Introducing the crisis

mexcindi · Oct 18, 2006

Hi everyone,

I've read quite a few posts here and have done a search, but I haven't been able to find an answer.

How far into the story can I introduce the crisis that creates the story goal? I know I need to hook the reader right away. Some books I've read say the crisis must come at the end of the first scene.

In one of my WIP's, I want the lead to travel to a different city (where the story will take place) and introduce the crisis upon her arrival. I don't plan on dragging out the travel or including lots of extraneous details. However, I want to introduce the lead first through a conversation with the confidant and later as she is doing some paperwork on the airplane.

I've read several books recently but not one exactly follows the guidelines the "how-to" books give for introducing the crisis or the surprises.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I appreciate it!

**Let me know if I've posted this on the wrong forum. If so, could you direct me to the correct place? Thanks.

HaleyDaulton · Oct 18, 2006

Hi, Cindi! I'm somewhat of a newbie around here myself, so take this for what it's worth. If you're targeting category romance such as Harlequin, I believe it is generally recommended that you get right to the heart of the crisis. In single-title fiction authors seem to have more leeway here, so as long as you start off with some kind of hook/action to get the reader salivating, I think you'd be okay delaying introduction of the crisis, provided it's not TOO delayed.

I know others will chime in to correct me if I've gotten it wrong.

sunandshadow · Oct 18, 2006

We had a thread on this topic in the novel writing forum recently

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43641

L.Jones · Oct 19, 2006

I think you are using crisis when you mean conflict.

You introduce the conflict as soon as possible but it doesn't have to hit the reader over the head, you put it in then build in the opening pages until it is clear there is conflict, conflict builds until it reached the crisis, the dark moment, the climax.

Often you will find the crux of the conflict in the very first line.
The opening line of Heathen Girls - Jump, Charma Deane, Jump!
seems simple but the conflict of the story is the heroine's inability to move forward, to get past her fears and to literally jump into the pond where she almost died as a child.

The opening lines of The Sisterhood of the Queen Mamas:
“Sisters, girlfriends and troublemakers (you know who you are) you are fearfully and wonderfully made! In other words, God doesn’t make junk. Thankfully his children do, and that’s why we have been blessed with fleamarkets just about everywhere.”
The conflict - women of a certain age feel discarded by society while even the junk they find at flea markets is valued, and they decide to do prove that's wrong. It's all there in the opening.

annie jones (Sisterhood of the Queen Mamas - Dec. 06 - "Engaging... Laugh out loud funny" - Publisher's Weekly.)
Luanne Jones Heathen Girls (out now)

mexcindi · Oct 19, 2006

Thanks for the advice and the link. I looked for discussions on this topic before I posted, but missed this thread.

One how-to book calls the event which introduces the story question as the crisis. The author says the crisis is what happens to shake up the lead's normal life (like a death, a ransom note, a new job, etc) and causes her to fix the problem to bring her life back to the status quo.

I want my lead to be leading her normal life when something happens to someone close to her. The event (crisis) causes her to have to solve the problem before she can go on with her life (or her life will never be the same).

If I introduce the event immediately (like in the first paragraph), I think the impact will be lessened. Why would the reader care that someone close to the lead was in trouble when the reader doesn't even know the lead yet?

Am I on the right track here?

Thanks!

veinglory · Oct 19, 2006

I think the crisis/conflict/ostacle/non-romance plot really ought to at least be foreshadowed from the beginning.

Gillhoughly · Oct 19, 2006

Page one is the best place to start.

Hit the library.

Open the first page of (at least) 100 recent books of all genres and read.

The ones that hook you are probably by writers you can learn from.

mexcindi · Oct 20, 2006

Thanks everyone! I'm just going to write the beginning the way I think it should be. Later, I'll cut it if it seems too slow.

I appreciate all the good advice. I was stuck and couldn't finish my outline until this was resolved. Thanks for pulling me out of the mud!

Introducing the crisis

mexcindi

HaleyDaulton

This Space for Rent

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

L.Jones

mexcindi

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

mexcindi