I love it when a book starts with a character doing something quirky or funny. That always draws my attention for some reason!!

@Leitis_Fella

Жыл бұрын

In the first chapter, my main character gets succ'd up into a magical tornado while a crazy monk blasts him in the face (somewhat literally) with visions of possible futures. Is that quirky? If so, I think I have a solid start

@cooliostarstache5474

Жыл бұрын

@@Leitis_Fella No, that sounds boring

@Leitis_Fella

Жыл бұрын

@@cooliostarstache5474 I think so too

@abbylovestoread

Жыл бұрын

@@Leitis_Fella i think if executed well this could be cool

@mariaflorenciaalvarez1926

Жыл бұрын

Hi Allyson! Do you have any recomendation about a character doing something funny on the first page? Thanks 🌟

My biggest pet peeve of a book opening is a dream sequence, because it makes me care about the situation that NEVER happens.

@sprokenvansami3134

Жыл бұрын

Except in Harry Potter part 4. (I think in general the sequals or prequals can start different since it's in line with the general story.) The dream Harry had was real and made much sense later on in the story! I think that's a fine example of a dream sequence done right!

@asuka376

Жыл бұрын

But what if the entire book is a dream, like a surreal novel?

@sprokenvansami3134

Жыл бұрын

@@asuka376 Than you must wake the wind fish or else you cannot escape the island.

@charlestownsend9280

Жыл бұрын

I tend to stay away from that entirely, I hate when you spend ages in a book or show and then nope it never happened. I also normally have way to much to set up and explain and explore that I don't waste time on things that didn't even happen, I'd rather just get straight to the actual story. You can do it right but it's very difficult and it has to tie in heavily to the main plot to work or be an in depth character piece (like a what if). But for an opening, especially of a first book, yeah that's not great, if the character is established well enough maybe later on in a series but definitely not book one.

@destroyerinazuma96

Жыл бұрын

I had a concept floating in my head of a bedridden MC who enters the dreams of children in hospitals and helps them out. Just a bro extending a helping hand.

If someone is scared of starting writing just because of the first chapter or worse, line, it's okay to start write and then change it. It's not your last chance. There are reasons edits and revisions are a thing.

@susanscott8653

Жыл бұрын

Yep, your story is never the same at the end - or even the middle - as the beginning. You will rewrite...and rewrite...and rewrite 🙄.

@wetube6513

Жыл бұрын

I just do hundred of hundreds of drafts to see what mistakes I did.

@roryasrorri701

Жыл бұрын

I consider myself to be a less talented writer than most and so writing a first chapter never terrifies me. Like i know i'm bad. But i gotta bring this story somewhere. Once i finish all chapters, I'll revisit my first one, delete it 🤣 and start anew with a bigger picture of the whole story in me little head. Crazy how lazy i am. oh yeah, i'm a panster, obviously.

@elizabethanthony3916

Жыл бұрын

​@@roryasrorri701 Thanks for that tip, it really helps with the horrible paralysis of procrastination about getting started.

@GoldenWolf248

Жыл бұрын

Yep! That’s what I did. I started with a mundane average day, knowing very well that I would change it later, but I needed to establish what a normal day looks like for my character just for myself so I can know my character better and how they would react to changes in their normal routine. It definitely helps me get started to not have to worry about making it perfect! Leave the editing for later.

As a writer and scriptwriter myself, starting your story with the MC experiencing a normal, mundane day in their life is how the majority of amazing stories start just before the "inciting incident" happens that sets them on their course, forever changing their life. It's a tried and true method that works, but there is admittedly a fine line and balance to make it work. To say "avoid doing this because it's boring" is your opinion, neither right nor wrong as it's your personal view. However, don't make it seem like "don't do this if you want to be successful", because 99% of ALL stories begin this way.

@max8141

Жыл бұрын

I hear you, and I hear her, too. I lean a little more towards her stance simply because she's right: attention spans have dramatically decreased in recent years. Now, of course, there's plenty of people who will have the requisite attention span to get through a "boring" introduction, but erring on the side of caution might do your book more favors. You even said it yourself: there's a fine line. How confident are you in your ability to navigate that shaky terrain?

@nactrumofficial5450

Жыл бұрын

@@max8141 I agree as well. The mundane should definitely be at least the first page, maybe crossing to the second page, before an inciting incident occurs to grip the reader's/viewer's attention and desire to find out what happens next. A lengthy bit of mundane is too much, but just the right amount to give an idea of who the MC is perfect, but still walks that fine line. It gives the audience just enough info to see how differently the character becomes and how far they've come from what we were introduced to.

@nozon5686

Жыл бұрын

I think her point was that it shouldn't be a day that is a completely normal day where nothing happens not that it can't show a routine that gets broken

@JustinTK416

Жыл бұрын

I like to cite Stephen King’s work for this kind of thing. The whole daily life aspect needs to either wrap up quickly, or be peppered with foreboding or teasing elements that assure you that it’s a there’s something cooking, but it needs some time to prime as pretense is given. Then it comes down to delivering and having the pretense either play into the main event, or serve as a red herring in some way.

@MercurialMoon

Жыл бұрын

As a kid the peaceful beginning was usually my favourite part of a book/movie bc it is the only time when the characters get to enjoy their lives and have fun before everything goes apesh!t

This is the opening of my book "He had never seen a ghost before, that is until he saw himself that one Friday night. It was ironic really, to find life in death." It's just an idea for now, I've already written this book, but I decided I was going to rewrite it using Abbie's 3 act story structure to make it better, any thoughts? What are your story openings?

@talanross3141

Жыл бұрын

Its great! If I were to read this in a book, I would be really sceptical and keep on reading. Such a creative hook!

@livi4967

Жыл бұрын

@@talanross3141 thank you so much!

@kaokurosawa3872

Жыл бұрын

It’s intriguing, but I think starting with the character’s name instead of “he” makes it more solid!

@meganhirschi6248

Жыл бұрын

I love the premise. Now tell us he saw a ghost without using the word ghost. (Force yourself to describe, rather than tell.)

@kailyangel

Жыл бұрын

It hooked me and I want to read more

I actually started a book with a narrator who will dissappear forever after the first chapter, but I did it to make my mc to look like a cliché villain at first. The narrator sees her as a villain, so readers also do. But then at one moment we understand "oh, she's the mc!". My protagonists and antagonists are villains in each other's stories, and that introduction is a hint to that. Also, I thought it might be unique way to introduce your character c: My mc looks similar to the villain (which I introduced in the prologue), so it also creates parallels. I considered the possibility of replacing an unknown narrator to important character, but still thinking if that will fit in the story

@N0noy1989

Жыл бұрын

Can try to reconsider. Before, there was no preview option for online sales. If someone buys a book, they'll probably read through it and get to your awesome twist. Now, with the preview option, things are different marketing-wise. A misleading sample page (for the twist later) might affect your sales and so on. And yeah, people have really short attention span nowadays. Need something gripping in the first few pages that can pull the reader to buy the book and then see the epic twist later.

@Gflaohw

Жыл бұрын

@@N0noy1989 that's a great advice, thank you!

@poseidons_child.

Жыл бұрын

That’s genius. What I do is my prologues are explaining something, like how my one character died, or a dream my character may have. My epilogues are the villains. There mostly form a woman who we don’t know the name of but she seems to be manipulative and insane and she has a special interest in this young boy. (Like as a leader soldier)

@Worldofrandom11

Жыл бұрын

That is a cool concept, however I think it might be cool if the book had like alternating perspectives. One chapter could be the protagonist and one could be the antagonist, but no one really knows who is who. The prologue could just end up being the antagonist's perspective chapter that sets up the story. Then the end could reveal who was the good guy all along with one of them dying or something along those lines.

