Creating an amazing first chapter… This is difficult, some would say the most difficult. It’s trying to decide that first sentence and where exactly, and how to start your story out; it is one of those moments that the backspace button is used most often. This is tough to get going because you want it to stand out, away from everyone else’s book. The first sentence must grab your audience. It must pull them in and keep them intrigued to read more. So using the usual starters is not a good idea. There are so many phrases that are used way too often, a simple example would be “Once upon a time”; that’s one that you shouldn’t try anymore. There are others, as well as not talking about the weather, and I just learned that having your main character waking up is also too cliché…(I just tried that in my own first chapter was told not to). It happens to the best of us, but to keep it strong writers must think outside of the box for that opening line. Even if you have an amazing and compelling prologue; I also learned that readers may skim over the prologue and move onto the first chapter. So keep that first sentence new and amazing. Keep it refreshed and unique to your story. Once you find that perfect beginning line the rest of the chapter should flow easily. As if the characters just needed that little bit of push to get their story told. The rest of the first chapter maintains that same importance. Bring the main characters to life here. Let the readers get a feeling of them, some personality and understanding. Let the readers step into their day to day life and fall in love with the story to come for them. It can seem daunting and overwhelming, but you can do it. Of course if needed the internet is filled with assistance as what to use. But honestly your best bet is to think of what is going on in the scene, of how you are starting it, and use details from that. Instead of being asleep and just waking up, are they dreaming? Did something happen the night before? Is someone in the room? Think of all the details surrounding the moment and leading up to it; then create your first line from that. You have this. Push past the looming fear of failing and press forward. Before you know it, the entire book will be done!
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AuthorTiffany Heiser Archives
February 2020
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