“Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world…” Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born…” David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
“Candy bent down plopping the pillow beneath her knees in one easy movement. She had done this a million times, or so it seemed and each time she did the same thing, she thought of the Pacific Ocean and the sound of the seagulls. When she unzipped his pants and released what was inside, she felt the hot sand beneath her feet and listened to the lapping of the water against the shore…” Street Corners by Crystal Hickerson
What every great story or novel must begin with – the first line. They say that it is within the first paragraph or less that a reader decides whether or not to read a book. It may be the exciting title and tantalizing cover graphic or just the name of the author that makes them walk over and pick up the book but it is that first paragraph that makes them actually purchase. This as you know can often be the hardest thing to come up with.
There you sit, in front of your computer, the television off, music off, do not disturb sign on your door, or person, as you stare at the blank page. Or maybe you have come up with the first sentence but where to go from there? When I am trying to think where to begin, it is after I have spent weeks, if not months, formulating the story from start to finish in my head. Once I have done that then I sit and stare at the whiteness of the screen for a few moments.
The tip I can give which helps me is to think of the action I want to capture the reader with. At which point do I want to bring them into the story? Remember you can really do this anywhere. Some writers use the very ending of the story to begin it.
Example:
“After I gutted him like a fish, his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood behind me, I sat in the Lazy Boy. While we have some time, there are some things I think you should know…”
And then you begin your story in a series of flashbacks. Yet many authors do like to start literally at the beginning. In your story you can always provide flashbacks of history to fill in the gaps. Another tip is to think of how to best introduce your main character. The main character is after all who you would like for your audience to identify with. Beginning a story can be daunting but also remember a good editor may come in and create a whole new one for you if you don’t get it right the first time! LOL
“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born…” David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
“Candy bent down plopping the pillow beneath her knees in one easy movement. She had done this a million times, or so it seemed and each time she did the same thing, she thought of the Pacific Ocean and the sound of the seagulls. When she unzipped his pants and released what was inside, she felt the hot sand beneath her feet and listened to the lapping of the water against the shore…” Street Corners by Crystal Hickerson
What every great story or novel must begin with – the first line. They say that it is within the first paragraph or less that a reader decides whether or not to read a book. It may be the exciting title and tantalizing cover graphic or just the name of the author that makes them walk over and pick up the book but it is that first paragraph that makes them actually purchase. This as you know can often be the hardest thing to come up with.
There you sit, in front of your computer, the television off, music off, do not disturb sign on your door, or person, as you stare at the blank page. Or maybe you have come up with the first sentence but where to go from there? When I am trying to think where to begin, it is after I have spent weeks, if not months, formulating the story from start to finish in my head. Once I have done that then I sit and stare at the whiteness of the screen for a few moments.
The tip I can give which helps me is to think of the action I want to capture the reader with. At which point do I want to bring them into the story? Remember you can really do this anywhere. Some writers use the very ending of the story to begin it.
Example:
“After I gutted him like a fish, his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood behind me, I sat in the Lazy Boy. While we have some time, there are some things I think you should know…”
And then you begin your story in a series of flashbacks. Yet many authors do like to start literally at the beginning. In your story you can always provide flashbacks of history to fill in the gaps. Another tip is to think of how to best introduce your main character. The main character is after all who you would like for your audience to identify with. Beginning a story can be daunting but also remember a good editor may come in and create a whole new one for you if you don’t get it right the first time! LOL
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