I honestly can't decide on what time frame (relative to the characters) to start my current fan-fic. There are two points that I have 'whittled' it down to. Before the two main characters meet, and about six months into their relationship. If anyone could give me a hand, I will be very grateful
Well, if you start 6 mos in, you could do flashbacks to interesting parts of them meeting and their lives before they meet, when applicable. Unless, you have such an engaging story of them when they meet that it will contribute greatly to your story to start there. Hope that helps some!
The conventional wisdom is that it is better not to have too many flashbacks, so if it doesn't make much difference to the story you are telling, it's probably better to just start it from the beginning. Of course, there are many instances of writers successfully using flashbacks, so you should do what feels right. Since you're only 6 months into the relationship, it seems like you should be able to just start it at the beginning. If you were further in, then it might make sense to use flashbacks, if the main action is taking place at the later time. I guess it depends on how much you are showing the development of this relationship. If you have a main plot that's taking place 6 months in, and you just need to show a few things to show how the relationship developed, then you could use flashbacks. If your main point is to show the progression of the relationship, then start it at the beginning.
I think it depends on the nature of the characters and the story you are planning to tell , if it were me i quite like the before the characters meet with possible crossed interactions or life circles a parallel in some ways if you will. That also gives the opportunity for a fresh end and start for the next if you were willing to carry it on , im not sure about going 6 months in depending on how you mapped out the time span in the story.
I generally like to start things in mid-stream and let the reader play catch-up a little bit. For me, it makes it easier to pull in the relevant facts from the past without slogging through a chronology in which not all that much may be happening.
I agree with starting it later on, as a reader, I don't want to have to slog through miles of background that's not necessarily relevant to anything going on in the story. Keep flashbacks to a minimum and insert them when they are relevant to explain plot points and it should work fine.
