So I think for this book I just began writing not long ago already has a golden start of beginning at the middlish point in the story and then going back into the next chapter on how the characters ended up getting there, what would be the best way to show this to the reader? (Next question has little to do with this one) More importantly, I believe I'm going to be writing these chapters out of order, meaning that I might write chapter 8 before chapter 5, does anyone have any advice on doing this in a way that may not screw you over when you write everything in between? I think the process will work immensely in my favor if I do it correctly, but I'm worried about it, thanks.
I think you are making things more difficult for yourself than they have to be. Writing a straight forward story in order is hard enough. I think what you're talking about is harder to pull off. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do it, but I think you are going to have to figure out for yourself how to make it work. It's very hard to answer these sort of question because most of us don't know your work or what you are capable of. And you said you just started writing it so you don't really know what the problems if any you might have. I say just write it, work on it. Good luck.
I think that writing out of order is fine--because that's what I do I think that presenting the events out of order is problematic--because that's not what I do. Well, and also, I have an intense dislike for long flashbacks, as a reader. I don't know how many people agree with me, but when I go back to a flashback I spend the whole time impatiently waiting to get back to what I regard as story present. Can you clarify why you feel that you need to start middle and go back early? Another concern would be that you may be doing that because you feel that the beginning isn't interesting enough. In that case, I'd be more concerned about any part of the story being uninteresting.
Yes, normally I would agree, however the novel's themes and plot mechanics dictate for me to make the first chapter what happens towards the climax of the book. It's not a flashback, rather, the entire chapters 1-15 will be (Or at least around that much.)
This means that I would not be one of your readers. But that's just me. I know of at least two published books by perfectly good authors that had an incredibly long flashback, or started with a flash forward, however you want to see it. So it can't be regarded as an unforgivable sin by everybody. (That is, because if it did, those books wouldn't have seen print.)
I mean, for spoiler reasons, you are supposed to BELIEVE it is a flash forward, ahaha but whatever floats your boat man. Interesting though, I usually find flash forwarding very alluring from a reader's perspective
