How to Avoid Narrative Whiplash: the Flashback, the Flash-forward, and When to Use Them
Although writers can and do use the flashback and other narrative “jumps” well, more often than not the flashback stalls our story and stifles its momentum. In this workshop, we will consider such (potential) plot potholes as the flashback and the flash-forward, learning from masters of the craft like Breece Pancake to “haunt” the present through scenery and dialogue. Through in-class writing activities and thoughtful revision, workshop members will engineer narratives that speed like freight trains and don’t look back.
About the instructor
JP GRITTON received his MFA from the Johns Hopkins University and is currently a Cynthia Woods Mitchell fellow at the University of Houston. His awards include a DisQuiet fellowship, an Inprint Donald Barthelme Prize in Fiction, and an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellowship. His stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Black Warrior Review, Greensboro Review, Southwest Review, Tin House and elsewhere.
By registering for an Inprint Writers Workshop you are agreeing to Inprint’s registration policies. Remember to sign up for the waiting list if the workshop you would like to take is full. To see the full Winter 2018 workshop schedule click here.