@Gflaohw

Жыл бұрын

@@Worldofrandom11 do I need to tell you how GENIUS this is? No, you must already know it Seriously, I like your idea so much!

I think it wise to just get the story down as a first draft without worrying too much about outright perfection. If you're all stressed out about the first chapter being perfect before you even start, you may not start at all. J. K. Rowling wrote chapter one of the first harry potter book 13 times before she was satisfied and she did this after she had written the whole book. Just write, then edit. Don't worry x

@tisaweirdproduction

10 ай бұрын

Couldn't agree with you more!

@JNB0723

8 ай бұрын

Harry Potter is also an overrated franchise and JK Rowling is.... (not hating on the books, its fine if people love them, but personally I dont see the appeal; I get it was the first big fantasy series)

@sagasvensson8920

7 ай бұрын

That's because she plagiarized most of the book from "The secret of platform 13" and it needed rewrites.

@marlonmoncrieffe0728

6 ай бұрын

​@@JNB0723Rowling is...WHAT?

@therealchad140

6 ай бұрын

@@DanLyndonYou do realize that cliches develop over time right? What isn’t cliche now will most definitely be cliche in the future.

Personally, I disagree with #5 because I enjoy it when a book gives a "boring", day-in-the-life introduction to a character. I feel like it eases me into the world and can help me to relate to that character. So, not to say that everyone who dislikes this is wrong - but to any new writers out there looking for tips - don't get too bogged down in following any list of rules 100% because what one person hates, another will love. 😃

@Redfork2000

7 ай бұрын

Same, personally I really like when a story starts out that way. I get why people wouldn't like that kind of start, but honestly I feel this is the way I can most easily connect to the character and relate to them. By the time the conflict begins I already know who the character is, and I've got a good feel for the setting, and I care more about the character and how this conflict will affect them.

@steam_jane5580

7 ай бұрын

I think it can work , especially if their normal is not your readers normal so it's engaging or written in a captivating way. Some first line examples from literature Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte starts with a mundane scene about not being able to go out because it raining which helps the writer give us a good insight Into Jane's character and her relationship with the other people in the house. 'there was no possibility of taking a walk that day' The northern lights by Philip Pullman similarly starts with a mundane scene for Lyra. By introducing something only in there world, it's interesting for the reader and poses lots of questions that you need to read on to uncover. 'Lyra and her Desmond moved through the darkening hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen. The hunger games by Suzanne Collins (I don't think I've read it, but I know it's a good example of a mundane scene as an opening) ' When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold' I would say there is no hard and fast rule, but it is something to bare in mind. I think it works better if it's written in an engaging way and it doesn't drag too much like life sometimes can and has some sort of purpose in the story. I remember hering it compared to a a still life. A bowl of fruit may not be an exciting subject to paint, but if done right it can be captivating to look at But I am no expert , these are just some thoughts that your comment brought up .

@KillerWriting

6 ай бұрын

Because it’s silly to say not to start like that. “The life before” is important to show because you need to show HOW it differs. What’re you going to do whenever the protagonist has to deal with changes to their life? Explain every time what it used to be like?

@Basil-Berry

6 ай бұрын

Oh thank goodness because I just wrote 3 paragraphs about such, phew.

I guess I'm just old, but I have an attention span measured in hours. I do not need every story to start like a James Bond movie. I also continue to appreciate style- ie, good writing. If your writing is pedestrian, then there's a lot of pressure to make the content be exciting right off the bat. If you use words well, you can write ten pages of just about anything, and at least some readers will stick with you.

@VioletEmerald

Жыл бұрын

I mean I'm sure Abby's attention span is hours too when she's in hyperfocus on a book she's enjoying but do you really spend hours thinking about if you want to read a book or buy it? That's where the 5 min attention span thing comes in. How long do you stay thinking about potentially buying it to get to the point where something extra hooks you and you decide you have to buy it.

@honzo1078

Жыл бұрын

@@VioletEmerald It's never the things she mentions that cause me to stop reading- except in reverse. A formulaic pre-title-sequence full of action and drama can shut me off pretty quickly. Usually when I put a book down in the first few pages it's because the writing style is just plain boring.

@honzo1078

Жыл бұрын

@@Tinyy-Bubbles Pared-down YA writing is generally NOT exciting to me. It's deliberately not exciting, it's deliberately simplified. I don't know if catering to YA attention spans and vocabulary lists makes for adult readers with added sophistication. The trend seems to be the other way- it leads to everyone in the commercial market writing to YA standards. It becomes 'adult' because the sex is more explicit and there's more cursing.

@mariannebec9871

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, kinda agree, i mostly read for the prose less than the plot. I seek philosophy and some big literature ideas. I guess this video applies more to YA literature that is heavy on plotting and adventures... Even with this said, some things here that are a "no" are major parts of the fame of YA books... I join you on this opinion, it all ends up with the quality of the writing !

@beardiemom

Жыл бұрын

Your attention span isn't the average, and Abby was talking about the average. Personally, for me, it would be important to hook in a large part of the readers that got interested by the synopsis on the back, not the few that can last through a slow start that most readers consider boring. However, not every slow start is simultaneously boring and bringing bond-esque action in doesn't make it exciting. Personally, I like openings that are not necessarily fast-paced, but have something to them that incites curiosity and I hope my current idea for the opening chapter of the story I'm working on reflects that. It has the MC saying goodbye to the person she hitchhiked with before exploring a city she has never been in before, reminiscing the last couple days of her roadtrip with her new acquaintance while she gets some breakfast, looks for a payphone to call her mom, and just takes in her new surroundings. It's not high-strung action, just someone exploring a place they see for the first time over a couple of pages. Which will hopefully make it feel all the more impactful when the supernatural elements of the story draw her in, contrasting the peaceful atmosphere that I hope to build on those first pages. Sorry for long running sentences. English is not my first language and in my native language, it is common to write quite lengthy sentences.

I'm more of a fanfic writer than an original story writer, so usually my readers will already know the characters by the time they start my story. However, I have realized when reading other people's fics that while it's not necessarily important to introduce the characters beyond their name and occasionally appearance, it _is_ important to introduce the writer's take on the character. I'm mainly on ao3, so luckily it's pretty easy to see if someone will be out of character just by looking at the tags, but everyone has their own tiny little nuances in how they write characters. Certain characters have specific speech patterns and ways they tend to move, and usually a mark of a good writer is if they can have two different characters respond basically the same way to a certain situation, but have it feel different by incorporating the characters' personalities and little nuanced traits. I'm currently in the process of outlining a story where one of the main characters goes missing and is then found months later with a very different personality (to say the least), and a good chunk of the story is focused on the character's friends response to their friend becoming so radically different, along with the recovery from everything the character went through to change them so much. One reason why I feel like this would work so much better as a fic than as an original story is that people already know these characters and their personalities, so I won't have to spend about 3-5 chapters getting people to fall in love with the character that's going to change in order for the heartbreak to actually hit the readers as much as I want it to. I'm by no means the best writer in the world (and I'm not planning on doing it professionally any time soon either), but I do want my readers to enjoy reading my stories and thus want to come back, whether it be for rereads or new chapters being posted

@TPNsBiggestFan

Жыл бұрын

i dont think im very good at coming up with interesting stories (or writing them) but i love words (and i do think i have come up with interesting ideas but only for a fanfic, for a world with a story and characters already in place. like a fandom oc). i decided like a year ago i would turn something i know into a “novel”-type-thing, since its never been in that uh form i guess. unfortunately the two forms it IS in have different beginnings and i knew what i was going to do before i heard people talk about the first chapter/page of a book and how to make it good and then i started second guessing myself. i might have to come up with a different beginning and thats terrifying

@tracylamb2971

Жыл бұрын

@@TPNsBiggestFan about 7 yrs ago I started writing again, my medium? Fanfic. Specifically Skyrim, Oblivion and RDR. My stories like my Role Plays started being less and less about follwing the questlines and more about the character. From there it became easier to write stories following no questline just the world. And then writing in my own 'world' , which is Florida in an alternate reality. I was still in a world ( mostly) that I know. And as I use a lot of mythology, people I know about. Even though I published it and a second book in the series, I plan on rewriting the 1st chapter, because I was never 100% happy with some wording. Good luck!

