The opening scene is the most important piece of your novel. This scene determines whether your reader is pulled in or puts the books down. Here are some important do's and don'ts:
DO: Write it as a scene, not a data dump. You may have a fantastic premise, a marvellous alternate history or post-apocalyptic world or magical realism to die for, but if you don't engage your reader in an actual scene, you will bore them.
DO: Write a scene that immediately introduces a character that the reader can root for. Yes, I know Stephen King has had great success introducing victims that are then shortly afterwards killed off. That's a horror trope and we expect it. But if you are caught up in world-building and haven't dreamed your way into a character who is worth following through 100,000 words of writing, your story is pointless. I have read many pieces of fiction by would-be writers who can't grasp this essential concept and without exception, they fail to engage the reader.
DO: Introduce the stakes right away. In case that's a challenge that needs some exposition to develop, create some immediate stakes (a life threat works) that keep the tension high and the reader engaged until you can lay out the larger stakes.
DO: Begin in medias res, which means "in the middle of things." Most beginner fiction writers make the mistake of starting too early in the plot. Meet the monster on page 1.
DON'T: Include a flashback in the first chapter. Work on a scene, which means time is NOT compressed. It should include dialogue, action, description, setting, and interior monologue. Keep everything happening within that scene for at least the first chapter. You can bring in a flashback in Chapter 3.
DON'T: Shift points of view within a single chapter. Let the reader establish a strong bond of interest (even if it's with a villain POV) over the course of the whole chapter.
DON'T: Open the story with your character waking up unless it's because she's got a gun in her face (or a knife to her throat - you get what I mean). We don't need to follow a character through their mundane daily routine.
DON'T: Be coy. Beginner writers often have this idea that they need to hold back revealing all of their secrets - what's in the box, who's behind the curtains, where they're going next etc. Their well meant plan is to slowly reveal all of this over several chapters. Trust me on this one: tell your readers instead of keeping it a mystery. You WILL come up with more secrets to reveal. Your imagination is that good. Spill it now and allow that revelation to add excitement.
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The Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Story
HumorFor all you amateur writers on Wattpad that want to write a smashing book. Here are the top tips. There are four different sections in here: PLOT - anything incredibly relevant to a book. The backbone. Everything that, usually, you always need. LANG...
