Advice on starting novel with MC waking up

Phinxy · May 1, 2010

Okay, I know starting a novel with the MC waking up is a sin, a no-no, but what if it's essential to the MC's character?

For my novel, my MC loves to dream because she has an overprotective mother. She feels dreams is her means of escape.
I want to be positive and think I portrayed her waking up in a unique way.
And the waking up sequence doesn't last long and it's not very detailed.
I would say 3 short paragraphs (maybe 3 sentences each) of the first page, and that's all. Then it gets on with the story.

Also, THE BODY FINDER and GUARDIAN OF THE DEAD both start the novel with the MC waking up.

So I ask you my fellow writers, can waking up ever be done in a way where agents might think it's okay and done well?

Z0Marley · May 1, 2010

Everything, even overused cliches, can be done right.

End of story.

If you think you've done a damn good job, then I say go with your heart.

With how many escapes our out in our world today (movies, books, writing, video games, drugs -- countless others), I find dreams fairly boring. Best of luck though. =)

thothguard51 · May 1, 2010

Doesn't every writer think their cliched opening is different? I know I do...

My personal taste, is to read on, but if it takes to long, or goes nowhere of interest, then I close up pretty quickly. Why? Because I am not going to invest a lot of time just to say...I told you it was cheesy... But that is just m;, and my GF, my son, daughter, the guy who rotates my tires and pretty much the whole UVA football team. But hey, that's just us, and of course, there are the guys on sub-tender duty, and the gals doing night shift at the hospital ICU units and the guys monitoring oil rig blow out preventers..

Is three paragraphs too long? Well if they are half a page or longer per paragraph, then maybe... It really depends on what follows.

Juneluv12 · May 1, 2010

Well, is there a way to have her reflecting on a dream? To where she's not exactly dreaming or waking up or anything but going about the usual stuff where you can get her to a point on down the line.

I just worry about agent reactions when they open it up and see a dream on the first page. The two books you mentioned, were they debut authors or established authors? There is a Catch22 a lot of times for debut and established on what gets to be done.

Shady Lane · May 1, 2010

If you tell the reader that it's a dream right off the bat, it lessens the evil a little bit.

I have a ms that starts with the MC waking up. It's doable.

AlishaS · May 1, 2010

Make it a good one lol

Dot Hutchison · May 1, 2010

My first chapter opens to an alarm clock, so I totally understand your worry; I debated it for quite some time. Eventually, I decided to leave it as long as it felt right. You can do just about anything as long as you can do it well. If it feels right? *shrugs* Go for it.

Glenakin · May 2, 2010

Everything is a cliche, and everything can be done and made to look awesome, even opening dream sequences. If you do it well, agents and readers won't mind. If you screw it up then you're screwed.

Frankly, I don't know who comes up with all these ridiculous rules: you can't open your book with a dream sequence; you're not supposed to ever, ever use adverbs; etc. Do your thing, I say.

Zoombie · May 2, 2010

Heck, my MS starts with the MC looking at herself in a mirror.

If I can get away with that, then you can start with a dream and wake up and stuff. Just make it...ya know...good. If your writing is good, then all else shall follow.

bertrigby · May 2, 2010

It depends if it delays the start of the story or fills the opening with unnecessary info. Ask yourself if you really need it there, or whether you should start at a more attention grabbing point - where the story really begins.

Momento Mori · May 2, 2010

Phinxy:
Okay, I know starting a novel with the MC waking up is a sin, a no-no, but what if it's essential to the MC's character?

The problem isn't whether the dreaming is essential to the MC's character, it's whether starting with a dream is essential for your novel's plot.

There are agents out there who have "starting with a dream/waking up from a dream" on their "pet peeve" list and while there are plenty of published books out there that do have such a beginning, personally I don't see the point in following suit if there's a different way of opening which can help make your point stand out.

Phinxy:
my MC loves to dream because she has an overprotective mother.

Given that it's the over-protective mother who's the catalyst for your MC's behaviour, I'd personally recommend starting with a scene that shows the relationship between the MC and her mother - that way you have grounds for establishing why your MC does what she does later on, which should make it flow in a way to keep it interesting.

MM

dichucks · May 2, 2010

To dream or not to dream...

My take on it: One audience you need consider strongly (aside from the age group it's aimed at, of course) is the group of agents you'll be submitting to. Knowing that having your character wake from a dream at the opening is generally not looked upon in a good light by agents gives you a handicap before you even start your search. Why make a difficult process even more difficult for yourself? And why put your entire book in potential jeopardy over three paragraphs? If it were me, I'd rework the opening without the dream (and challenge myself to make it even better) so my chances of getting an agent to read past the first page go up. -di

Rachel · May 2, 2010

Start the story where the story starts. If the story in your head and heart needs to start with a wake-up scene, then it would be wrong to start it any other way.