@kriiolophosaurus

Жыл бұрын

I love AO3, and I feel like I prefer that over normal novels because I don't need to try and remember who is who because I already know all the characters and such as you've said. Which fandoms do you write for? I might look at some of your stuff if you're willing to share

@angham3829

Жыл бұрын

@@TPNsBiggestFan Ecclesiastes 12:12 King James Version 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

@kskskskks7132

Жыл бұрын

Fanfic writers do more writing than ordinary writers in one sitting 😭😭 I love fanfics

A Song of Ice and Fire opens with cold open chapters with POVs of characters we dont see again. And that series is very popular so I think you can start a book with characters you dont see again. it's all about how it's done and what info you are giving the reader by doing so.

@elfofdusk

5 ай бұрын

Not true, the prologue opens with us meeting 3 random members of the knights watch. 2 of which die in the chapter and the 3rd appears in the first chapter only to be beheaded by Ned Stark

@Xeno_Solarus

4 ай бұрын

​@@elfofduskHe didn't say first chapter.

@Tradairn

2 ай бұрын

One of the reasons I couldn't get past page 50. Way too confusing, and I couldn't keep the characters straight.

@Cherry-rc1zk

Ай бұрын

Six of crows starts the same way and its honestly one of my favourites

@happychaosofthenorth

24 күн бұрын

One of my favourite books follows a character that dies in the first chapter. You are made to hate him and then the titular demon eats him. Second chapter introduces the protagonist.

The problem with a ‘day in the life’ part is writers think we have to see everything they do in an average day, but we only need a little bit before the disruption

I usually think of opening lines/paragraphs while I'm outlining---I just get so into it that something perfect comes to me pressure-free. Some of my worst opening pages come when I'm staring at a blank screen thinking, "how do I start this?" So instead of holding myself back, I've started making a section in my outline for little opening page ideas. This has really helped me come up with opening lines without the stress!

@VibingMeike

Жыл бұрын

I've been trying this for random lines characters say that I think are good. Just crank the words out, without thinking, and see later if I can do something with them

@marikothecheetah9342

Жыл бұрын

I wrote the whole prologue to decide when will I begin my story. I might not include it in a final version, but starting where you feel comfortable helps to plan the beginning sections of the book.

@VibingMeike

Жыл бұрын

@@marikothecheetah9342 That's a method I've also been using for a while and it works wonders!

@iluvSchleeping

Жыл бұрын

I write my first chapter - finish the draft - rewrite the first chapter with all the hindsight I have from knowing what actually happens

@marikothecheetah9342

Жыл бұрын

@@iluvSchleeping that is a good strategy.

These are super great tips for beginners! The "don't overwhelm the reader" point is calling out the entire high fantasy genre, haha. The one thing you said I disagree with wasn't actually a tip, but when I'm reading, an author doesn't need to get me to care about *the character,* they just need to get me to care about something. It could be the story, the writing techniques, the tone, the events (so the never-to-be-seen-again character POV would work for me as long as it's done well), or the characters. As long as it gets me to want to keep reading. I've stopped reading backs of books because they usually spoil things that don't happen for several chapters, and would be fun to learn on my own. I decide which books to read just by reading the first couple pages, so this "5 minutes to get hooked" thing really speaks to me.

@juanausensi499

Жыл бұрын

I agree. The disappearing POV is very genre-dependant. For example, for a detective story about a serial killer, starting with the POV of a about to die victim can be much more hooking than starting with a detective eating breakfast, driving to work and being told about the crime when he arrives.

@vortexslurpsglue

11 ай бұрын

​@@juanausensi499 Mine is about an entity that devoures everything it hears (it has no eyes). The main characters baby sister is dropped on the floor accidentally, and the beast hears her. It ends the prologue with '*It* heard her.'

@alexandrawinsor881

11 ай бұрын

you clearly have not read much high fantasy.

@jakebeach8308

11 ай бұрын

@@alexandrawinsor881 You're right, I haven't, because nearly every time I try, I'm overwhelmed with new and weird names, places, magic systems, fake words, bizarre items or substances, etc, and it's just too much for me to hang onto. I also generally just don't enjoy that style of writing or the tropes of that genre. They're just as valid and high quality as the things I do enjoy, obviously, they're just not my thing. But I was just trying to tease a little, not making a real, qualitative statement about high fantasy, but that and hardcore sci-fi very frequently overwhelm me when I try to read them. Specifically, I remember giving up on Dune a chapter or two in because so many new things were thrown at me. I was having trouble keeping them straight, and I just wasn't in a mindset to take all of that. Shout out to anyone who enjoys that, though! I just don't have the patience for a lot of it.

@vickyy5141

11 ай бұрын

@@jakebeach8308 i think they meant it as a rude comment, but i want to give it a better tone and i think that what you say is true. usually those who don't read a lot of high fantasy have trouble grasping the bizarre words and concepts and it's overwhelming (sometimes, even for us high fantasy enjoyers, when the book is written badly and it looks almost like it's another language)

They say don't begin with the protagonist ruminating about her desires and frustrations, but then why did Charlie Kaufman's Adaptation begin exactly that way and work so brilliantly?

Something I’ve considered is starting it with the character being in a stressful situation, maybe not them about to jump off a mountain, but maybe in a crowd where everyone is looking at them or laughing at them. Then continuing it with an explanation to why and how they got there. By the time you’ve gotten to the scene where it’s repeating the opening page you’ll have a lot more understanding of what’s happening. It most definitely will grab the readers attention on the first chapter 😁😁🤪🤪

@cutiepie120048

11 ай бұрын

Ah, yes - the classic in medias res. I'm fond of those, too

@CalvinNoire

8 ай бұрын

"Now, You probably want to know how I got in this situation" Is very cliche but I still like it a lot, just starting with an intense or weird scene and then BAM! rewind the tape!

*_Chapter One_* A woman woke up one morning, a day like any other day. It was long ago in the world we live in. She sought to spread her message to others. She chose to use a media platform which happened to be the world's largest video sharing website. She did this by making videos of her own using a camera and computer, which she purchased either in a brick and mortar store or online. Her motives are unclear, but surely will be revealed later. Several authors came before her like Mark Twain, Philip K. Dick, J. K. Rowling, Nicholas Sparks, Jenny Colgan, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, Michael Chrichiton. Some better known than others. Me? I'm just a phantom narrator which serves only to set up this first chapter and shan't be seen again, though I can tell you how magic works in this world by merely pointing out that it doesn't exist according to some people, but does according to others, and it's best to find out from them. Perhaps one of the many names I listed may have an answer for you.

@PeNGuiNZoMbiEUYA

Жыл бұрын

Terrible first sentence and paragraph. You did the opposite of this video. Zero conflict in the first paragraph. BORING

@BookFurnace

Жыл бұрын

@@PeNGuiNZoMbiEUYA I think it was intended to illustrate the common "don’t s".

