Some time ago, writers would start with long bits of exposition
about the main character before they introduced the conflict. Unfortunately we
are now in the instant age. Writers these days seldom have the leisure of
waxing lyrical. Readers want their action within the first chapter. You’ll have
to use this action scene to also show some of your character’s traits.
This is the beginning of the book; it’s not the beginning of the
story. The character is perfectly safe in the status quo until something
happens that throws his/her life completely off kilter. It is the point at
which the tension begins and your character is suddenly thrust into a situation
where their goal is threatened and your story objective is introduced. The
basics are;
a)
The point of action has to immediately grab
the reader’s attention. Start the book off with some startling action; a scene
that is exciting, terrifying or shocking.
b)
Provide vivid descriptions of the setting so
that the reader is grounded somewhere.
c)
By the end of the first chapter of your book,
the reader needs to be able to identify 5 – 10 things about the main
character(s).
d)
Give the reader something to worry about.
What’s going to happen to the heroine? Will she run away from the scene that
makes her look like a murderer or will the police arrest her?
e)
You’ll probably have to interweave parts of
the back-story into the initial chapters so that your readers can understand
their motivations, fears and personality and immediately form a bond. However
do not introduce the back story in the first chapter and in the first few pages
it should be brief and tie directly to the scene.
For instance your character just wants to safely deliver their new
designs to a client. You want them to solve a murder. They can either come in
by offering themselves as amateur investigators or you can drag them into the
story kicking and screaming i.e. the body is stored in the boot of their car
next to the designs and they are the main suspect.
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