BradleyWilliams · May 2, 2010

I'll 14th that sentiment. Everything is cliche. Trite but true. Write the book you can be proud of. The rules were not voted on by the billions of readers around the world. Someone will like it.

Danthia · May 3, 2010

Waking up openings are frowned upon because in most cases, there's nothing going on to hook the reader. And openings are supposed to hook the reader and make them want to keep reading.

If your wake up scene has something compelling going on that will hook the reader and make them want to read on, it might work just fine.

If your wake up scene is about character and nothing happens until after that bit, scrap it. Save it for another scene after you've already convinced the reader to stick with your story.

shaldna · May 4, 2010

It's not the waking up that's the issue, it's how it's worked. It can be incredibly cliche.

downtherabbithole · May 4, 2010

shaldna said:
It's not the waking up that's the issue, it's how it's worked. It can be incredibly cliche.

I agree. It's like the describing your character when he looks in a mirror.

Anaximander · May 4, 2010

The main rule of writing is that there are no rules. If you can break a 'rule' and still produce a good story, then go for it. Just keep in mind that if a large number of experienced writers are telling you not to do something, there's usually a reason, and that reason will generally be either that they've tried it and it didn't work, or that a lot of less experienced writers are doing it, and most of them are doing it badly. Now, this gives you a two-way opportunity. If you follow the 'rule', then you can stand out from the crowd as being the one that did it differently. On the other hand, if you break the 'rule' but do it well, then you can stand out from the crowd by being the one who avoided making it cliché and defied the reader's expectations. Of course, the latter is harder, first because you have to think of something good that the millions of writers before you haven't, and second because a lot of publishers will read it and think 'oh boy, another one of these' and you'll have to work a little harder to convince them. Still, I stand by what I said: if you can write a good story that people like to read, it doesn't matter how you've written it or what happens in it. As a certain pirate once said, they're more guidelines than actual rules.

justarandomname47 · May 4, 2010

I'll go ahead and 17th what everyone said. It can be done and done well, but there's a reason that agents/editors hate it. It has been done and done well several times (and done poorly even more times!)

If you're looking for other ways to start or incorporate the feeling that the MC would rather be dreaming then you could start with the character longing for the escape that dreams bring.

But write first for yourself.

angelfrancis · May 6, 2010

I was taught, know the rules, but also know how to break them. If you feel strongly, this is the only way to open it, then go ahead.

Fillanzea · May 6, 2010

Guardian of the Dead gives Ellie a problem right from the moment she wakes up -- she's not supposed to have boys over and she's not supposed to get caught with alcohol in her room, and yet she wakes up with empty beer cans and a boy.

The canonical "don't do that" waking-up-opening is where the main character wakes up and brushes his teeth and has breakfast and nothing dramatic has happened yet.

You can do it, but be careful with it.

Fulk · May 6, 2010

M.Austin said:
With how many escapes our out in our world today (movies, books, writing, video games, drugs -- countless others), I find dreams fairly boring. Best of luck though. =)

I dunno, I've had some pretty wild dreams myself that would rival that of the best blockbuster film or video game. It seems they always end at the best part, though.

More on topic, I'll echo Shady Lane's advice. If you think that opening with a dream is vital, be upfront about it. I could be wrong, but I think part of the agent/editor's headache is attempts to set up a tense situation and then say "A-ha! Got you, it was a dream with no relevance!" It's a cheap and dirty hook.

Guilherme_Alves · May 7, 2010

My novel also begins with MC waking up. That's cliche, yes, but it does not make it wrong. You must use the necessary tools that make sure that your story flow the way you want. And if it means using a cliche, go for it.

Advice on starting novel with MC waking up

Phinxy

Z0Marley

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Juneluv12

Steel Magnolia & Snarky Pants

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

AlishaS

Is swimming with creativity frogs

Dot Hutchison

Falling through Clockwork

Glenakin

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

bertrigby

Dysfunctional dystopian

Momento Mori

Tired and Disillusioned

dichucks

Rachel

Stuff and nonsense.

BradleyWilliams

New kid, no need to be gentle!

Danthia

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

downtherabbithole

Anaximander

justarandomname47

angelfrancis

I got this!

Fillanzea

Fulk

Occasional Contributer

Guilherme_Alves