In medias res is the useful but sometimes tricky writing technique of beginning your story “in the middle” of things. At its most basic, this is simply a solid reminder to begin your story with something happening. This might be action in the traditional sense, but it might also just be the character moving toward […]
July 11, 2022 by 36 Comments Beginning Your BookClearing Up Some Misconceptions About In Medias Res
One of the most significant challenges for writers is crafting a beginning chapter that immediately grabs readers. Most commonly, writers are advised to accomplish this via two different methods: the hook and the technique of beginning in medias res, or “in the middle of things.” But are these really two different techniques? And if not, […]
May 30, 2022 by 31 Comments Beginning Your BookUnderstanding the Normal World of a Story’s First Act
No matter their genre or focus, stories are about something happening—a shift in the status quo. Where the characters begin is not where they end. This may refer to their literal physical surroundings, or to a more metaphorical state of being—or, very possibly, to both. Whatever the case, it is important for authors to understand […]
September 28, 2020 by 36 Comments Beginning Your BookThe Link Between Your Story’s Hook and Resolution
On a theoretical level, art often comes down to patterns. As readers and even writers we are not always conscious of these patterns, but whenever we are able to recognize that a story works—or does not work—usually what we are responding to is the comparative effectiveness of certain underlying patterns. This is perhaps nowhere more […]
May 11, 2020 by 87 Comments Beginning Your BookCritique: 7 Possible Hooks for Your Opening Chapter
What are some good hooks for your opening chapter? This is a question every writer must ask at the beginning of a story. How can we introduce the story and the characters in a plot-pertinent way that also deeply interests readers? A good hook sets your book apart. It promises readers you’re going to deliver […]
March 9, 2020 by 32 Comments Beginning Your BookCritique: 6 Tips for Introducing Characters
Most of the time, I hate real-life introductions. For one thing, I almost always forget the person’s name in the rush of shaking hands, smiling, and saying something charmingly banal. Then there’s the small talk, important but often tedious. Squirm. But that’s most of the time—because occasionally I run into one of those special people […]
December 9, 2019 by 48 Comments Beginning Your BookCritique: 10 Ways to Write a Better First Chapter Using Specific Word Choices
The one thing all writers are trying to do is write a better first chapter. First chapters are do-or-die territory. We know this as writers because we know this as readers. Most of us make our reading choices after scanning the first few paragraphs of a story. Sometimes we know if we want to go […]
November 12, 2018 by 79 Comments Beginning Your Book5 Ways to Successfully Start a Book With a Dream
Don’t start a book with a dream. This has become one of those bits of writing advice that has passed into legend, right along with “show, don’t tell” and “write what you know.” There are so many good reasons for this. Dream openings are notorious for being boring, irrelevant, misleading, and cliched. As a “fake” opening, […]
April 23, 2018 by 32 Comments Beginning Your BookYour Ultimate First Chapter Checklist, Pt. 3: Introducing the Story
The reason the first chapter of a story is so complex is because it bears a triple load of responsibility. First, it must hook readers. Then it must offer a compelling and interesting scene of its own. And finally, it must set up the entire story to come. Today, let’s dive into our third and […]
April 16, 2018 by 47 Comments Beginning Your BookYour Ultimate First Chapter Checklist, Pt. 2: Writing the Opening Scene
First chapters are complicated, which is why writers everywhere need a first chapter checklist. But even the checklists are complicated! Which is why I’ve broken down our exploration of excellent first chapters into three parts. Last week, we talked about what is, arguably, your first chapter’s most important job: hooking readers. But if you’re going […]