@vennisan7268

Жыл бұрын

@@PeNGuiNZoMbiEUYA It's a joke 💀

@PeNGuiNZoMbiEUYA

Жыл бұрын

@@vennisan7268 obviously 🤦🏻‍♂️why did I take it seriously lmfaoooo totally caught me slipping

@SysterYster

Жыл бұрын

Haha, I see what you did there. XD

Here's an idea for a character waking up to be unique: The protagonist waking up with the reminder that they killed someone and disposed of the body the night before and has to go throughout the day wondering if that was the right thing to do. BTW, BBC Sherlock did a great job with the waking up Cliche with John Watson waking up after his PTSD ridden nightmare of being shot-tells us how he got there, we also see how barren his flat is, how he feels alone, how he feels distant in life because that army was everything to him and now he feels insignifanct and has a hard time adjusting to the boredom of a regular life. The camera also cuts to his gun-possible thought of suicide or a crappy reminder of his army days being gone forever. But that plot twist of where that PTSD comes from is shocking but set up well!

@DomesticatedGoth

Жыл бұрын

Pretty much exactly where my novel starts - my protagonist is woken by the dawn; he's in remote Siberia, huddled under coats in his car, but still cold. The night before, he killed someone, staged the body, and is now questioning what he did... He's got a very convoluted journey thousands of miles home ahead of him, too.

@jacindaellison3363

Жыл бұрын

@@DomesticatedGoth Wow, that sounds cool! How far along are you in writing the story?

@DomesticatedGoth

Жыл бұрын

@@jacindaellison3363 About 2/3 of the way through a first draft. Started it in Lockdown in 2020, so I'm pretty slow

@jacindaellison3363

Жыл бұрын

@@DomesticatedGoth that's OK! Go at your own pace.

@DomesticatedGoth

Жыл бұрын

@@jacindaellison3363 I got quite a bit done over NaNoWriMo this year, and I'm itching to start on a sequel, so I'm trying to get my first draft of this book finished! I really enjoy writing my characters, but I struggle to get anything useful down on paper if I can't properly visualise a scene

I love it when the book starts with a major plot twist in the prologue and leads us to how we got there.

@kiriyubel

11 ай бұрын

In medias res? it IS interesting, but not my favorite.

@Divya-dm6cu

11 ай бұрын

@@kiriyubel Yeah and that's okay, I just like books like that :)

One thing i found I like in stories was what I have heard called the "5 senses introduction", where the author sets the scene using various descriptors to include the five senses. It pulls the reader in by describing the setting in a way that allows the reader to envision themselves there- seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting what the characters in the story experience. For example: "Evening was falling, the long dark shadows of the skyscrapers covering the trash covered streets. A cold wind whistled in and around the labyrinthian streets and alleys, causing all outside to pull their coats tighter to them, clinging to what little body heat they could salvage. Near the dumpster, on a pile of boxes, a man dressed in a long sweater, and moth-eaten knitted cap stirred. Suddenly, he rolled over, and expelled from his stomach a mix of breakfast and whiskey, it's smell joining those of the nearby dumpster. He sat back to recover, feeling a little better, and eyed the bottle labeled "Jameson", whose contents not a minute before had decided to have a wrestling match in his stomach for dominance.

Back then, when I was writing a fanfic, I did every single Dont's she listed, and after three years, I've reread it and thought, omg what was I thinking? So I edited it and wrote it like this: "Summer came for blood four years ago, Drew could still remember it. Despite of its cheery, optimistic disposition, Drew had learnt that summer was actually a psychopath. Acting all nice, then suddenly, taking innocent lives in the days from its care. It didn't even apologise, and it was wrong. It owed everyone. It owed him."

@Justinseagull789

Жыл бұрын

The edited part is good. I write fanfictions too.

@moonaddict.

Жыл бұрын

This is the intro of my first book, which, is pretty cringe if i read it now but i'm too lazy to go change something i've already published so i guess i'll let it be: I'm Lyla. I am from Sweden and serving as a detective for central Stockholm police. One night as I was about to leave for home after finishing some important paperwork, when I recieved a strange letter from Alfred Hills. Soooooooo this is actually a sequel of my first story and probably no one reads my stuff so i don't have to care about how cringe it is. writing is my hobby so once i've finished writing one story, i just publish it out there so that 'someone' might actually read it. bc no matter how boring it might get somewhere, at some parts, i'm actually surprised myself when I read my stuff later that "I rlly wrote dis? Wow" P.S, I'm new to wattpad so idk much nd idk why i wrote this long essay u rlly r a gr8 person if u patiently read till here lol.

@angham3829

Жыл бұрын

Ecclesiastes 12:12 King James Version 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

@bella_daze3092

Жыл бұрын

Oh my god I adore this

@pikathemimikyu6655

10 ай бұрын

What was the original?

In regards to starting your story with "an average day" I think a lot of new writers (myself included when I started) feel the need to emphasize what the hero will be leaving behind. Hence, the reader needs to know what their life was like before they set out on their grand "quest." It's an understandable mistake, and there's no shame in having done it a few times. When looking at the "hero's journey" setup, it is a logical leap to make.

@forestwells5820

Жыл бұрын

But you can start that journey too early too. We still need to know and care before we see their world upended. Otherwise, when stuff hits the fan, we'll be like "okay, and?". I still use a DragonHeart movie as an example of too far the other way. A guy's family was killed before anyone had said a word. I had no name, no set-up, NOTHING about this guy to make me care. So his family was being murdered, and I didn't care, because I didn't know anyone at all.

@michaelrue1400

10 ай бұрын

I started one of my mystery series stories with: "It was a day that started like any other, until the phone rang." But I did it to be funny, as a parody of hack mystery writers of the '40s and '50s.

@BotchuLeeSim

10 ай бұрын

You can’t do that when your main character’s a KNIGHT

@amaradey

10 ай бұрын

it's not really a mistake though. it's a tried and tested method that a LOT of novels use. there's a sense of comfort in an 'average day' and like you perfectly said, it emphasizes what the hero will be leaving behind when they decide to heed the quest call. it shows the readers that the hero has indeed left their comfort zone for something they want. i love it! but of course, a writer needs to know that exact moment to begin the story so as not to drag or accelerate the pace.

@vulpinemachine

9 ай бұрын

To make sure I've really got it nailed, I just start with this: "And they all lived happily ever after." There, now no one can complain!

Just wanted to say that your videos are very helpful! I also checked out one of your books and the synopsis had me immediately hooked. I'll definitely be reading!

OH MY GOD. I'm so happy that with my new narrative I've done all of these things so far in the first chapter. It's been the most rough to create and I just am excited and I feel like I actually am a good writer. And I mean I did almost all of these! Avoided the right things, did the other things. Thanks for making this video.

My book’s main conflict is between the differing ways the two main characters go about trying to make their world a better place (ie. Working within the system and against it) and how this conflict ends up destroying their relationship, and the first chapter opens with them awkwardly walking around town after being kicked out of their grandmother’s funeral for fighting each other.

@brandonfly4611

Жыл бұрын

Honestly that sounds like it has massive potential. I love it! Especially the opening, sounds like it could be awesome.

@mckenziebate2949

Жыл бұрын

Kinda like X-men (minus the grandma funeral part)

@hannahmetzger6622

Жыл бұрын

Please post it on AO3, I want to learn more!!! What's it about, who are the main characters? What genre is it in?

The prologue from a different POV is a hallmark of most genre literature, and can be a great way to build intrigue and establish world building if done well. In fantasy and sci-fi it isn't necessarily a mistake to do that

@charliecheeseman6548

Жыл бұрын

Definitely. When Abbie said that, I immediately thought of the Game of Thrones prologue, in which a POV character is both introduced and dies. Yet a Song of Ice and Fire is obviously immensely popular. The prologue used this character to build intrigue and mystery about the world that draws the reader in. That said, I would point out that this is a hard line to tread, but it can very much work

@riverclansbest5720

Жыл бұрын

And Wings of Fire. In Wings of Fire, Hvitur immediately dies in the prologue.

