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Hey peoples!!! I am currently in that “writing-the-first-chapter-that-turns-out-to-be-a-dud-FIVE-THOUSAND-TIMES” phase… I may be over-exaggerating a little, but I’m sure y’all have felt like that before… 😄
So here are some details: Seia, the MC, is living in isolation from society, with only her sister and a couple of slaves as friends. Her mother is abusive, her father is almost never home, and her sister is Seia’s only comfort in life. Seia’s main wish is to escape from her home with her sister and travel to a place where they can find peace, happiness, and safety. Then, all of a sudden, her wish becomes realized, but not in the way she expected… or wanted.
Soooo, do y’all have any suggestions on how to write AMAZING first chapters? How do y’all start? What do you LOVE/want in a first chapter? I’d LOVE y’all’s tips!!!!!!!!!!!
tagging some people… (feel free to ignore this if you don’t feel like responding 😜)
@gracie-j, @devastate-lasting, @godlyfantasy12, @lewilliams, @kathleenramm, @joy-caroline, @ugroza, @william-starkey, @epicaddie2, @imwritehere1920, @issawriter7, @jenwriter17, @chelsea-r-h, @everyone-elseWatch me get all those tags right, lol.
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000@nova21 Don’t know if I have written a good chapter in my life but I do know that I like first chapters that do some explaining! Or at least show a bit of what the mc is like. Maybe like a scene, then intro? Not sure. I’m excited to see what everyone else says!
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@nova21 Okay, so I’m actually working on rewriting my beginning right now as well XD It’s really hard so I understand your problem! Last week I watched a webinar with Nadine Brandes and Sara Ella about writing your first chapter and it was FANTASTIC so I’ll share some of my notes with you!
~ To keep your readers engaged, create curiosity and have high stakes. If there’s nothing at risk for your character in the beginning, your readers can lose interest really fast.
~Every beginning includes a loss, a choice, and a villain (or just conflict of some sort).
~It’s super important to make sure your readers have a way of connecting to your protagonist.
~Create little questions along the way — like breadcrumbs. This keeps your readers curious, but make sure you answer the questions at some point otherwise your readers won’t feel satisfied.
~Hint toward a bigger plot.
~Don’t include too much backstory. It weighs down the first chapter and often turns into an info dump.Hope that helps! I’d also suggest spending some time on your first line. Personally, I spend quite a bit of time thinking of a perfect first line to hook my readers, but honestly, it’s not necessary to have the perfect first line. There are great books with not-so-great first lines.
Also, establishing your story’s world is really important, but be careful not to go on for too long describing it. It can get boring lol. It’s best to include details here and there throughout your first chapter (and the whole book, really) so you don’t overwhelm and bore your readers with new information.
INFJ ~ 4w5
aldarley.wordpress.com- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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I am far from being an expert, but here are a couple things I’ve learned about first chapters, both from writing them and from the feedback my beta readers have given me.
1. Don’t start off with a bunch of backstory. This is a mistake I’ve made MANY times myself, and my beta readers are excellent at letting me know! Some good advice I’ve learned is, don’t explain everything to the reader right off. Keep some mystery in the story. Feed them only the bits of information they need to know. Avoid info-dumps (a first chapter with nothing but backstory). I’m going to tag @issawriter7 here, because she’s told me before that she avoids info-dumps by asking herself, “Does the reader need to know this right now, or can it wait?” I thought that was great advice, so I’ve remembered it. Anyways, readers really want to figure things out on their own, because that’s more exciting for them. They don’t appreciate being spoon-fed a bunch of backstory.
2. Start off with an interesting tidbit. Don’t specify what it is right away, but hint at something exciting that the reader will know more about later. That will get them interested and engaged. For example, the MC of my WIP has a tragic backstory with her abusive husband which is a crucial part of her story. But instead of saying outright that her husband abused her, I gave a little hint in the first chapter during dialogue with her childhood friend. The friend says something to the effect of, “Let’s hope your son doesn’t become like his father,” and stops when she notices my MC is angry about the remark. Again, I’m no expert, but I just think this may make your first chapter interesting!
Those are just a couple tips I could think of. Let me know if you need more 🙂
First chapters. Purpose: To introduce. To intruce what? The things that the writer must introduce. The setting of each particular scene you wish to introduce. The setting for the story. The setting of the mood of the story. The introduction of characters (all those characters that you as the writer wish to introduce as you see fit to provide the adequate backing for the rest of your story). Quality. Story. The introduction of the writer’s level of expertise: are you actually a good writer or a terrible writer? What’s your style like? How do all the things/events/etc. that you open up with and present for the story effect the story? Charles Dickens: One can tell by his first sentences that he is a great writer. He can write proficiently and greatly. BUT: is he a good author. Can he write good stories. Will his style be consistent throughout the novel. Introduction of the conflict.
