The Opening Chapter

Zelenka · Nov 21, 2007

First off, apologies if this has been discussed a lot before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything on this specific question. Started thinking about this after reading the 'Where does your novel start' thread.

In terms of beginning, I've heard a lot of people say the story should begin as soon as possible, sometimes in the first sentence, and other advice about starting when the MC's situation dramatically changes.

Looking at my own writing I noticed that what I tend to do is start off with my MC in some situation that establishes him or her, and by the end of chapter one the MC has received the news or found the object or whatever that starts off the plot proper. Although the opening therefore isn't the beginning of the plot per se, I always try to make it interesting and draw the reader in, to get them to like the character.

But is this a silly way of going about it? Should I be starting right bang as soon as the plot starts? At the moment I'm trying to figure a way to start off my rewrite of my fantasy WIP, and again my instinct is to go with the structure I described above, but I want it to have as much impact as possible.

Any help is appreciated.

DeadlyAccurate · Nov 21, 2007

My book that's being shopped, the first chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. It introduces my character and the world, and it's action-oriented, but it's not directly plot advancing. I'm revising the next book, and I'm not certain whether the first chapter will have to do with the plot or not. I just checked, and the phone call that kicks off the actual plot (of the first book) is on page 25.

This is another one of those writing rules that has to be understood in context. A book that starts with fifty pages of back story about how your hero ended up living in a foreign land isn't particularly interesting. Neither is starting with your character waking up in the morning or going about their mundane lives.

Zelenka · Nov 21, 2007

DeadlyAccurate said:
My book that's being shopped, the first chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. It introduces my character and the world, and it's action-oriented, but it's not directly plot advancing. I'm revising the next book, and I'm not certain whether the first chapter will have to do with the plot or not.

This is another one of those writing rules that has to be understood in context. A book that starts with fifty pages of back story about how your hero ended up living in a foreign land isn't particularly interesting. Neither is starting with your character waking up in the morning or going about their mundane lives.

That's what I meant about trying to keep the introduction interesting even if it's not part of the overall plot. For an example, in my WIP that I'm currently editing, the MC is an investigator chasing after dark magic so the opening is him in the middle of a case, and once he and his assistant fight off that particular nasty, they're sent off to deal with the situation that then goes on to be the main plot.

In the WIP I'm rewriting, I was thinking of a similar approach, starting it with a fight in fact, so as to set up that my MC is a bit at odds with most of the people he knows (the plot involves a charismatic character who influences my MC because he's not quite fitting in). Hopefully neither is mundane.

ishtar'sgate · Nov 21, 2007

JessRamage said:
For an example, in my WIP that I'm currently editing, the MC is an investigator chasing after dark magic so the opening is him in the middle of a case, and once he and his assistant fight off that particular nasty, they're sent off to deal with the situation that then goes on to be the main plot.

That sounds like a perfect opening to me. The reader is immediately introduced to your MC and joins him in his exciting profession.
Linnea

Conman · Nov 21, 2007

My prologue shows the night the MC was born, and the very first sentence of it is, "It's a boy." So I guess you could say it starts the plot off.

My first chapter begins with a scene that describes a few characters through their actions (the MC is reading a book while watching two of his friends play a board game) and then shifts into the beginning of the plot when a fourth character enters and delivers the news that begins the story.

So I guess you could say that my story is in motion from the first sentence, although it doesn't really begin until about halfway through chapter one.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 21, 2007

The story should start at the beginning. Now depending on the genre, that beginning can vary.

My own genre, I have conflict and drama almost from the beginning.

But many genres, mainstream, literary, etc. don't need or even want action, conflict, or drama to start it. They like to get to know the people first.

I guess its the difference between going to a cocktail party where you are slowly introduced to everyone and going to a paintball party where you put on your gear and start blasting away at everyone.

Zelenka · Nov 21, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
The story should start at the beginning. Now depending on the genre, that beginning can vary.

My own genre, I have conflict and drama almost from the beginning.

But many genres, mainstream, literary, etc. don't need or even want action, conflict, or drama to start it. They like to get to know the people first.

I guess its the difference between going to a cocktail party where you are slowly introduced to everyone and going to a paintball party where you put on your gear and start blasting away at everyone.

See, mine is fantasy, which was one of the reasons I wondered if I'm going about it the wrong way.

My thinking was that the conflict between my MC and the others around him is a big factor in the plot; just when my MC is really cheesed off at life, he meets up with this man who cons him into going along with his weird philosophy. I wasn't intending doing whole chapters of backstory - just really the same as I'd done in the other WIP, having the turning point in the MC's life (when he starts off on this plot) at the end of Chapter One.

OverTheHills&FarAway · Nov 21, 2007

Even within the same genre, even within the same BOOK, there are many ways to begin a story. Each one affects the feel and flavor of the exact story you want to tell, what emphasis you want to put where and on what.

Is your story about the character and his journey toward whatever change he needs to make to fulfill his dreams and solve his problems? Then show him before he is goaded into making that change, before he has to confront the problem, so the readers understand just how much of a change he has to make.

Is your story about--I don't know--mysterious baddies and how they're taking over the world and how important it is to keep them from doing so? Then begin with the first mysterious baddie inflicting his wickedness upon the innocent.

You can begin anywhere. WHERE you begin depends on what kind of story you want to tell.

Zelenka · Nov 21, 2007

OverTheHills&FarAway said:
Is your story about the character and his journey toward whatever change he needs to make to fulfill his dreams and solve his problems? Then show him before he is goaded into making that change, before he has to confront the problem, so the readers understand just how much of a change he has to make.

Is your story about--I don't know--mysterious baddies and how they're taking over the world and how important it is to keep them from doing so? Then begin with the first mysterious baddie inflicting his wickedness upon the innocent.

Sort of both, lol. More of the first sort though. The MC is kind of drawn into the mysterious baddies' wickedness and by the end has to decide whether to go along with it or fight against it.

I feel a lot more confident about it given the responses, so thanks everyone for your advice!

DeleyanLee · Nov 21, 2007

JessRamage said:
Looking at my own writing I noticed that what I tend to do is start off with my MC in some situation that establishes him or her, and by the end of chapter one the MC has received the news or found the object or whatever that starts off the plot proper. Although the opening therefore isn't the beginning of the plot per se, I always try to make it interesting and draw the reader in, to get them to like the character.

What you do is what Maass in Writing the Breakout Novel called "bridging conflict"--something that's semi-related that invests the reader in the characters and the basic situation before hitting them with the main part of the story. It's a classic plotting technique. Nothing wrong with it at all.

And remember: plot (defined as the sequence of events) is not the entire story (defined as the total experience of the tale being told). Starting the book where the story starts does not in any way, shape or form means being confined to the limitations of plot.

Good luck with the rewrite.

Judg · Nov 21, 2007

The turning point in my MC's life doesn't occur until 2/3 of the way through. There's no way I can put it earlier. He makes a decision that puts him at odds with virtually his entire world, so the groundwork has to be laid to make such a radical decision plausible and enough world-building to show why it's so radical. Having said that, I try to keep another plotline going, the political events of his world, so there's still plenty of conflict. The two merge with a bang at the turning point.

So there's no way I can follow Uncle Jim's excellent advice about starting the story where the character has made an irrevocable decision. For me, that's the first climax.

I've never been very good at following formulas. Hopefully I'm telling an engaging story anyway.

The Opening Chapter

Zelenka

Going home!

DeadlyAccurate

Absolutely Fazed

Zelenka

Going home!

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

Conman

.....

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Zelenka

Going home!

OverTheHills&FarAway

McNifico

Zelenka

Going home!

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon