Writing Guide // yventualip

starting off strong

This is definitely one of the hardest parts. You may feel lost on how exactly you want the first chapter to go, and that probably shows that you need a stronger outline. Your story should have direction, and I find it best to present the goal (usually getting your characters together) within the first chapter.

BIG NONOS:
starting with waking up (boring)
starting with a dream sequence (kind of lazy unless the dream is actually important)
info dump (i don't need to explain)
every character at once (damn slow down)

I usually start my work in one of three ways. You can choose the one that works best for whatever you're writing.

1. A dialogue piece
Example:

"Hyeju! You promised!" Heejin crossed her arms, frowning at her friend who sat at the lunch table, peacefully eating her lunch.

"Well I take it back. There's no way I'm doing anything in your stupid musical," Hyeju said firmly, focusing on her food. ( girl()friend, chapter 1)

"Guys write in glitter pens too, right?" Jinsoul the next day while they're watching one of Sooyoung's cooking shows. Her lunch with Doah had left much to be desired, but he promised he was trying. Jinsoul didn't want to waste any more of her time thinking about it, and waved Sooyoung off when she asked how it went. She was content to space out watching yet another episode of Cut Throat Kitchen, but then she thinks of the journal still on her nightstand. ( Dear You, entry 2: why don't you know? )

This way plunges the reader directly into the conflict and presents an idea, it requires the author to add the world building in a bit later after the conversation. As long as that part is seamless, this is one of my favorite beginnings.

2. One liner to grab readers attention, followed by a paragraph.

Heejin was drunk again.

It wasn't even the first time this week. It seemed like the weeks blurred together anyway, all just mindless days of partying and going home with a girl who's name she didn't remember. Heejin liked it like that, no feelings, no emotions, no room for heartbreak. She was Jeon Heejin, for Christ's sake, the most popular girl on college campus. She was untouchable, and everyone knew what they were getting into when they went home with her. She'd never speak to them again, maybe once or twice if the night had been good. But Jeon Heejin didn't do relationships. She had once, and that had gone up in flames. She never would again, she had promised herself. She didn't want to be weak. ( KPOP GIRL ONESHOTS, around you:::heejinxhyunjin )

Jungeun felt a chill go down her spine.

It was quickly replaced by Jinsoul's hand on the small of her back, and she jumped as if awoken out of her thoughts. She took in a breath, and everything felt normal again. There was the smell of meat, the sound of sizzling on the pans in front of them, and constant chatter around the restaurant. There was the familiar sticky floor under her tennis shoes, the metal stool under her legs, the cozy atmosphere of the barbecue she and her friends had been going to all their lives. ( Heart Beating For You, Episode I: Shut Up, Jeong Jinsoul )

It was a bad idea all around.

To celebrate Kahei's return from China, all of Jungeun's friends had decided they needed to do something special to celebrate their friendship. A party wouldn't cut it, Haseul had insisted, and with Kahei's love of scary things, a trip to one of the most famous abandoned buildings seemed like a fun bonding experience. Was it legal? Not technically (read: not at all, but Yeojin had left out that detail), but there was no chance there were actually ghosts living in this abandoned warehouse, right? ( Stay - Lipves, Unpublished )

I really like starting off with a simple idea and then adding to it. I think the simplicity is attention grabbing but also allows for the explanation of the paragraph. This one is definitely my favorite.

3. Setting the scene

Tongyeong was a cute little seaside town with a beautiful view of the ocean. It was small, but garnered a good amount of tourists during the summer months. The town itself was quaint, with a dozen ice cream and clothing shops to attract families. Jo's Daisies was a flower shop situated closer to the middle of the town than the ocean, only a few hundred feet from the boardwalk that led down to the golden sand. Jungeun had gone down to the beach every day since she was a child, and still, there was nothing quite like the view of the sun that sunk into the sea every night. Sunsets were always an array of gold and vivid red, painting all the shops in pinks and yellows. It was the most gorgeous thing Jungeun had ever seen. ( flower//lipves, unpublished )

This one is probably the least popular and admittedly I do think it's the least interesting. If world building is something that's really important in your story, perhaps consider it. Up to you.