First Chapter Woes

Does she imagine herself being the erotica MC? Does she actually fantasize about doing the things she is writing?

could be interesting if you keep it chic-lit enough not to crossover into erotica too much.

What does she do besides write? Because if writing is all that's happening, I can see how it might not be too gripping. It's fairly lonely and not too interesting unless you're doing it yourself. And you might want to start with something more interesting.

Just my $0.02.

Well, be aware that starting a novel with your MC reading or writing a book is probably in the class of stuff that includes starting a novel with a dream. imo.

One problem of starting out that way is that the reader might be getting reminded that he himself is reading a book (the novel). And that might jar him out of his fictive dream.

Another problem is that it might be hard to convey to the reader what the story itself is about (such as the plot if this is a plot-driven story) if the MC is just writing various scenes.

Another thing is that many think that there should be conflict in the scene. That there should be stuff at stake for the MC. Conflict tends to draw a reader's interest. And having the MC having a stake in that conflict could help bond the reader to the MC, to get Reader to develop empathy for the MC.

Conflict tends to show the meanful characteristics of the MC to Reader, to let the reader know what the MC is all about, to let the reader get a taste of that character, and so, the reader can start making judgments as to whether or not this book is for him.

The first few pages are important in that they kinda have to pull the reader in and hook'em for the long haul. To do that, several stuff probably should happen . . .

Having an MC in a safe room, all by herself which usually means no external conflict, writing and rewriting fiction, might not be a pragmatic opening.

But if you can make it work . . . that's really all that counts in this game. Do what works. Of course, it does help a bit if you know if there are sharks in that water and that ya clipped yourself shaving that morning . . . What I'm trying to say is: try to inform yourself of what reader-of-your-submitted-manuscript would consider as being cliche or not-good in an opening scene.

Hopefully some of my rambling will help you out.

Good luck with your writing.

I faced a lot of the same problems in my novel, which is about a woman who is writing a novel and teaching a fiction class. I struggled with how to make it more active, but then I realized that I could open the novel up by exploring more of what happens during the class. What does your MC do in addition to writing? Is there some more active part of her life that you could play up to offset the writing time--though I have to say that writing erotica sounds fairly active.

Susan Breen said:

--though I have to say that writing erotica sounds fairly active.

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Only if she's seeking out those experiences in real life before writing about them!

I agree with other posters that there has to be conflict, and that the act of writing, however conflicted, is internal. There's nothing wrong with that, but (a) beginning a novel with that, particularly (b) the type of novel that probably hangs on a different sort of conflict, might send you off on the wrong track.

Why does this woman turn to writing erotica? What's her relationship with her husband like? Does she want an affair, or is she only playing with it in her mind? That might be a place to start--marital conflict.

Gina M said:

Although the first line, paragraph etc. are grabbers, they really aren't what the core of the story is about rather they just compliment the story but I feel are an important introduction.

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I think you just answered your question. It is not part of the story. It's a bit of an introduction. If you have to yank it out of the main story and put it in a prologue, which is really just a "complement" to the story, it doesn't belong there. If it's important some time later, put it there instead. Start your story where it should start, in the middle of it.

Not that every story has to start in media res, mind you. But it seems like a lot of writers do start their story in the wrong place, either with unnecessary back stories or info dump, or an "introduction" as if the readers won't get it unless you properly "introduce" something. That's not true. In real life, it's more interesting if a mystery person walks into the room and you have to figure out who she is and what she does -- having a proper "introduction" can be boring, and like someone said, take the readers out of the fictive dream, reminding them that they're reading words.

And not to say an "introduction" won't work, but chances are, if you're iffy about it, then it is not strong enough...

When in doubt, try to start the story differently. It's fine if you want the MC to write her novel throughout the story, but why not start your book somewhere else -- plunge her into the action, then later, you can clue us in on what she is all about...

Just a thought.

Try different things, and see how they work out. Try three different openings. Like trying on new clothes, use variation and don't let yourself get stuck with one idea.