How to Begin?

Because first impressions are so important, the opening pages of your book have got to really shine. Some readers only read the first sentence before deciding whether to put a book down or keep going! You have a paragraph at most to catch a reader's attention, and you may lose that attention any time in the first few pages. How do you keep readers going until they're hooked? Read on:


1. Start where the story begins. If you want to start two weeks before the story begins and write chapters and chapters of nothing happening, go right ahead. You'll learn a lot about your characters and the world they live in. But then get out your axe when it comes time to revise. CHOP! Your readers don't care about what your characters have been doing for the last two weeks. They want the story.
2. What makes your story really interesting? Be sure it shows up in the first few pages.
3. Your beginning sets the tone for the rest of the book. Choose an opening scene that promises the reader whatever the story will deliver.
4. Draw the reader into your fictional world. You can do this with a strong character voice, a clear and powerful image, an intriguing idea, or in many other ways.
5. Don't be afraid to go down deep and get at the heart of your story right away.

Because beginnings are so important, many writers save the beginning for the end. You have to start writing a story somewhere, but don't feel like your first draft needs a brilliant beginning. It may not be until you've written the end of your book that you will know what the beginning should be.