I really am fascinated by the way the TV show Lost portrays character development and their use of flashbacks to explain character motivation. Does anyone think the same technique can be used in literary form? I know some people have a low estimation of flashbacks, but if done well, it could perhaps be employed in a novel?
Personally I avoid the use of flashbacks. I think they are a cheap way of telling background information that could be better conveyed through dialog. Besides, I feel it ruins the flow of the story by forcing you to sit through the flashback before you can keep on reading/watching what will happen next. If it really is essential that the reader know about a particular incident in the past, have it revealed through your protagonists inner thought process or through dialog.
