10 Things You're Doing Wrong in Your First Chapter

10 Things You're Doing Wrong inYOUR FIRSTCHAPTERshesnovel.com

An excellent first chapter is positivelyvital to a successful story.

Arguably, the first chapter is the most difficult part of writing abook; there are so many things that you must accomplish inthose few precious pages. You must...

hook the readerlay down a settingintroduce the main charactersshowcase their personalitiescreate tension or instigate problemsget the reader settled into the pace of the story

It’s exhausting just to think about it all! And if I'm being honest,there a ton of blog posts and articles out there that are designedto tell you exactly how to get all those things accomplished. Butdo you want to know a secret?

There is no secret formula for the first chapter.As an author, only you know how to introduce

your story to the world.

page 210 Things You're Doing Wrong in Your First Chapter

I can, however, tell you the top 10 things I hate reading in a firstchapter, the things that I believe you are doing wrong. Feel freeto argue with me later if you'd like. We can threaten each otherwith quotes from our favorite villains and antiheroes. It’ll bebeautiful.

But maybe finish the whole book before you do that. (Hint: there’s a surprise ending!)


So who is this crazy lady talking toyou anyway?

Hi! I'm Kristen A. Kieffer.I live for stories, so I write them. I also teachothers how to do the same.

That's why I know how tricky first chapters can be. I've written countless stories over the years, and most of them featured horrendousbeginnings.

I've learned the hard way (read: trial and error after error) how towrite a brilliant first chapter. Let me teach you how write yourown in the best way I know how: by telling you exactly what notto do!

http://shesnovel.com

http://shesnovel.com


here are 10 thingsyou're doing wrong

in your firstchapter!

without further ado...

There is no bigger disappointment than opening a book andfinding the first line to be, “It was a dark and stormy night,” or,heaven forbid, “The warm yellow sunlight filtered through theleaves like *insert bad metaphor here*”.

They are such an eye roll, right?


1) You Start With Setting

In conversation, people talk about the weather when there’snothing left to say. That’s not exactly the vibe you want to giveyour readers on the first page.

Now don’t get me wrong; settings are important. They lay thegroundwork for a scene, helping your reader to visualize exactlywhat’s going down with your characters.

However, unless your setting plays a major symbolic rolethroughout the story, it’s for the best that you find something abit more gripping to say in the first paragraph.

Have you ever had someone you’ve just met tell you their entirelife story? It’s awkward and a little bit weird, right? Chances are,you don’t care two bits about where they grew up or how manysiblings they have. You’re still struggling to remember theirname!

Beginning your novel with backstory is just as bad.


2) You Start With Backstory

Your first chapter must focus on establishing the characters anda sense of their normal lives, followed swiftly by potential changeto that normalcy. That’s enough for you, and your readers forthat matter, to figure out in the first few pages. Don’t complicatethings by shelling out backstory, as well. That’s an easy way toput your readers off in an instant.

If backstory truly is integral to your story, you have two options.

1) You can create a quick andgripping prologue to makethe backstory immediatelyknown.

2) You can sprinkle thebackstory throughout theexposition and rising action.

When a reader opens up a new book, they enter into the storywith one inherent belief – that the author can be trusted to treatthe story with integrity. In other words, the reader expects theauthor not to lie about the events in the story.

Opening with a dream is a surefire way to shatter that trust. Adream is a form of trickery. The reader is lead to believe that theevents are actually occurring when they are really a figment ofthe dreaming character’s subconscious. Can you see how thisquickly becomes dangerous?


3) You Open With a Dream

Authors typically open with a dream for one of two reasons.Either they are trying to add drama to an otherwise boring plot,or they are trying to display that the dreaming character isemotionally unwell. Neither of these reasons can quite justify theintentional deception of their readers.

Try starting later in the story, where more action is occurring, orhaving the reader infer mental instability from the character’sactions and conversations.

Whatever you do, don’t throw away your readers’ valuabletrust for shock value.

It’s true that your first chapter should immediately engage thereader, but it can be very easy to put them off if your hooksounds contrived.

Your first sentence needs to read naturally. You want to grip thereader, not throttle them. Here are some things to avoid:


4) You Try Too Hard to

shock phrasesgorethreatsmelodrama

They all ring false when read. And if you are forcing it, the readerwill know. They are clever like that, and doubtful enough toconsider putting the book down. That’s exactly the opposite ofwhat you’re trying to do.

So the next time you write a hook and follow it up with, “It allstarted when,” take a moment to rethink what you’ve just done.

Don’t make me put you in time-out.

Hook the Reader

Your point of view character might not be your main character,so it’s understandable if the reader doesn’t meet your MC rightaway.

However, the reader needs to have a clear image of who the MCis by the end of the first chapter. The story should be about them,

after all.


5) You Don't Introduce the

Introduce your MC too late and you run the risk of the readergetting too attached to the featured character of the first fewpages. That can be almost as deceptive as opening with a dream.

Your reader is waiting to fall in love with the main character.Don’t disappoint them by making the first chapter all aboutsomeone else.

