This book will contain chapter upon chapter of writing tips for you and all your writing needs!
These tips and tricks can be both from myself and from other sites that I would have searched upon
All websites I have copied from are mentioned before e...
this post was made by brynwrites on tumblr, or http://brynwrites.tumblr.com/post/164000161074/a-killer-first-chapter
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This is a little ironic, because I'm about to rewrite my opening three chapters for The Warlord's Contact from scratch for about the tenth time. But practice does make perfect, and boy have I learned a lot through this process.
Sometimes you look at a story and you just know how it needs to open. It's the most obvious choice in the world, and it's clear why no other option would work.
Unfortunately, that's not often the case. Usually, the beginning to your book will take preplanning and rewriting and replanning and bit more rewriting, and all the while you'll never quite be sure you chose the best spot to open to, or the right characters to introduce, or the proper setting.
Here are a few specific methods of thought for tackling your first chapter...
You can adjust these in any way you want, as well as combine them. Try looking through the first chapters of your favorite books or movies and pinpointing which basic thought processes are used in them.
The Mini Arc: The first chapter tells its own story.
As there are many smaller arcs within the overall arc of any story, so can there be in the first chapter. On the most basic level, this includes introducing a conflict, having your main character confront the conflict, and either overcome or fail in the moment of highest suspense. It can also involve its own antagonist, or the antagonist for the overarching story.
In The Action: A hero's opening.
Draw the reader into your story by opening with a spot of action involving something your main character would typically do. Are they a tomb raider? Open with them raiding a random (or not so random) tomb. Are they a getaway driver? Open with them driving away from a crime. Are they pirate? Open with them boarding another ship. Are they a martial artist? Open with them in the ring.