@studiojapfilms7305

Жыл бұрын

I thought of A Game of Thrones too.. Abbie's advice is not for all genres, I think.

@potatowofawrk

Жыл бұрын

@@charliecheeseman6548 I'm doing the same kind of thing with my story, where there are two young siblings that go exploring, but then suddenly... DEATH. It introduces how the main protagonist's group works in killing people. I'm also planning to link those two siblings' characters with another one of my characters. Is that too cliché? If it is then I'll change it.

@isratnishita5336

Жыл бұрын

And I thought how every Dan Brown book literally starts with a mysterious pov like that.🤐

A further twist on that “wake up to something new” idea that I have employed into my own little pet project is instead of having my character waking up to a normal day, I have them closing off their day, and just as they are about to fall asleep they suddenly find themselves in a situation they could have never expected. I decided to have this kind of opening because I felt it was interesting and that it would work well with the world building and themes of my story

Thank you for this video, i have been stumbling over the beginning of my story, cause it has an intensive history, but it’s meant to be explained through the characters experiencing it instead of doing any bulk exposition, and i didn’t know how/when to start things, but this has elucidated the answers to many of the questions that were impeding my progress.

As a fan of Anne Rice, I've always liked the way her story always starts on Page One. Without overwhelming you with too much complicated info, she always draws me into the story and makes me want to know more. That's the whole point of the first chapter, right?

@socman002

Жыл бұрын

She is my favorite writer I have yet to read.

@stephenbarringer235

Жыл бұрын

It can even be done as quickly as the first paragraph. Like in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT: "I am the vampire Lestat. I'm immortal. More or less. The light of the sun, the sustained heat of an intense fire--these things might destroy me. But then again, they might not." This instantly brings the narrator on stage, talking directly to us, tells us what he is while simultaneously warning us not to expect the rules to be what we expect, and tells us he's the sort of person who finds threats to his life curious and fascinating rather than frightening. All in less than a hundred words.

@stelharpwood5752

Жыл бұрын

Indeed! Anne Rice is a phenomenal writer. She hooks you in with a spell, sets up the pace, and you just keep turning the page!

@teleriferchnyfain

Жыл бұрын

Anne Rice's first book (Interview With a Vampire), is a very good book. She rapidly goes downhill from there.

@teleriferchnyfain

Жыл бұрын

@@stelharpwood5752 No she's not. She did a great job with her first one, but goes steadily downhill after that. Some of her later books (Ramses the Damned, for instance) can't even maintain character consistency. I've thrown a couple of her books against the wall, & won't read anymore.

Regarding the last tip: an incredible example of this would be the opening line to Kafka’s metamorphosis - “As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.”

@angham3829

Жыл бұрын

Ecclesiastes 12:12 King James Version 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

The game of thrones starts with a prologue from a pov character we never see again and it's fascinating

@brandic89

6 ай бұрын

They say don't begin with the protagonist ruminating about her desires and frustrations, but then why did Charlie Kaufman's Asaptation begin exactly that way and work so brilliantly?

@vladdracula8103

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, most of the biggest and most influential novels ever written start with what most people in these writing videos consider “mistakes” its a really fascinating dichotomy

@ShelbyPryor

2 ай бұрын

There's a James Patterson novel called The Beach House that started with a side character that was dead within ten minutes. It became a NYT bestseller. I think it just depends on how well the author does it.

Why do people say, "If the book doesn't capture my attention in the first five minutes, I give up on reading the book"? Since when do people spend $$ on a novel only to quit reading and throw it away after only five minutes? That's absurd!

@schrodingerskatze4308

7 ай бұрын

Maybe that's a bit exaggerated, but usually if readers aren't drawn into the book in the first chapter they maybe try to continue reading but at some point they will just lose interest in a book. So it's certainly better to just avoid this and make it interesting from the start. Just let the story begin from the moment it becomes interesting and cut out everything before that.

I'm currently writing a story for school. I'm almost done with it and when I was rereading my story, I realized I've made my story too complex and there's too much going on. This is really helping me improve my story

@christins.1481

Жыл бұрын

Don't feel left out. I had issues as a teen making my essays complicated. My teacher while I was getting my GED told me it was so complex he couldn't understand it. I told him it wasn't my fault he couldn't understand it. Turning 30 I went for my GED again, got a teacher who read over my essay. Told me it was pretty complicated, then taught me how to dumb it down for everyone else. Made total sense. He would do things like give me six essays to turn in for the week and I turned in every single one. My homework was to write and essay that was only one page with three paragraphs. It was so hard! Sometimes I turned in two pages and he would tell me I had to dumb it down some more. 😂

@mckenziebate2949

Жыл бұрын

Hey that just means you're Tolkien Jr, don't sweat lol

@tinychangbin

Жыл бұрын

Hey there! I would recommend writing a chapter or two then reading it through. And every few chapters read from the beginning to see if it flows

@angham3829

Жыл бұрын

@@christins.1481 Ecclesiastes 12:12 King James Version 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

I started my most recent story with the main character essentially “waking up dead”. A very confused graphic designer being told she died in combat and thus gets to fight for Odin in Valhōll. So much of the first chapter is just dealing from the revelation that she was apparently violently murdered, can’t remember it, and is trying to convince two ravens that’s there’s been a mixup.😂

@reptileeli

10 ай бұрын

When you finish that story please tell us where we can read it! That sounds like an amazing premise I'm genuinely interesting in checking it out!

@olivia_brookes

7 ай бұрын

omg that kind of reminds me of magnus chase and i’m obsessed

Great video! The first chapter is indeed very important, and sometimes so much so that even getting the first sentence right can be the deciding factor in interest. All in all, great advice. Among other things, conflict is what the reader comes looking for. A surefire way to grab them is to just give them what they want. Keep helping us all write better!

Number 5 got me so hard- Not to mention that it's hard for me to find a good transition to get from "average everyday life" to the interesting stuff. Thankfully I've recently managed to start my stories with your first advice, which leads me to better transitions while pursuing the rest of the story, so thank you for pointing this out!

This is going to sound so silly but after all the videos I've STUDIED of Abbie teaching us how to write books and characters, all that good stuff that was so fun and insightful, this video is almost like a checklist for me cause I'm like: Yes, I don't do that. YES I do that. Thank you Abbie. And it's just bizarre to me how I notice my story SHINE with the core of WHY IT MATTERS like I've always wanted it to be. Thank you so much Abbie! I was a 13 year old amateur writer when I found you. I'm 16 now, almost 17 since my birthday is the 29th of December, and I am the writer my past self would be SO proud of! 😁💖

@lampdisease

Жыл бұрын

Happy early birthday!

@waadlingpenguin4863

Жыл бұрын

did you finish your first draft yet?

@Infinitefox_XD

Жыл бұрын

Happy early birthday! I also write! Well, short stories Now I’m written a sonic fanfic! And also, I’m going to turn 16 on December 30th!

@captainofthelemonwipes4160

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Let us share our stories with the world.

@maddiecreel6960

Жыл бұрын

Happy early birthday!

I will say that “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo opens with a character never seen after (we’ll kind of, they do see him but he’s not a main character). However this was done well as what the character witnessed was essential to the plot and was addressed later in the story. So, it’s possible to use this cliche and have it work, but it may be better to avoid it all together, especially if your a new writer.

@Dollsunified

Жыл бұрын

Oh yes, I love the way Leigh does this! It is always executed in a clever way; it also encourages people who have heard of some character from the series rot continue reading to find out more about them! It's also in King of Scars and Rule of Wolves. Speaking of Leigh Bardugo, I also like the opening to Siege and Storm; you know, when Alina is describing 'the girl and the boy; from the third person.

