Beginnings are difficult when you consider their weight in the overall story. They must accomplish all of the following:
- Plant an irresistible hook.
- Give readers a reason to care about what happens to the characters.
- Introduce overall tone (satiric, dramatic, etc.).
- Introduce setting (time and place), conflict, and theme.
The beginning of a story is rather like a résumé. You flaunt your talents and skills and hope readers find what they’re looking for. Otherwise, you’re never going to make it off the bookstore shelf.
Here are four of the biggest pitfalls in story openings.
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Structuring Your Novel: Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition (Amazon affiliate link)
