Best way to start a story?

[The Dark One]

Hi Marie - I'm not sure whether you were responding to my post or just to the thread generally. In any case, nothing you've said conflicts with my point that the central driving force for any narrative is the reader's curiosity to go further and find out what's happening/what will happen. There are a million ways of doing this. In the book I've just finished and sent to my agent, I attempt to arouse the curiosity of the reader in several different ways - including the MC's breathtaking arrogance. I guess this is something I'm rationalising in hindsight rather than something I deliberately set out to achieve, but guinea pig readers have told me they were immediately mesmerised by the MC's obnoxiousness and wanting to know from page one how he was going to get his comeuppance.

In my recently published book (which I won't name so that no-one can accuse me of spamming) the reader understands from the start that something strange is happening just beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary world and (hopefully) wants to get to grips with what is going on. In fact, the narrative driver in that story is the vague suspicion that many have that there really are shadowy types lurking in the background, secretly pulling the strings that control not just the world but the entire universe. My story leaps aboard that pony and rides it down very strange paths indeed, with the implication being that any of us might one day shake our heads clear of all our petty hopes, fears and obsessions and take notice of what really matters. The universe sends subtle signals out all the time but we are so busy getting on with life in the C21 Machine that we rarely notice, and if we do, we are too busy with other priorities to do anything about it. My main character (as the reader desperately wants him to) does something about it - thus the reader gets to go vicariously on the strange journey that s/he would never choose in real life.

To get back to the main point - inspire curiosity and really deliver on the answers - that's my basic formula for keeping the pages turning (both for reader and writer).

 

[Philip Overby]

The best stories I've read do as others have said. They make you curious from the beginning. Whether it's through action or dialogue or whatever, it needs to be attention grabbing.

One of the most awesome opening sentences ever I think is "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed," from Stephen King's "The Gunslinger." Immediately I know there's a gunslinger, he's in a desert, and he's following a rather mysterious man in black. Boom. Attention grabbed.

 

[MAndreas]

Dark One- sorry for that- no, my response was to the original question - not your specific response. My primary point was just that how an author starts a story will be specific to the author as well as the story.

 

[MichaelSullivan]

Writing is horrifically subjective- including how to start your book .
Marie

There is no doubt that there is a lot of subjectivity to writing (and reading) but I'm not sure that it is as subjective as other aspects. The bottom line...there is much more attention on "openinings" now because I doubt anyone will purchase any book without sampling...whether that be reading the first few pages in the bookstore, or using sampling from your ereader, or using the search inside the book feature of Amazon.

You have to be complelling. You have to "hook" them. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to drop in the middle of action, or you can't use description...but if you bore them...you're dead.

This goes for both self-published books and books you are seeking representation for. An agent, or slush pile editor discards 80%of their submissions before the first paragarph is completed. If they get through the first page, your changes are significantly better. If they get to page 5 -- You're in very good shape.

Outside of the back of the book description (also used in the query for traditional representation, or marekting for self-pubished) the begining is THE MOST IMPORTANT writing of the entire book.

 

[MAndreas]

Hi Michael,

I agree, that first paragraph is vital- many editors and agents never get past that point. (Which was why I asked the NY editor to just read my first pages- I wanted to know "Would he keep reading?")

What I was trying to say was that not all books should start in medias res. There will be differences based on the type of book, hence, it's subjective. As writers we control the feel our book has, the tone we want the reader to feel as they go through it. I've seen beginning writers take the "start in the middle of the action" aspect too far sometimes, creating something that doesn't fit their book, may or may not be supported by the rest of the chapter, and may be too much for the reader to care about.

But I think we all agree that however your first paragraph starts- it needs to kick butt (but that may not mean literally ).

 

[MichaelSullivan]

Hi Michael,

I agree, that first paragraph is vital- many editors and agents never get past that point. (Which was why I asked the NY editor to just read my first pages- I wanted to know "Would he keep reading?")

What I was trying to say was that not all books should start in medias res. There will be differences based on the type of book, hence, it's subjective. As writers we control the feel our book has, the tone we want the reader to feel as they go through it. I've seen beginning writers take the "start in the middle of the action" aspect too far sometimes, creating something that doesn't fit their book, may or may not be supported by the rest of the chapter, and may be too much for the reader to care about.

But I think we all agree that however your first paragraph starts- it needs to kick butt (but that may not mean literally ).

To be "compelling" it doesn't have to be "in the middle of action" I didn't mean to imply that to be the case). Compelling may be some amazing prose, or a well turned phrase, it "can" be description although most authors (especially new ones) won't be confident or skilled enough to pull this off well.

The most important aspect is the enticement to continue on. The "easist" way to do this is to provide the classic hook. To plant a question in the readers mind that they just have to answer. It can be in an acutal question, "Who is John Galt?" Or more subtle...what is in the letters that Archibald is holding that makes him think that possesing them will turn his fortunes around? Why is an eighty-year-old joining a war? What made today the worst day in Wyatt Diminthall's life? Why is Nevrik's teacher trying to kill him? There is a reason that curiosity killed the cat...if you can get someone curious about something then it is easier to feed them bread crumbs to continue deeper.

 

[Jabrosky]

The new story I've started this morning definitely takes the "begin in the middle of action" (specifically a fight between Norse and Zulu warriors) approach. I hate slogging through uneventful backstory anyway.