I am so glad my ideas already matched what you told here! It's nice to be reassured about what I have thought of so far.

I've been thinking of totally swapping out my prologue with a different scene entirely and this video kinda solidified my decision. There's a lot of writing advice on youtube but this channel feels very welcoming, and has great examples.

This is awesome advice, thank you so much! A little something I want to tell everyone that I also learnt through my mistake and from bestselling author Jerry Jenkins is - *A book is NOT where you start. It's where you arrive.* Start with short blogs, stories, and articles as your learn how to develop a complex villian, strong hero, write a captivating story, and so on. That way the 1st time you write a book, you have a grasp of understanding on how to do it!

@angham3829

Жыл бұрын

Ecclesiastes 12:12 King James Version 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

“Thundering applause filled the room as the number of digits switched from two to three. 100 years done. Only 25 years left to go. Charlie stood on tiptoes to look past the sea of heads in front of her and at the giant screen in the centre of the stage. 25 years, that was just one more generation. One more generation to replace the currently youngest one. One more generation with two kids per couple. For her that meant: Push twice more, and they’d be there.”

@ameizing_

Жыл бұрын

This sounds so interesting. I was trying to click "read more" at the end LMAO

@4nn4nas98

Жыл бұрын

really good, the best one i've read so far, i'm hooked

@cosmicprison9819

Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! 😃 I wasn’t notified that this comment had gained some traction in the meantime. 😅 The working title is “Generations: Exodus”, and as you may have guessed from the opening lines, it’s about a generation spaceship. Specifically, a generation ship with falling birthrates. The core conflict is between the commander, trying to ensure the success of the mission (i.e., keeping the crew at a stable size), and the protagonist fighting to preserve the crew member’s individual freedom. So at its most abstract, the thematic conflict is life / survival vs. freedom.

@4nn4nas98

Жыл бұрын

@@cosmicprison9819 oh my god that sounds so cool! pleaseee i tell me when you're finished (if you don't forget), i really wanna read this :)

@cosmicprison9819

Жыл бұрын

@@4nn4nas98 I’ll try to keep people updated on my channel… I’ve first announced the project in one of my newer videos (I think it was the one called “We Don’t Need Gods; We Do Need Myths”). 😉 I’ve been working on it pretty much exactly since I discovered Abbie’s channel in September 2021. In particular, since I started using Scrivener. I didn’t want to take the risk of importing all my previous writing into Scrivener while still using the trial version. Therefore, just to try out the software, I needed something new to write. Fast forward one year and I’m already about 300,000 words into the whole story (split up into six books, though the majority of time I do spend on the first one, of course). Book 1 is at about 260,000 words right now, but even with that, the first draft is halfway finished at best. I did outline everything, and most scenes are in place / partly written, though. So it’s not like I wrote the entire first half in one piece, and then still had to come up with the second half. I have a pretty clear vision of how the story goes. I just need to connect all the already-established dots in a way that makes sense, both plot-wise and theme-wise 😅.

Many thanks for this. I've been writing a novel for some time now and recently found this video looking for writing advice. Almost everything you mentioned in the do's are found in my first chapter, and all of the don'ts are absent. Thank you for confirming that I'm doing things correctly. You've earned a subscription from me.

I've been struggling to write the first chapter of my book for a while now and could never get it right, but listening to you something just clicked in my head and I'm seeing what I wanted to write, now I can finally get started on the story that 's been plaguing my dreams, hahaha!

The character that’s never seen again thing was used in Leigh Bardugos books ‘Six of crows’ and ‘Crooked kingdom.’ I feel like her books were one of the times where it’s done correctly, it gave the reader a small glance of what was happening before the main POVs and set up one of the conflicts in the story without it being too overwhelming right off the bat.

@NoName-mb7sv

Жыл бұрын

Yeah also Game of Thrones one of the best openings ever

@misatomafuyu

Жыл бұрын

the moment I saw the 'character we'll never see again' on my screen I immediately thought of Joost HAHAHA

@qozu

Жыл бұрын

@@misatomafuyu best character tbh

@asmiforeal

11 ай бұрын

@@misatomafuyu ME TOO HAHAHAHA

@hazelrosebrewin8324

11 ай бұрын

Also we did sort of see the character(s) again when Kaz and Van Eck visit the scene, and Retvenko was the second prologue. I also like that it sort of gave us a normal person pov before jumping straight into the minds of these criminal prodigies

This came right when I needed it! Finished my outline during NaNoWriMo and am now ready to sit down and write that daunting first chapter. Your videos are always so helpful, I finished the one on writing The Hook and felt pretty good and now I feel totally confident in sitting down to write that first page!! Thank you so much!

Dickens is one of my favorites for wonderful characters. He would often start with a character sketch - which on the surface level violates the “show don’t tell” rule. But that initial character sketch, poetic as it often was, was in reality simply a key turning the complicated clockwork. After which he would release those characters into his little worlds. And how they did run.

@christinae30

10 ай бұрын

Like Oliver Twist's clothes, or lack there of, when newborn!

@shaquilleoatmeal7389

9 ай бұрын

sorry, but can you show an example or two of this? i haven’t read much of dickens save great expectations, but i’d like to introduce my character as somewhat of a sketch too.

@carolynhunt7333

6 ай бұрын

Margaret Mitchell: “Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful…….In her face were too sharply blended the delicate features of her mother, a Coast aristocrat of French descent, and the heavy ones of her florid Irish father. but it was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw. Her eyes were pale green without a touch of hazel, starred with bristly black lashes and slightly tilted at the ends.” It goes on, and by the end of the first paragraph, the reader has a solid idea of what the heroine of Gone With the Wind looks like.

@shaquilleoatmeal7389

6 ай бұрын

@@carolynhunt7333 thank you so much! i’ve been meaning to do the same, so this really helps

@carolynhunt7333

6 ай бұрын

@@shaquilleoatmeal7389 I thought of Gone With TheWind as soon as I read your comment. So glad it helped.

I really like your delivery, and your explanation is thorough without losing me, anyways, thought id mention, can't wait to check out your other videos.

My 2 cents: I think the most important thing is that the story begins where it begins. Not late. Rather early than late. If you start too early then it’s boring, but too late causes confusion in the reader. Storytelling is all about setups and payoffs. By jumping straight to the inciting incident, to fully testing the main characters internal conflict, you miss the setup. So this challenges character A, but what is this? Why does this challenge them? I’m just seeing a random person do something random, at that point. There’s no satisfaction in that, no intrigue, no investment. I think establishing the internal conflict is a small way before testing it is more effective. And most of the time the story doesn’t start at the inciting incident, I find. There’s a small thing that happens that propels the characters into bigger problems, one of which would likely spark the entire story, but i takes some time to get there. So how do you hook the reader? In my opinion, you just need one thing to make them care. Cute sibling relationship? Parent-child. Friends. Romantic interests. Outside of relationships you could have the character doing something interesting. Expressing some kind of intriguing quality. Working on something fascinating. Or even have something bad happen to them, make the reader instantly sympathize, what to root for them. This usually works for me. I think it’s important to establish before rushing into things. Make something interesting, something that the reader can relate to, can understand, wants to know more about and not because they’re invested, but because they’re invested in themselves, because when they know nothing about your story, themselves and their lives are all they can judge off of.

One of my favorite examples of the "mysterious protagonist" actually done well at first is the book thief. The author keeps us in suspense of the narrator for juuust a couple pages, about within five minutes. its really intruiging yet the author tells us at the perfect time, while he still has our interest peeked, who the narrator is (Death). that succesful, short sweet suspense at the beginning I think keeps us interested in the protagonist for the rest of the story.

