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May 26, 2020 · 1. Identify the novel premise. 2. Pick a point of view for your prose. 3. Write a strong opening sentence. 4. Set reader expectations in the first scene. 5. Introduce major characters early in the writing process. 6. Establish conflict-heavy stakes. 7. Develop an inciting incident that will drive the plot. 8. Edit what you’ve written of the book.
- Tom Bromley
- DO Write your First Chapter Last. Yes, you read that right. Stop agonizing, sketch out the first chapter and get on with writing your story. This is really important for NaNoWriMos.
- DON’T Open with Death or Trick Your Reader with False Starts. I know the standard opening of every TV cop show involves random strangers discovering a body or getting killed.
- DO Introduce the Protagonist in the First Chapter. You generally want to open a novel with a scene involving the main character. And yes, your novel must have ONE main character.
- DON’T Start with Dialogue, Especially Reader-Feeder. Former agent Nathan Bransford says, “I’m not much of a fan of starting a novel off with unanchored dialogue.
- State your theme. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy begins with the line, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” This line establishes the novel’s theme of dysfunctional families.
- Begin with a strange detail. An opening line can hook readers by introducing an uncanny detail right off the bat. A classic example is the opening line of George Orwell’s 1984, which references clocks striking thirteen.
- Establish your character’s voice. The first chapter of J.D. Salinger’s first novel The Catcher in the Rye immediately gives readers the sense of the main character’s point of view: irreverent, detached, and jaded.
- Introduce your narrative style. Sometimes, an introductory line can appeal to readers through pure lyricism and narrative style. Quick staccato bursts of pure syllable introduce readers to Vladimir Nabokov’s distinct writing style in Lolita, and his technical ingenuity provides incentive enough to continue reading.
- DON’T start with a Robinson Crusoe opening. That’s when your character is alone and musing. Robinson Crusoe is boring until Friday shows up. So don’t snoozify the reader with a character
- DO open with the protagonist in a scene with other characters. Show how he interacts with the world. Two or three is ideal: not too many or the reader will be overwhelmed.
- DON’T give a lot of physical description, Especially of the police report variety. All we know about Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice is that she has “fine eyes.”
- DO give us a few unusual physical markers that indicate personality. Interesting characteristics like Nero Wolfe’s size, Hercule Poirot’s mustache, and Miss Marple’s age show who these characters are and make them memorable.
Jun 13, 2021 · Charlie Mackesy, Bonnie Garmus, Caleb Azumah Nelson and more on the most useful piece of writing advice to help aspiring authors get started.
Sep 19, 2022 · There are a few things that the start of your book should do. It should: Introduce your cast, or most of it. Establish point of view (POV). First person? Third person? Are we following one character the whole book, or are there multiple POVs? Set the seeds for character development. What are the character’s motivations?
Sep 19, 2024 · Learn how to start writing a book, including crafting compelling opening lines and building a solid first chapter that hooks your readers from the start. In this practical guide, we'll explore effective strategies for launching your book, drawing on the insights of renowned experts from the literary world.
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