Whew! We're finally on part two of this writer's help! Part two will mainly focus on crafting the story, since we now have gone over the basics. Without further ado, let me help you discover how to make your beginning the best it can be!
Where to start?
This seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?
You start at the beginning, of course! Where else would you start?
Actually, most writers don't.
The best beginnings start in media res, which means "in the middle of things." Think of some of your favorite stories and think of where they start. Did Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone start when Harry was born or when Voldemort was supposedly defeated and Harry was left with the Dursleys? The Hunger Games starts with the first chapter describing Katniss's normal everyday life before she volunteers for the games. Thank goodness the beginning wasn't drawn out to show what all happened and all the hardships the people endured before Katniss was even picked; the story would have gone on way too long!
Try to pretend that your book starts with your second chapter. Would the first be missed? Could it be shortened into a sentence or a paragraph that fits with Chapter 2? If so, you must get rid of Chapter 1.
A lot of people have trouble with this concept. In your first drafts, this doesn't matter, as long as it gets you, the writer, into the story. But this doesn't work for your readers.
A rough draft is a sketch of the story, like how an artist will sketch out what he's trying to draw before turning it into a masterpiece. It's important to see and develop how the story will go, but you also need to learn to erase the lines that are no longer needed.
A good rule of thumb is to start the story right before the first turning point. The first turning point is known as the inciting incident (remember this). These incidents set off everything that follows. In The Hunger Games, the inciting incident is when Katniss volunteers for the games. In Harry Potter, it's when Harry finds out that he's a wizard. These points are where the protagonist crosses a line and nothing will ever be the same again.
Its best if the inciting incident occurs within the first 10-15 pages, and earliest is best. If it starts any later than that, you've probably earned a rejection slip.
Why I hate Prologues and Introductions
If I ever have reviewed someone's work and they have a prologue/introduction, the first thing I'll comment is why they have it.
In most cases, a prologue is a backstory. You know what? You can put backstory anywhere in the novel; it doesn't have to be at the beginning. Does The Hunger Games start off with Katniss describing just how the Hunger Games were started and the process in which Tributes are chosen and prepared? Of course not, it starts right with Katniss waking up for the day!
Prologues also crop up in fantasy stories. Sometimes it's so you can get a little bit of exposition and understand what exactly the rules of the world are, but again, these are unnecessary. Stuff like this can be worked in later, and, to be perfectly honest, a lot of people just skip prologues anyway.
Remember what I said about starting your story in media res? Prologues are doing the exact opposite thing and bogging the story down more. It's even more ridiculous to start off romances with prologues.
Seriously, don't do it!
The only time you can really justify prologues is when it's setting up information that all the characters knows, since they will unlikely be talking about it. An example of this would be in Maximum Ride, where the prologue sets up the fact that all six characters were made in a lab and have wings. But even here, I recommend skipping the prologue.
How NOT to start your story
We've covered prologues, but how do you start chapter 1?
You need a hook.
You are fishing for readers, and unless you have the right bait, they're going to swim on by. A good first line is one that immediately grabs the reader so they continue reading to the next sentence. You can Google search some of the best first liners out there.
Now, when you are writing your first draft, this doesn't matter much. It's only when you are starting to rewrite does this become important.
Above all, avoid characters waking up in the first sentence. It's so overdone, and it makes the readers groan internally "Ugh, now we have to wait for her to get up and do her make up and go to school before anything interesting happens!" Sometimes you can make it work, but a lot of times, it's handled badly. Most of the time, beginner writers start their story with the protagonist waking up because they don't know how else to start it.
Be creative! Read books and see how the authors start.
Back to the in media res idea. Start the story just before the inciting incident happens. But, try not to make it too close to the inciting incident, as we do need to connect with the character before we can care about what's going to happen to her.
Alright, that sums up how to start stories! I know it's a lot of things to keep track of, but with time, it will be second nature.
Keep writing everyone!
YOU ARE READING
Writers: Tools of the Trade
Non-FictionA simple, easy to understand tool to help improve your writing. This is more aimed towards those who want to make something of themselves by writing, rather than a just how-to write on Wattpad. Note: This was originally published in 2013.