@Me-xo5tw

Жыл бұрын

Bro you just spoilered think about ppl who haven’t read it Ig it’s not that big of a spoiler but like

@bluebellbeatnik4945

Жыл бұрын

i have not read this

@katierasburn9571

Жыл бұрын

@@Me-xo5tw it is literally the first five minutes like they said, its not a huge twist or big shock

Thank you for offering simple, effective, well-presented and organized advice. 🙏🏼 It’s such a breath of fresh air.

I love these extra view points in the beginning, even if they get discarded, so long as they are followed up well. It gives the sense of a whole world that the main characters aren't at the center of.

One trope I absolutely hate is when they give you a snippit of the climax at the beginning then shoot back "5 days earlier." Not only do I feel nothing of the climax when it happens but now I know nothing bad will happen to the protag up until that point

The back cover blurb is the hook for me; my expectation for the first chapter depends on the genre. An adventure or thriller needs to start in action, but fantasy or sci-fi may take it's time to setup the world as long as it holds my interest. Orwell's 1984 starts really slow with worldbuilding, but I find it interesting because the status quo is not normal to me. A Game of Thrones starts with a POV who dies within the chapter, but it's alright because it sets up the mystery and danger of the Others. Overall, I think Abbie's advice is sound, but doesn't apply to every genre. There's a reason the story arc chart starts with exposition and not rising action.

I've been struggling to write my novel for a long time now and I am relieved that after a lot of refinement it has got to a point I am starting to really feel is working, then I watched your video and based on your input here, I am not as far off track as I thought I was. You have mentioned a few don'ts which I have fallen into but I will go back and reconsider those points. Thanks for this! The clincher for me is that the story starts with the main character awaking into a foreign scenario which would be off-putting for anyone but little do they know that what they are dealing with is just the tip of the iceberg. I am going to study more and make notes and hopefully within another year the first segment will be sent to the publisher.

AH! THANK YOU! I was having difficulties with some aspects of the "first" chapter and you cleared them up at 6:30. Onward to Writing!! Let's see what treasure trove of informations I can find inside this mysterious channel.

One thing you do extremely well, Abbie, is articulate. I enjoy listening to you as you enunciate and pronounce your words. Your words and sentences are complete and distinct. I'm sure this is done on purpose and it shows the care you put into these videos. As important as the information you share is the quality of the way you present it. Others may not even notice this, but it sets you apart.

This was such an informative video!✨I think for me, I hate it when the book either starts with exposition or just this lengthy poetic description of the world instead of getting to the character! I love it though when the book starts with dropping the reader into the middle of an intense scene, seeing the character’s internal self and seeing them at their vulnerabilities to understand them.

Aw man!! This is SO helpful!!!! Thanks! Great and very helpful, I am recommending this to my friend who is writing! Great Job!

I finished one of my novels recently and am currently working on another. In order to improve my second novel more, I decided to use what I learned when writing the first one and also decided that I should listen to experts more, thus here I am ^^ I cant believe just how many of these cliches I fell into ^^""" I figured with how long Ive been writing I would have noticed some of the more obvious holes but jesus, Here I learned that I probably did not ^^" Thank you for this lovely video, it was very nice and it was eye opening.

I wrote my first chapter on my first book before seeing this and I didn't get anything wrong! So proud of myself.

The most useful youtube channel with unbiased advice. Also I printed a guide on planning a three part structure and for a first novel, it's so helpful. I know some big name novelists say not to keep a notebook but when I winged it for my first draft it was frustrating.

I’m so happy I found this video. Because I am expecting my proof copy soon and I was always worried about the beginning. But this video calms me down because I didn’t do the cliche mistakes which makes me proud because I’m new into the writing publishing things. Thank you very much for this video. You get my subscription! P.s: you’re so pretty!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I fixed my start at the storyline, and now I am more interested in my own story. Im so happy about it😭 (this is tears of happiness, yes)

Hi Abbie! Thank you for the video, it's as informative as usual. It depends on the genre, but if it's a sci-fi or fantasy novel, I despise reading long paragraphs about how the world is built. As you said, I will care about the world way after meeting the characters. This is quite personal, but I I like it when there are funny/sarcastic banters between the main characters at the beginning. It makes me immediately understand if I like the characters or not. That's also how I start my novel, with a touch of fun before the disaster. 😆

This is brilliant and so helpful! I am writing a story, and I was seriously doubting the first chapter, I was thinking it was too vague, but after watching this, it made me realise that it's actually not that bad! There were only one or two minor things I was doing wrong, and this has really given me a confidence boost, thank you!

The #1 Don't is what brought me to this video. Writing my first book and as I was writing it, it didn't feel "write". 🙃 I felt overwhelmed by the amount of world building that needs to be done. Great video, thank you!

Writing my first book... had writers block going on since getting my first review back... it wasn't bad... just made me realize where I went wrong... thank you so much for this video and the others you have made. I plan to watch them as well...

My book has a little cliche but everyone who has read it has seemed to finish it pretty fast. I know because I follow my KDU report. I still wish it was easier to promote. I wrote my YA Dystopian Fantasy Cogent with a lot of help from your videos. So thanks! It’s got great reviews but first time authoring is tough.

This is so perfect! I wrote the first almost 200 pages of a story a while back but lost passion because the beginning lost MY interest. Thanks to this, I now know exactly which part to cut, and where the real beginning should be. Thank you so much!

Thank you Abbie, this has been of great help to me, and im writing my first book so this is going to be a beautiful adventure and a blissfull ride, i hope you are able to read my book in the future.

great insight, thank you. love the spelling hook of 'protagonist' at 3:17. definitely kept me wondering for a while... :D

You just answered a crucial question that was blocking my path. Thanks Abbie.

I don't care about a story or the characters in a book until I care about the world and setting. What sets this world and setting apart from any other book I could be reading? What differences from reality that I can already experience without reading the book, can I expect to see, and begin theorycrafting the "what-if" scenarios and possibilities that arise from that setting? What challenges will the inhabitants of this world have to deal with? What interesting interactions are possible in THIS setting, that aren't possible in the real world? Some of that can clearly be built into describing characters and how they interact with the world, but I really don't care about the characters until I'm interested in the world.

@meteorstarthearcher5350

Жыл бұрын

same- one of my favorite things to do is to try and fit MY characters into someone else's world- Aka, look at their past and try to "match" a place for them that would cause them to act the same way. For example, I have this rich character who's a vigilante, but WHY he's a vigilante changes depending on the setting he's in, thus giving him different values and what he's fighting for. For example, in THIS story it would make sense for him to be orphaned, but in this other one, both his parents should still be alive. What matteres in that I end up with the same archetype rather then the exact same character.

As an aspiring writer. Somebody who is quite new to writing good solid first chapters and stuff. I appreciate the advice in this video! It is easy to understand and all makes a lot of sense.

Wow. Thank you so much. I have a story I'm writing right now and I'm not sure if i'm a good writer or not. This has really boosted my self esteem. Thank you so much😂

yet again, here you are synchronizing with our struggles 😂. seriously, you're the definition of "perfect timing. love you, and thank you

Something I like doing when introducing characters is only referring to them by character aspects until a different character names them or they need to introduce themselves to someone. I think it’s a good way to put names to descriptions while not interrupting the flow. Also a good way to add mystery to some characters. I’ve got characters in a comic that were introduced a couple chapters ago, and they know the main character, but she has amnesia so she’s doesn’t know them. They have not been named yet😂 (they have names, the audience just doesn’t know them yet)

@MrParkerman6

Жыл бұрын

Never give the main character amnesia to begin with.

@marikothecheetah9342

Жыл бұрын

Would nope out of that story, because if you introduce other characters first, and then they become the sidekicks or background characters, all my investment in them will be wasted. And that pisses people off.

