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Okay, I am having some conflicts about conflict. As every novelist knows, conflict is what makes the story interesting. But in my story I need to show that the MC was once happy. I think it's really important for the reader to understand how happy she was, because that makes the events that happen in the current timeline much more tragic and interesting. But I am having a really hard time establishing happiness for her, because every scene I write in which she is happy is boring.
My story is written in two different timelines, one takes place during the MC's childhood and one during her adolescence. In the childhood story line, I need to establish how happy my MC was with her family. But as that timeline progresses I start to reveal that things weren't really as sunny as her childhood self remembered them. Those later scenes are easier, because they contain a lot of conflict. But what about the scenes where I show the reader that she was once happy? How do I do that without boring the hell out of everyone? Can you think of an example novel where this is done well?
Any suggestions welcome.
My story is written in two different timelines, one takes place during the MC's childhood and one during her adolescence. In the childhood story line, I need to establish how happy my MC was with her family. But as that timeline progresses I start to reveal that things weren't really as sunny as her childhood self remembered them. Those later scenes are easier, because they contain a lot of conflict. But what about the scenes where I show the reader that she was once happy? How do I do that without boring the hell out of everyone? Can you think of an example novel where this is done well?
Any suggestions welcome.