Writing a Strong Opening Chapter

We've all heard how important opening lines, opening pages, and opening scenes/chapters are. I think somewhere back in the beginning of my writing journey, I didn't believe it. I thought...nah, if I write a good book, it shouldn't matter if my first seven paragraphs are about the weather or have a little - okay, more than a little - back story.

But after writing several books, critiquing several books, reading tons of craft books and articles, entering contests, judging contests, querying and all that, I've realized that when "they" say those openings are important, "they" aren't kidding.

So what helps make strong opening pages?

A Hook

Yep, this one is first because it's probably one of the most important. An opening hook makes a reader/agent read on. That very first sentence or paragraph can say a lot. It sets the tone for the story. So be sure to write one that makes the reader sit up and take notice - and then read on. That's your big goal - to make the reader read on.

Sympathetic Characters

Readers, just like us, want to relate to our characters. So how do you do that?

Give your characters a goal, present an obstacle to that goal, give them a strong belief in that goal. With that foundation in mind, trying also giving them a fun or unique quirk, something that shows their vulnerability, and make sure you really get into their heads.

Various Writing Styles

Withing your first several pages, you're going to want to show you have a good grasp of various writing styles. Good dialogue, smooth description, varied sentence structure, and deep POV. If you can, try to include as much variety as possible so the reader doesn't get bored.

Be Succinct! Make Sense!

Don't take a lot of time to say what you can say in a short amount of time. In other words, brevity is good! You don't need an entire paragraph of description (yes, this will vary depending on genre) or a page of back story. Also, don't put in so much that the reader is confused. Stick to one conflict and make the reader want to know more.

Show Your Voice

This is going to give you that extra edge. This is what will differentiate a good manuscript from a great one. Giving the reader a sense of your voice will show them that you're confident about your story, and engage them to keep reading.

That's a lot to do in just a few pages, right? But sometimes that's all you have to show an agent, editor, or reader what you've got.

And don't forget, these are just guidelines to get you started. Whether you include a few or all of them, your number one goal is to get the reader to continue reading.

For me, writing that catchy hook is one of the hardest things to do in an opening. What's something that challenges you when writing opening pages?

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Cindy is a Colorado native, living near the mountains with her husband and three beautiful daughters. She writes contemporary Christian romance, seeking to enrich lives with her stories of faith, love, and a touch of humor.

To learn more about Cindy, visit her at her personal blog, www.cindyrwilson.com

A High Speed Audience (Readers Want it Right Now!)

I like to think I still enjoy the little things in life, and the slower ways of going about doing things, but I know even I get caught in the high speed trap. The pull of instant gratification and the ability to get what we want faster than before.

We get the Internet quicker. You can go through a drive-thru to get that grande Chai tea latte instead of waiting inside. Pizza comes to your front door and if you want to read a book, get it on your Kindle so you can read that first sentence within ten minutes without even setting foot in a store (hey, you can even stay in your pajamas!).

I fall into these traps and as a reader and writer of romance, I know reading audiences do, too. Not everyone, mind you, but many of us want a book to pull us in right away and want that momentum to keep going.

Yes, we must write the story that's on our hearts but we can also be mindful of what readers are looking for.

Why do readers want to get drawn into a novel right away?

Limited Time

The reality is, everything is going faster these days, and most of us have more commitments. And that leaves us less time for the leisure of reading. Less time means we'd better use that time more wisely. Presenting readers with a book that snatches them up and keeps them there is going to make them feel like reading your story is more worthwhile.

A Break from Reality

Again, life gets crazy sometimes. What better to take a break from that than to escape from reality with a book? And if we're going to invest that time, it means that book better draw us in right away.

What will pull readers in and keep them turning page after page?

An Instant Hook

Catch readers from line one and make them stick. That first chapter is important - make sure you give it lots of attention.

Cut Out Backstory

One of the quickest ways to lose a reader is to drop in too much backstory or drop it in too early. Make sure it's gradual and make sure it's minimal - that every flashback or explanation has a point and keeps the reader's attention.

Plenty of Conflict

Not only do readers want tension at the beginning, they want it all the way through the book. So keep that conflict in there and make sure it's balanced throughout the book.

Shorter or Balanced Scenes

One thing to help keeps readers engaged is either writing shorter scenes or paying special attention to balancing scenes. That means not using an entire scene just for description or solely for dialogue. Balance the ups and downs and long and short sentences, etc. also so that the reader doesn't feel stuck with only one style of writing per scene or chapter.

Do you get caught in the high speed trap, and do you want books you read to draw you in immediately and hold you there? What tricks do you use in your writing to keep readers engaged?