@gianna526

Жыл бұрын

I wouldn't enjoy reading that, I need to know the main character's name as soon as possible unless the story requires otherwise. I remember I had to read the Red Badge of Courage once, and I couldn't finish it because NOBODY, including the mc, had a name. He was just called "the youth" and everyone else was "the tall soldier, the skinny soldier, the short soldier, the rude soldier" it was impossible to follow the story and I couldn't connect with a single character because they felt like concepts instead of people.

@marikothecheetah9342

Жыл бұрын

@@gianna526 That was the point. They were stripped of individuality. In war everyone's equal. :) But I understand the difficulty with identifying the characters. It's not easy with no specific name, unless that one character has no specific name for some reason. :)

@ThomasRBarton

Жыл бұрын

I love this idea. It’s actually extremely common in what is called Hemingway-esque writing. Hemingway would often describe characters by their attributes but most importantly their role. In “Indian Camp” by Hemingway, there is a father and boy. Throughout the story, the father is swapped to “the doctor” occasionally to show that his role is no longer to be a father but a doctor. Im not so sure it is applicable in main character introduction but it’s cool nonetheless.

Thank you. I am trying to work up ideas for how to start a book I want to write and this gave me a lot of information on what I should try to do. :)

I’ve been working on a story that I’ve had in my head for some time now, but I’ve decided to rewrite it to make it better since the original was never shared with anyone else. In the first chapter, it introduces two main characters in a festival-like setting where the two first meet each other. The chapter goes on to show them forming friendship bonds and experiencing the festival together, but ends with them being separated, and the next chapter jumps to when one of them decides to go look for the other. I hope that’s a good way to start a story :)

@smol9363

Жыл бұрын

Sounds fascinating!!

@synxxco

Жыл бұрын

@@smol9363 Zhongli pfp

@d1nonlybaby36

Жыл бұрын

That sounds cute :)

@forestwells5820

Жыл бұрын

Sounds fine to me.

Most readers are not first-time readers, in that they’ve read stories before. They understand what it’s like jumping into a new story, not knowing what happened before page 1. So trust them a little bit. They’ll catch onto clues or hints that “today is not like any other.” You don’t have to explain what a normal day is like to the reader, even if it is not normal to the reader. The reactions of the character and their emotions will communicate that even more effectively. Give them a reason to be invested, something that is uncommon for the character.

Really needed this. Wasn’t sure I was starting off the right way but this just gave me reassurance.

We all get up in the morning. Good point Abbie, my first page starts out with my main character being rushed to the psych unit and other unpleasantness ❤

This is also great advice for game masters starting their tabletop RPG one-shot or the first session of a campaign. I start my games as a GM with scenes that are either in media res or very close to it with the briefest context necessary for the players to understand how their characters should act, and fill in the details later. It grabs them from the start and invests them in the adventure they are supposed to pursue.

This video made me realize my first chapter had a lot of info dumping and the conflict was a bit too late too arrive, so I rewrote it completely and while i'm still emotionnally attached to the original one, the new one does capture attention more efficiently and gives a atse of the good stuff earlier Instead of starting in an Utopian world that WILL crumble, we start WHEN it's crumbling !

I’ve just finished reading The Bone Houses, and it nailed every single one of these tips you’ve described in this video! It’s an amazingly written fantasy tale, so many twists and turns, and honestly, I think it displays so much of the dos this video stated and avoiding a lot of the don’ts.

So well presented. Thanks for piquing an aspiring writer's interest. 🤗

5 minutes in, after the first three points I am already hooked. Will probably watch again. Good job.

Oof! Just beta read an opening chapter that literally did ALL of these...I may just send the author this video.😊 Love that you offered solutions, not just "don't"s

@nikkinewbie6014

Жыл бұрын

She always seems to give us the do's and solutions. That's the difference between her and some others out there that just point out pitfalls or give us lists of don'ts but don't tell us how to avoid them. I like how she's actually so instructive and give's specifics and examples of the concepts she's talking about.

Abbie's videos are always on time, I was currently starting another novel and having a hard time to write the first chapter

I'm happy to say I haven't violated any of your points in my two fiction works. I'm working on non-fiction where I was tempted to do explain the world view but know it wouldn't be right to start off lecturing. I feel validated now. Nice video. It has been my introduction to you and I subscribed now.

This helps so much, I'm trying to write a good book and this helped a lot to make sure my book is improved.

I'm going to drop the link to this one on my new writers' group. You covered that beautifully!

I did a major rewrite today. I opened initially with my protagonist and it was dragging, but then I remembered that Mr Banks is actually the most important character in Mary Poppins and we start with events LEADING UP TO the introduction of our title role. A far more satisfactory opening and this is now my 2023. ❤

This helped me soo much !! I will subscribe and watch more of your writing videos ! Thanks !.😊

The first chapter of a story that I'm writing with two friends is basically a slight introduction. The story itself introduces some conflicts pretty quickly (most notably the main villainous organization seemingly returning) and starts off in the PoV of a character with a goofy last-name (since the story started out as more of a free-write with no defined plot) doing some experiments and testing some of his newly uncovered magic (introducing magic really early on, the whole world is basically Earth with magic and a few other new countries). The guy is important to the story due to his past connections with some of the main characters (and is being set-up as a form of a villain, but not the true villain) and won't intersect with the main crew until further on (but there are some enlightening flashbacks to his past with them). Then it flips to the main character, who's an experiment that was later abandoned by the previous guy, and as she was made with traits of a dog (just the traits, originally I thought she had actual dog parts too, which haunted me for a bit) her loyalty made the image of him leaving her engraved in her mind. She has anger issues, has to live on school campus from their own charity, and has ludicrous reserves of magic energy she can't control well (until a bit later on). The magic system is kind of like Avatar: The Last Airbender's (yes, Earth, Fire, Water, Air, overdone but kind of essential in the story) but it's based off of the Magisterium series' (with Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Chaos) along with added sub-magics that deviate from the five main elements (chaos is extremely rare, has a whole backstory as to why it's banned and people with it are feared/killed), but aside from the elemental magics there's arcane magic (just base magic with a bunch of other utility spells and such), ritual magics (magic effects via advanced rituals), and other magics (elemental-like magic that don't derive from the main 5 elements). There's also a bunch of fantasy creatures not yet introduced (dragons, centaurs, etc) and elementals too. There'll end up being like 3 villains (the big-bad, the bad group, and the neutral-bad that kills everyone regardless) and there's some good world-building (I'm pretty sure, since it isn't being info-dumped and you learn it while it is mentioned (eg. characters explaining it briefly) or conversations) too. There are some slight comedic parts (mostly some hallucinations by the main character since she has an affinity to the fire element and affinities drain the user of a lot of mana and such, draining their body) but it's mainly fantasy.

Thank you very much, this is something I am currently struggling with, as I'm trying to come out with a good opening to the second draft of a passion project my best friend and I have been working on. We might end up trying to publish it - really, not doing so now would be a massive shame, since we've written a first draft that spans over 400 pages and isn't horrible - but it is also just a story we want to tell for ourselves. Really, it is kind of sus that YT suggested your channel to me, just as I'm struggling with this exact question and not having googled anything of the likes yet.

I once heard this tip that has stuck with me ever since: The first page should give you a taste of what the story is about Now living by that phrase, it's been easier to make that first event happen. I always start my stories with conflict or a mystery. One of my favorites is about a ruffian who begins the story by jumping off a bridge to escape the cops. Not only does the story start with a bang, it leaves the reader asking many questions. Try starting your story at the end of a scene instead of the start. That's the best way to combat the daily life scenerio

Thanks for another great video Abbie!

Thank you very much! You gave me awesome ideas to start!!!