TIPS FOR THE FIRST CHAPTER [FONT=Arial,Veranda]
- Make sure the first chapter starts with action.
Okay, folks. We might give Ed just a wee bit of wiggle room. The above quote comes from Joe Konranth's site, and he also goes on to say that one should never start a first chapter/paragraph with atmosphere, scene or setting. I don't neccessarily believe in this, myself.
But...
We've all seen several blogs and writing sites where agents and editors recommend the same advice--better to get things moving and interesting from the start. The DIFFERENCE is, is that this applies to new writers who don't have scores of publishing experience and books behind them. King could have a guy tinkling in a urinal and counting the stains on a bathroom wall with his first sentence, but we would continue on because we know his style and there's a good bet that he's going to please.
So it can be pretty damn confusing when a new writer reads all of these tips and rules, and then opens up a book and finds the opposite. It's because these authors CAN, it's because they have a great voice, and because it's probably not overdone.
And it is so very subjective, anyway.
I can't cite any examples off hand, but can anyone remember best-selling books that begin with long (boring) prologues, face-in-the-mirror descriptions, waking up scenes, elaborate settings, or other so-called non-standard openings? They're out there. Why do they get a passing ticket? Famous author scenario aside, it might be because of...
Voice.
I think this has been mentioned upstream.
Prince of Tides starts off with a kind of boring inner monologue (for me anyway), but the thing that sucked me in about it was the VOICE.
I think we've all been confused at one time or another from contradictions in what 'should be done' and what we ultimately find out there. I think it just depends on how well the author pulls it off.
Tri
[/FONT]