


_Red Seas_ did do this! It definitely worked as a hook, even though the moment itself was pretty anti-climactic when we arrived at it in the story, but I think it only worked as a hook because we were already familiar with the characters. I don't think it would work as the opening of a standalone novel, or the first book in a series, because the familiarity with the characters is what makes it work. Then again, I can't remember any other examples in literature off the top of my head, so I could be wrong.


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## Penpilot (Nov 10, 2014)

Yes, I think it can work. I've seen it done on TV a lot. Like Steerpike, I know I've read a book that did this but can't think of it off the top of my head.

Obviously, the weight of how well this will work lies in how well that flash forward engages the reader. With established characters like in a TV series, the audience already has investment in the characters when they see them in jeopardy in a flash forward.

If the reader doesn't know the characters in your story there's always the "Why do I care about what's happening" factor when you jump right into things. You probably won't have time to set up much in terms of character and context, so I think, keeping things that you want to be known simple and straight forward will go a long way towards getting the reader to quickly care about what's going on.

Designing the flash forward will be tricky IMHO. You're trying to make things understandable but at the same time keep the reader  in the dark about certain things.

Any way those are my thoughts.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

Smith said:


> I don't think it would work as the opening of a standalone novel, or the first book in a series, because the familiarity with the characters is what makes it work.


This would be my use of the flash forward, for a stand alone. However, the hook would be designed to show a massive difference in character and hopefully make the reader ask (after the next chapter where character development actually begins), "Jeez, what happened to that guy to turn out like that?"

But, I think it's a good point you make concerning why the reader would care. That's why I think it'd have to be short and intense, then a quick shift back in time to the beginning of trouble.



Penpilot said:


> Designing the flash forward will be tricky IMHO. You're trying to make things understandable but at the same time keep the reader  in the dark about certain things.


I agree, but I think it can be done. What I'm envisioning would handle it with clarity and dole out the story in a way that makes the delivery (keeping the reader in the dark) believable.


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## Steerpike (Nov 10, 2014)

I forgot about Twilight. I thought it worked well enough there. It is true that by the end you've forgotten it, but by that point the hook has already done its job, which is to keep you reading at the beginning.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

Steerpike said:


> I forgot about Twilight. I thought it worked well enough there. It is true that by the end you've forgotten it, but by that point the hook has already done its job, which is to keep you reading at the beginning.


I'm hoping to tie the hook and the ending together, but in a memorable, meaningful, and unexpected way.


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## Steerpike (Nov 10, 2014)

In Twilight they tie together, it's just that by the time they do you've forgotten the initial hook. You remember it again when you get to the end, but I think it works better if the reader is keeping it in mind along the way.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

That's a good point. I think it'll be hard to forget this one, at least I hope.

Unlike Twilight, this is a deeply negative character arc. Every step along the way, in the story proper, will take the MC closer to his portrayal in the hook. Though the ending will hopefully remain unexpected.


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## Trick (Nov 10, 2014)

I did this in my WIP. Twice so far actually. It's in two volumes and the first volume opens with the MC hanging on with one numb hand, about to fall to his death but sort of reveals that he won't fall. He tells the tale of his early and formative life and ends a few years before the flash forward. Then volume two begins with him back and hanging but he saves himself and then gets into a tense situation and kills someone pretty emotionlessly, prompting him to remember that he promised never to kill anyone in volume one. He explains himself by jumping back, closer to the end of volume one, and telling the rest of his story up to that point. He then continues the story from the point of killing someone until volume two ends. Volume three, the last one, will start with a new flash forward to him doing some pretty amazing things he couldn't do before and he'll need to jump back and explain himself the same way as before. 

He's a reliably unreliable narrator. 

That seems very confusing when condensed down to one paragraph but it's coming together swimmingly.


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## Mythopoet (Nov 10, 2014)

I think it _can_ work, but often I find myself annoyed by this sort of thing because it comes across as a gimmick. "See this cool stuff that will happen eventually?" the author seems to be saying. "Cool, right? Now I'm going to make you wait for it. But if you're a good little reader, I'll reward you later."


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 10, 2014)

Aren't all hooks a promise to the reader?


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## Steerpike (Nov 10, 2014)

If the rest of it lives up to the hook, I think it works. If the hook is great but everything after the hook is tedious, then of course it won't work. I've seen stories with good hooks that fall flat after.


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## ThinkerX (Nov 10, 2014)

I think of these as 'fake prologues.'  I see them in mystery novels fairly often: an initial chapter depicting a dire situation, then the next chapter starts in a far more mundane fashion a week earlier or some such and events build to the point of the initial chapter.  (If that makes sense).  I attribute it to the desire to make the story gripping from line one, page one, but with certain types of tales that approach doesn't work well, hence the 'fake prologues.'


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## Penpilot (Nov 10, 2014)

Steerpike said:


> If the rest of it lives up to the hook, I think it works. If the hook is great but everything after the hook is tedious, then of course it won't work. I've seen stories with good hooks that fall flat after.



If it works, people will say it was a interesting way to start a book. If it doesn't work people call it a cheap trick designed to pump up a crappy story. *shrug*


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 11, 2014)

Steerpike said:


> If the rest of it lives up to the hook, I think it works. If the hook is great but everything after the hook is tedious, then of course it won't work. I've seen stories with good hooks that fall flat after.


Agreed. I'm not planning on being tedious. 



ThinkerX said:


> I think of these as 'fake prologues.'  I see them in mystery novels fairly often: an initial chapter depicting a dire situation, then the next chapter starts in a far more mundane fashion a week earlier or some such and events build to the point of the initial chapter.  (If that makes sense).  I attribute it to the desire to make the story gripping from line one, page one, but with certain types of tales that approach doesn't work well, hence the 'fake prologues.'


In the case you're describing, I'd tend to agree. I'm generally not a fan of prologues either. However, the reason I'm considering a flash forward is because it could tie the ending to the story proper more effectively, as well as provide a gripping hook.. I'm thinking of it as a tool, not a crutch.

I could start the story from the inciting incident, which was the original plan, but I think the ending wouldn't be nearly as cool, or meaningful, as with the flash forward. 

I'm gonna give it a go. If it doesn't work, it winds up on the cutting room floor. No harm done.


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## ThinkerX (Nov 11, 2014)

> In the case you're describing, I'd tend to agree. I'm generally not a fan of prologues either. However, the reason I'm considering a flash forward is because it could tie the ending to the story proper more effectively, as well as provide a gripping hook.. I'm thinking of it as a tool, not a crutch.



That's kind-of sort-of what I am doing with 'Labyrinth.'  That story is told in journal form - something like Cooks 'Black Company' series.  The prologue, though involves a person coming into possession of that journal amidst a bit of skullduggery to keep things interesting. This trips off a whole set of consequences  for that person in 'Labyrinths' sequel, 'Labyrinth: Seed.' (My NaNoWriMo project.)  Don't know if that makes sense or not.


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## Mythopoet (Nov 11, 2014)

T.Allen.Smith said:


> Aren't all hooks a promise to the reader?



There's a huge difference between making a promise to the reader and manipulating the reader. I tend to think of "hooks" as a subtle form of manipulation.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 11, 2014)

Mythopoet said:


> There's a huge difference between making a promise to the reader and manipulating the reader. I tend to think of "hooks" as a subtle form of manipulation.



I hear what your saying. I'd never want to come off as false to a reader, but to manipulate a writing quote by Alice Walker....  

I find, in my own writing, a little manipulation, keenly directed, is a useful thing.


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## Steerpike (Nov 11, 2014)

If you're going to make a reader feel something in fiction, doesn't that require manipulation? The reader has signed up for it.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 11, 2014)

Steerpike said:


> If you're going to make a reader feel something in fiction, doesn't that require manipulation? The reader has signed up for it.


