How should a story start?

Hey :two_hearts: I wrote a story but somehow I don’t like the beginning.
Can you possibly tell me what a good start is?
So with explanation and something or directly into the happen? Pls help me. :sweat_smile:

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Usually when I write I like to use a brief flashback of a character’s past. This helps you a bit in the future. Even if you practice writing with a few prompts or quotes, helps too.

Be sure to plan and draft the chapter and characters first though.:relaxed:

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Thank you! :sweat_smile:

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You’re welcome :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

It really depends on the story, like @ellarosescott99 said, you can use a flashback if something like a traumatic experience or something is one of the main things in your story. Some writers like to use the background of where the story takes place while the narrator (person) is telling you something about the city, theirselves or something. Or you could just do the cliche beginning of your character waking up :slight_smile:

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Thanks that really help me! :heavy_heart_exclamation:

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no problem :slight_smile: good luck with your story!!

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Your opening scene is what is supposed to draw your reader in and compel them to want to read more so your characters should be doing something compelling (waking up is not compelling). Or you should have something compelling to say that’s relevant to your plot. Usually a first chapter serves as both an introduction to your characters, their words, and it tells the reader what the story is going to be about so you want something that feels representative of your plot. For instance, if you’re writing a murder mystery you’d start with someone either being murdered or found murdered, that’s the interesting part and that’s where a story like that should begin.

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yes, you’re right, I forgot about that. If your story is about a serie of incidents taking place you could start with one off the incidents or just a scene that will make the reader question why, how, what, where

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Thank you :two_hearts:

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And thanks again

:smiley: no problem again ;p

Sorry, I did not mean for that to be a reply to you, I think waking up can be effective if utilized properly it just usually isn’t, your advice was great.

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I also think you should think about the stories you’ve liked, what were their opening scenes, what made you keep reading etc.

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Start with something that will drag the reader’s attention but that depends on the plot, you can use something that is scary like :

  • A lockdown
  • A big earthquake
  • M.C’s house is on fire
  • Car accident
  • The polish arrest M.C for something she didn’t commit
  • M.C. see someone that she is sure that he/she was dead
  • A weird person is knocking at m.c.'s door (A drug person, a dead person, a stalker)
  • M.C catches her boyfriend cheating
  • M.C is getting robbed
  • M.C is getting poisoned
  • A murder
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Opening scenes really reflect the genre of your story.
Just keep that in mind!

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I agree with most of the replies here, it should be a hook, it should be putting your best foot forward. Whether it’s a flashback, a very vague and out-of-context flash forward, just jumping right into the action, etcetera.

A writing guide I read once written by the author of Ella Enchanted suggests starting with something, anything, that will make your readers ask a question to themselves. You can start with some dialogue, (“What are they talking about?”) or the MC walking/searching for something, (“Where is she going? Why?”) but in a competitive app like this, the most intense you can do without being ridiculous is probably the best lol.

Starting with explanation can be tricky, you can do this right or very wrong. It has to act as a hook.

Wrong:
When I was 8, I moved to a suburban house in Greenville with my family, Mom, Dad, and my brother Harry. School work was easy for me, but I had trouble making friends. I only really had one good friend, Samantha, who has always had my back…

Right:
They called me ‘the quiet one.’ But that’s not really a compliment, is it? It’s more like a dismissal. An excuse to ignore me. But you know what? After seventeen years, I was finally sick of being ignored.

^ But again, depending on your story type, if you can start with action and drama, it’d be even better. :+1:

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Thanks

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Thank you

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Thanks :two_hearts:

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