The beginning of a story - Writers Forum

LA · 11-20-2005, 04:14 PM

Hi all

This is always one of the things that puzzles me the most-the best way to open a story - i.e. the first sentence, paragraph, page, or whatever.

Apparently this first chunk is supposed to be an attention grabber, as if someone is supposed to walk round a shop, pick it up and decide whether they like it based on the first little bit.

Personally I don't like that idea with literature, it kindof defies the point.

So are there any tips for making your intro interesting enough yet not making it some kind of action packed gun battle ... or should I really be building to a quick disaster rather than introducing characters or setting the scene with vivid description?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks

Nickie · 11-20-2005, 04:36 PM

Editors and publishers will look at the first page of a manuscript - and it needs to catch their attention.
You can do this in many ways. You don't need to have a full action scene up front, but the first lines should be strong enough to grab the reader's attention - and want him/her to read on, find out what happens next.

Nickie

vanax · 11-20-2005, 06:11 PM

sometimes prologues help with this. even more if there was something that happened to set your story in motion. but unfortunitly ot all books can pull off a prologue.

suzakugaiden · 11-20-2005, 08:05 PM

"sometimes prologues help with this."

No. It usually does the opposite. A lot of publishers don't read prologues.

Anyway, my advice? Less is more.

"It was love at first sight." - Catch 22.

Angelmusic234 · 11-20-2005, 08:24 PM

I agree with suzakugaiden. If you don't want to start with action, try just a simple sentence that states your theme. It helps if it's something bold to catch your readers' eye.

Gothic Rose · 11-20-2005, 08:55 PM

When I took playwriting in undergrad, one of the credos is 'get in late, get out early.' Jump into the story at the latest point you possibly can and still make sense of it to the reader. This will often make the reader go 'WTF?' so they'll want to read more to figure it out.

mammamaia · 11-21-2005, 08:45 AM

there's no single 'best' way to start a story... much of what has been noted above is true... and good advice...

the main thing to keep in mind is that what works for an action novel won't necessarily work for a love story or a humorous coming-of-age one... for most [if not all] seasoned writers, each story sort of 'picks' its own beginning... the first sentence should just 'be' there, if you're really ready to tell the tale...

i heartily agree with those who warn against relying on prologues... they're most usually a cop-out for writers who haven't the courage to make a leap of faith right into the story, or info dumps for those who haven't figured out how to weave the back story into the tale as it progresses... very few writers can write a prologue that will hook the readers and not let them wriggle free...

as noted, that old saw, 'less is more' is still the best advice for most writing...

Sand · 11-21-2005, 01:00 PM

I used to struggle with that too, until I decided there's no law that says I have to start with page one. By that I mean to say, start your story anywhere, with whatever part you feel needs to be written. The beginning can be written later when the story is clearer and it's maybe clearer what might hook the reader. And you can always re-write it if you feel you have a beginning but aren't sure it's just right.

amusinglackoftalent · 11-21-2005, 02:07 PM

I'm a hook 'em early kind of guy, ya'll. HOWEVER, there are as many different types of hooks as there are genres. Maia is right on the money with that one. But even a subtle hook is a hook. It can be nothing more than one of James Lee Burke's fantastic lines about the sunset or a storm brewing on the horizon. You know, one or two of those lines that when you read it you KNOW you are holding the work of a master of the craft in your hands. I like John Irving (A LOT). I don't know if the guy ever worries about a hook but man, this cat can write. (IMHO) Could it be that Irving's reputation is the hook? If so, how did he acquire said rep? I guess what I'm saying is that if the writing is good enough in the beginning it can and probably will serve as its own 'hook'.

The opening lines of a work constitute such a difficult topic because there are so many different views among writers. What's more, readers are going to have just as many or more views and tastes of their own. I'm sure you've heard the term 'patient reader'. These guys will almost read a phone book. Others have to be sucked into the book as if it were a giant Hoover.

Go with your gut, LA. If your craft is properly honed I imagine that your beginning sentences and paragraphs will be as well. Oh, and good luck with your work.

suzakugaiden · 11-21-2005, 04:39 PM

On the subject of prologues, I've considered naming each of the first 25 chapters of my NaNo a prologue. Or, er, to say that in a less retarded way, instead of calling them Chapter 1 to 25, I'll call them Prologue Part 1 - 25. No reason, other than to point out that any meaningful prolgue is indistinguishable from a chapter.

Actually, no. No reason at all. I'm just a bastard like that

I have a better idea. This is my prologue.

Prologue:

A brief prologue, if you will.
Or, if you won't...

Chapter 1:

It was Tuesday. Etc. etc. etc.~~~~~

I'm so demented ^___^

vanax · 11-21-2005, 05:19 PM

sounds like a fun read suza.

LA · 11-22-2005, 04:11 AM

Thanks for the advice everyone, that's really instilled some confidence in me

And many thanks for your words of encouragement, amusinglackoftalent

Ralizah · 11-25-2005, 12:10 AM

There's no single good way to do it, every type of opener can have its merits. Both simplicity ("Call me Ishmael." from Moby Dick) and complexity ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." et cetera et cetera et cetera from A Tale of Two Cities) have had tremendous success. Stop heeding that "ya gotta jump right into an exciting action sequence" crap you hear from people. Start a novel the way it's more appropriately started. What works for Moby Dick won't work for A Tale of Two Cities, and what works for your book might not work with the predefined conceptions that people have regarding opening lines.
Ask yourself questions:
1. Will the opening encompass the whole of the work, a section of the work, or the exact moment when the story opens.
2. Which introductory is most appropriate for your opening scene.
3. Which character (perhaps the narrator?) will open the scene with his or her observations. If no observations will open the work, then what factors are most important in the oncoming scene. If the river Styx and the people crossing it as a whole will open your work, you don't want to open on the random bitching of individual people, you want the scene, and the opening, also, to excompass the whole, and sweep its camera eye over the scene.

Mike C · 11-25-2005, 02:03 AM

"Apparently this first chunk is supposed to be an attention grabber,"

Yes, it must get your attention, but that doesn't have to mean explosions and guns.

This is such an easy thing to learn, because your home is filled with research material. Books. Go through your book case and just read the first paragraph of every one. Read them critically - what does it tell you? How do they do it? Does it give an idea of what the book's about?

My favorite ever opening sentence: 1984 -

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

Kyle Bagley · 11-25-2005, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

"Apparently this first chunk is supposed to be an attention grabber,"

Yes, it must get your attention, but that doesn't have to mean explosions and guns.

This is such an easy thing to learn, because your home is filled with research material. Books. Go through your book case and just read the first paragraph of every one. Read them critically - what does it tell you? How do they do it? Does it give an idea of what the book's about?

My favorite ever opening sentence: 1984 -

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

I still haven't read 1984, but that is a great opening sentence.

Opening sentences, paragraphs, pages, or chapters can be made in many different ways. Study how famous books do it. I've seen many that 'set the scene,' in other words, describe the setting for the beginning of the book.