Improve Writing Skills by Reading Books You Love and Books You...Don't

As writers tend to do, I often find myself critiquing books I read. I'll pick up a book, typically in my genre, settle down, and start analyzing from page one. Why isn't this scene starting off faster? What is wrong with this main character? Or on the good end, how does this author always manage to pull me in?

And not only do I critique, I compare. I take my writing skills and compare them to the skills of the author of the book I'm reading. Yeah, so that's not always a great way to improve writing skills (or self-esteem), but it is a great way to learn and grow as a writer.

Here are some big topics I find either make me want to continue reading a book, or make me want to stop.

Opening (Hook)

And opening that grabs me right away is super important. We have so little time these days that I tend to be one of those people that wants to be snatched up by a story and not let go. I don't really enjoy building up to it unless the book turns out to be phenomenal. A strong, catchy opening is a great thing we can take away from a good book.

Dialogue

Not all of us are big fans of dialogue, but it really depends on the genre. Sparse of dull dialogue really makes me want to put down a book. Also, great dialogue is a super way to show instead of tell a characters personality.

Sympathetic Characters

Although I do enjoy unique characters, with characteristics that are different from my own (like a sassy sense of humor or unwavering independence), I like to be able to relate to them somehow. I like to know that they have feelings just like me, even morals just like me.

Character Growth

On the same note, if I'm going to invest myself in a couple hundred or more pages of a book about a character's life, I want to see the change in that character's life. I want to see that they've gone from a challenging spot and overcome it. Or I want to see them grow up to be a strong person. I want to see them get better and grow over time.

Steady Action

Dull or slow parts (particularly the beginning or middle) definitely make me want to put a book down. When the action continues and something new or different is always happening, I'm swept away by the book and hardly notice I've read the entire thing so quickly until I'm done.

Ending

Cliche endings bother me. They make me wonder if investing my time in the whole book was a good idea or make me wonder if I want to read a book by that author again because I expect more. So, keep those endings fresh. Make the reader want to cheer at the end, or make them think and wonder what happened afterward. But make it a believable ending and one that the reader will appreciate.

Even though we enjoy reading books we love, as writers we can still learn a lot by reading books that turn out to be far from our favorites. We can see what doesn't work and make sure to keep that from our own writing.

So, what do you love or dislike about books you read and what makes you want to read more by that author? Are you going to have a checklist the next time you read a book or do you already have one?

Opening Your Story With a (Subtle) Bang

For the last two weeks, we've been talking about movies and their relation (or lack thereof) to novel writing. There's no arguing that a well done movie does something we all want in our own story telling, and that's to capture the viewers/readers attention.

Part of what makes movies so powerful is that visual bang, like those amazing action scenes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

But since I'm a big fan of romance, not all the movies I watch have those fast-paced action scenes in them at all, let alone at the beginning. Many of them do, however, have a more subtle but just as powerful way of drawing viewers in.

A great example of this is the movie P.S. I Love You. For those of you who have seen this movie, you know that the characters are crafted in a very engaging way and the opening scene sets a good pace for the movie. And for those of you who have never seen the movie, it is definitely one of those that uses well-crafted characters in a creative and relatable scene to make the viewers want to watch more.

In that opening scene, man and wife begin in an argument (which we don't know the cause of instantaneously, though it does unfold quickly), and showcase their personalities by arguing their side of the story. They end up making up and all is well, at least for that moment.

Sounds simple, right? No superheroes or car chases, no daredevils jumping off a bridge or bank robbers trying to make a clean getaway. No, this is one of the simplest scenes you could open a movie (or book) with, and yet it works.

How does this opening engage viewers?

1) It makes you ask questions (what's going on? why are they arguing? etc)
2) It introduces an immediate conflict
3) It showcases interesting characters
4) It drops in some humor
5) It makes viewers want more

And all this with a simple opening scene. Sure, humor isn't absolutely necessary, and you don't have to leave out the action either. But there are a few questions to ask yourself based off the success of this opening scene about your own novel.

1) Are you making your reader ask questions about where the story is going or what the characters are going through?
2) Do your readers feel for the character(s)? Can they relate to them and even better, sympathize with them?
3) Is there an obvious, even if simple to begin with, conflict?
4) Do your readers want to continue reading the story?

Even if your story doesn't fit all the criteria, keep them in mind during your edit. Tweaking a few things, using the less is more mentality, and getting a critique partners take on your opening pages can be just enough to draw more people to your story.

How does your opening scene compare to the one mentioned above? Do you have a gripping action scene or is it more subtle, and how did you make it effective?