Yes, exactly. As long as it doesn't feel like dishonesty in writing, manipulation is what it all comes down to. When you read fiction, you're willingly going down the rabbit hole.


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## Jabrosky (Nov 11, 2014)

I have tried this out before myself. I'll start with a scene that I feel sets the whole story's tone, and then afterward have the MC recount the events leading up to that scene. After that recounting, the story continues from where the first "hook" scene left off. Ideally the recounting would be fairly brief, maybe ending at the story's inciting incident, and the opening flash-forward would take place shortly after that point.

I believe this technique can come in handy if the story's setup doesn't match the general tone you're aiming for the whole book. For me, a good hook sets the mood and gives readers an idea of what to expect.


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## Addison (Nov 12, 2014)

I've never read flash forwards in a book. I've read scenes where characters get a premonition but I don't think that's what you're looking for. 

     But I have SEEN effective flash forwards. This is done a few times in the TV show Leverage. I think the flash forward's effectiveness depends on what is in the flash forward. The episodes "Grave Danger Job" and "The Frame Up Job" Start with a flash forward...although it could be said that a flash forward is the present and the bulk of the story is a flash back. Anyway the reason these two pull off the flash forward is because of what is in the first scene, the flash forward. 

     In "The Grave Danger Job" we open with the character Hardison waking up with only the light of the ringing cell phone and discovers he's buried alive in a coffin. 

     In "The Frame Up Job" we see Nate and Sophie running and ducking as an unseen pursuer shoots after them. They're hiding behind a crate next to a pool and are arguing as shots continue to ring. These scenes work because they involve characters we've grown to know and care about and the have the "Holy crap what's going on!?" factor. So if your story is the first you've written then you might not get them to connect to characters, unless they show a deep connection, then go for a mystery/suspense/action/holy crap factor. 

There were other episodes, "The Second David Job" and "The San Lorenzo Job", where a Flash forward is used. The reason these works, and weren't listed earlier, is because these two were the finales of long story arcs. 

   "The Second David Job" opens with the character Nate staring calmly at a furious man who's pointing a gun at his head while a terrified ex-wife and several others watch. In the previous episode the audience learns that the person we see with the gun was both Nate's ex-boss and was the person who refused to sign a medical insurance policy which would have saved his late son. So when "The Second David Job" airs we're already up to date to the characters so we know who wants to kill who, but we're excited because it should be a pissed off Nate aiming a gun at a calm jerk-hole CEO. 

     "The San Lorenzo Job" is similar, only this story arc took up the entire season. By now we've come to hate the criminal the team is trying to take down, we've followed every leap forward, punch back all the way to the team getting ready to end it. This episode opens with an unknown man rushing off screen in a fury and Nate stares wide eyed as the man grabs him and throws him onto a table, then proceeds to punch him. The criminal, who watched the assault with a smirk, approaches and asks if Nate really thought he stood a chance. Nate says "Honestly? No, we didn't stand a chance in hell." This gets audeince attention because a.) Nate got beat up and Elliot, the muscle, was no where in sight...no one else was. b.) Nate, the mastermind always with a plan, admits defeat! What happened?! 

     So if you do use a flash forward, or make the bulk of the story a flash back (depends how you look at it) you're in for a tougher battle as the first scene needs to be engaging enough for them to keep reading but then you have to do it again when the flash forward ends and you start explaining how it all really started. 

That's my opinion anyway. Good luck, happy writing!


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## Waz (Nov 13, 2014)

I'm heavily considering a flash forward for my WIP. There are two story narratives progressing simultaneously. The first is protagonist's pursuit of a goal, and the second is the buildup of a large war happening all around him. The reader only sees snippets of the buildup through most of the story (book 1 of a series), and each glimpse is limited to a small number of POV characters. The result is smaller narrative eventually getting swallowed up by a much larger one.