As a side note: if your story has a prologue, do not introduce the MC in theprologue. The reader enters into a prologue with the understanding thatthey feature secondary or throwaway characters. Don't confuse them bymaking your prologue all about the MC.

MC Soon Enough

You shouldn’t spend more than two or three sentences on acharacter’s appearance at a time.

The simple fact is, appearances don’t matter as much as you’dthink. It’s good to give a little insight into a character’s build,features, and coloring so that your reader can form a mentalpicture of the character, but don’t bog down your story withdescription.


6) You Botch Your Character's

After a few initial words on appearance, any description thatdoesn’t move the plot forward needs to be cut.

In addition to an appearance overload, avoid having yourcharacter break the third wall by relating their own appearancefrom a reflection. Is there a reason your character is looking in amirror that actually advances the narrative?

If not, wait for a more natural moment to sneak in a clue abouttheir appearance.

Appearance

“I don't know. Just because someone's pretty doesn't mean she'sdecent. Or vice versa. I'm not into appearances. I like flaws, I

think they make things interesting.” - Sarah Dessen

http://shesnovel.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-nailing-your-characters-appearance-plus-a-character-sketch-template

First chapters are not introductions. They are the beginningsof stories about people.

If your first chapter is focused on describing the setting, theculture, the secondary characters, or anything else that doesn’thave to do with your main character and their lives, you aren’twriting an exceptional first chapter.


7) You Give Too Much Exposition

Your exposition (all those bad focuses I mentioned above)shouldn’t be confined to the first pages of your book.

Too many times you hear that a plot structure begins withexposition and then moves into the rising action, but the twodon’t have to be mutually exclusive.

In fact, your exposition and rising action should overlap so thatyou don’t make the mistake of treating the first chapter as anintroduction to your fictional world.

Books with profound messages are great. They speak to the souland spurn change with the hardened hearts of humanity, andthat’s a fantastic thing!


8) You Slap the Reader in the

Those books are usually the ones that become classics, beingread time and time again because readers are continually movedby them.

That being said, profound messages should be introduced to thereader slowly over the course of the story, not forced upon themin the first pages. You want to ignite a flame of revelation, not awildfire that makes the reader turn and run.

Avoid blatantly stating your book’s agenda in the first chapter,and wow your readers instead with a subtly profound messagethat sneaks into their heart of hearts.

Face with a Message

“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.”

- Italo Calvino

First chapters need to establish the MC’s everyday normaland then challenge it.


9) You Start Too Early

If you are struggling to get to the opening conflict of the storywithin the first chapter (and especially within the first 10 pages),you might be starting your story too early.

The simple fix is to rework your first chapter to begin as close tothe opening conflict as possible, without starting in the middle ofit.

Let your reader get to know the MC and the normalcy that acts asthe foundation of their everyday life. Then, as soon as possible,let the cracks form and the foundation crumble. That is whereyour true hook lies.

You might be in trouble if you open your first chapter in thebeginning of the action.


10) You Start Too Late

Who are the people on either side of the conflict? You mightknow, but your readers have no idea. They are only getting thedetails of drama they care nothing about.

It’s your job to make them care, and you can do just that byestablishing normalcy for the MC before snatching it away.

If you find that your story opens with action your reader won’tunderstand, try taking it back just a few moments. What washappening just before the conflict, when your MC’s life was stillpassing by normally?

That’s your money moment. That’s where you should begin.

A quick caveat – if you are writing a thriller, horror, or mystery, you might be able to effectively start your first chapter with action using atechnique called In Media Res.

http://shesnovel.com/3-awesome-plot-structures-for-building-bestsellers

Also known as the part where you no longer feel the need to beatme up. Hurray!


I’ve thrown a lot of rules at you today. I’ve told you all the things Ihate, and I might have even made you feel a bit down about thefirst chapters you’ve written.

But here’s the thing; writing is an act of creation, of art. And arthas no rules in the end. Beautiful is as you believe it to be.

So study the classics, pore over bestsellers, read up on all theinternet’s writing tips, and then go write whatever the heck you’dlike. And hold your head high while you are doing it becausewriting a book is amazing, which makes you amazing.

11) You Adhere Too Closely to the Rules

Bonus!

Besides, Captain Barbossa once said, “the code is more what youwould call guidelines than actual rules.” And a pirate is alwaysright.

No matter the rules and no matter the critics. Just keep writing.Believe me, you are doing just fine.

Thank you for reading!If you enjoyed the tips in this e-book, head over to She'sNovel to discover even more. I suggest starting with theHow to Write a Story guide or the Start Here page.

If you have any questions, never hesitate to get in touch. Ilove getting to know you better and helping you along inyour novel-writing career. You can also give me a shout-outon Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Facebook, andPinterest.

@shesnovel

One more thing. If you enjoyed this e-book or the She'sNovel site, would you share it with your family, friends, andfollowers? Your support is SO appreciated! It is what keepsShe's Novel growing and what makes my work worthwhile.

Thank you, lovely people! And don't forget to stay amazing.

- Kristen


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10 Things You're Doing Wrong in Your First Chapter