Also: you must be consistent with everything you present in the first chapter or first few chapters in regards to the rest of your novel. This has to do with story, characters, etc. You are introducing your characters. Your story/conflict. Your setting. The setting — even if you plan on moving to a different setting later on. Every setting you introduce is an introduction to the readers of that setting. Anything you introduce sets the tone for the readers for the way those things will end up being. If you have a bad introduction, a bad first chapter, your book will be crippled. So: Plan before you write. Then write your plan. Research and think about all the angles one could take on the introduction: make sure your material is interesting. Make your story diverse and interesting. Don’t bore your readers.
The first chapter of your book is in essence the introduction to your book. This is assuming that you are not including any sort of pre-material (Prelude, prologue, etc.).
Introduce key themes, character arcs, story. Don’t be cliché, and provide enough backstory to get your readers interested: this can be easily hinted at through the setting. What is the landscape like? Dull or lush? Hard or soft. Hot or cold. Lukewarm?
Think about things. The first chapter is not all about introducing your protagonist. Or your antagonist (though you can certainly do that). Your book is not an information dump on your characters. Novels are for story. Characters carry story: thus, characters are involved in the story. A good introduction is essential.
First sentences: These are important. Your introduction must intrigue your audience. You are providing for them the introduction and in that introduction the hook of intrigue that your audience must catch on to. If your audience doesn’t care about your first chapter, that’s a problem. You want them to love your first chapter because it’s the beginning of your story. If they hate your story you might as well give up. What’s your storyline? Give it to people. If they like it, great. If they don’t, change your story. Or write the story you want to write as a hobby.
USE. DIALOGUE. Use the tools of your craft, but use dialogue particularly. People care more about dialogue than they do about narrative. Use dialogue. Never forsake dialogue. Dialogue provides insight into characters, into how they react; dialogue provides insight into the story, the conflict. Don’t forsake dialogue.
Don’t be too modern in your writing. Introduce. And introduce with style. Take as long as you need in your introduction: you are after all introducing your whole story. But don’t be bland.
I know you’ve written a bunch of great chapters!!!! 😃
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! That’s SUPER helpful!!!! I agree, first lines tend to hook readers. I do spend a lot of time on that, but I don’t want to overdue it. (I have read some books where it seems like the author spent two years writing the first line, lol!! 😜)
Thanks again!! I’ll post my chapter after I write it with these tips and see if I need to add anything.
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000@joy-caroline
That’s GREAT advice!!!! I especially love what you said about if the reader needs to know it or not at that moment. Thank you SO much!!
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000[quote quote=89346]you must be consistent with everything you present in the first chapter or first few chapters in regards to the rest of your novel.[/quote]
Oh yeah. So true. I have a feeling I don’t do that well enough…
Wow, yeah , this is great stuff!!! Thank you SO much!! I’ll definitely have to keep this in mind!!!
Thank you SO MUCH everyone!!! SUPER helpful!!!!
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000Okay, so, some others might have already said this (I kind of didn’t read through all of the answers) so my apologies if I’m just repeating the same stuff. But as Joy Caroline said a big thing to watch out for is info dump. Don’t just tell the reader everything that’s has happened. Backstory can come later if/when needed. Only show what we need to know at this current moment. You should start your opening chapter close to where the “inciting incident” is going to happen but not right at it. The chapter needs to lead us closer to the “inciting incident” but give us a small bit of space before that happens. What I love is to be able to start off a story very close to when something exciting happens and be able to get a glimpse of who is going to lead the story as well as the setting. I hope some of this will help!!!
God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.
TeenWritersNook.com@nova21 Yep!! Tag me when you post your first chapter and I’ll read it and give you feedback if you want. 🙂
INFJ ~ 4w5
aldarley.wordpress.com- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1379
No problem!
[quote quote=89353](I kind of didn’t read through all of the answers)[/quote]
LOL!! 😆
[quote quote=89353]The chapter needs to lead us closer to the “inciting incident” but give us a small bit of space before that happens.[/quote]
That’s the hardest thing for me, because I don’t know how quickly to start it. Some people write the inciting incident in their first chapter and some write it in the third, lol!! (I personally agree with you on that)
Thank you SO much!!!!!
I totally will, thanks!!!
what we do in life echoes in eternity
-gladiator, 2000Your first chapter outline is extremely interesting!
Kingdom Pen has a really great article that has helped me a lot and covers just about everything on first chapters that I can think of:Write The Perfect First Chapter | The Ultimate First Chapter Checklist, by Kathleen and Erin Ramm.
Oh and btw, I completely understand about writing a first chapter that seems awful. I’m rewriting my novel and I’m basically starting from the second chapter, because every time I attempt chapter #1, it always comes out terrible.
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