The advantage of the flash forward is that the reader, now having certain expectations, is better able to interpret the larger narrative coming together. The smaller narrative becomes a lens by which to watch the development of something greater. I'm hoping that it makes the novel feel more grounded.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 13, 2014)

Addison said:


> So if you do use a flash forward, or make the bulk of the story a flash back (depends how you look at it) you're in for a tougher battle as the first scene needs to be engaging enough for them to keep reading but then you have to do it again when the flash forward ends and you start explaining how it all really started.  That's my opinion anyway. Good luck, happy writing!


The concern on character connection is valid. As such, I thought keeping the flash forward intro very short, like 2 or 3 pages, might help.   

I do think you can get readers to care quickly, if the scene and character are interesting. Maybe not for twenty pages, but for a lead-in of a few pages then into the story proper.


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## Trick (Nov 13, 2014)

T.Allen.Smith said:


> The concern on character connection is valid. As such, I thought keeping the flash forward intro very short, like 2 or 3 pages, might help.
> 
> I do think you can get readers to care quickly, if the scene and character are interesting. Maybe not for twenty pages, but for a lead-in of a few pages then into the story proper.



That's what I did and I think its brevity really helps. I can't say that I definitely won't change it but for now, it stays. If you've written it, why not post it in showcase?


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 13, 2014)

Waz said:


> The advantage of the flash forward is that the reader, now having certain expectations, is better able to interpret the larger narrative coming together. The smaller narrative becomes a lens by which to watch the development of something greater. I'm hoping that it makes the novel feel more grounded.


That's kind of what I'm going for too. Place a question in the reader's mind as soon as they switch to the first chapter in the story proper about how the MC got to that point in the flash forward. Then, their expectation is flipped at the story's conclusion for a twist ending.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 13, 2014)

Trick said:


> That's what I did and I think its brevity really helps. I can't say that I definitely won't change it but for now, it stays. If you've written it, why not post it in showcase?


I don't really use the Showcase because I have a bunch of writer friends who trade work (several Scribes too) and a live crit group that meets monthly. 

I find the in-depth reviews, and give-and-take with people who've learned my vision and style goals more helpful.     

Plus, if the forward doesn't work, I cut it, beginning instead with chapter one, as normal. It would be wasting two to three pages...big deal, I've cut over a hundred pages before.


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## Trick (Nov 13, 2014)

T.Allen.Smith said:


> I don't really use the Showcase because I have a bunch of writer friends who trade work (several Scribes too) and a live crit group that meets monthly.
> 
> I find the in-depth reviews, and give-and-take with people who've learned my vision and style goals more helpful.
> 
> Plus, if the forward doesn't work, I cut it, beginning instead with chapter one, as normal. It would be wasting two to three pages...big deal, I've cut over a hundred pages before.



Fair enough. I wish I could find a group like that locally. I've met with a group of older boys who are just breaking into writing and even though it's enjoyable, I am not learning much, taking more of a reluctant mentor role. I need to get in a group with people who know more than me, which a lot of writers do unless their not yet twenty years old.


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## Incanus (Nov 13, 2014)

The best use of this technique I can think of off-hand is from the Denzel Washington movie, Fallen.  The first and last scene are identical, its just that the meaning has changed as a result of the events of the story.  Fiendishly clever, hooky, and expertly pulled off (In my opinion, of course).  It won't work for every story, though, as it is so closely tied to the content.  In any case, it's a really cool movie, well worth seeing.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Nov 13, 2014)

Incanus said:


> The best use of this technique I can think of off-hand is from the Denzel Washington movie, Fallen.  The first and last scene are identical, its just that the meaning has changed as a result of the events of the story.  Fiendishly clever, hooky, and expertly pulled off (In my opinion, of course).  It won't work for every story, though, as it is so closely tied to the content.  In any case, it's a really cool movie, well worth seeing.


Yes, that's a great example of the effect I'm going for in this story. It's not the same, of course, but that feeling Fallen's twist ending imparted to the viewer is what I'm hoping to invoke in the reader...an "aha! moment" ending which makes sense, is unavoidable, yet unexpected.


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