heathergrenier
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The First Chapter
I have started writing the first chapter of my young adult fiction novel. I began with introducing the character and the situation and I felt like it
was a good beginning.
Then, I read a copy of The Writer's Digest Magazine and it suggests starting out with an action sequence of some sort. I considered this and I do have
a point in the near beginning that would qualify, but then I feel like the back story would be lost.
Any thoughts?
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G_Skater
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It should be how you want it to be. Every writer is different. Just make sure you provide enough to draw the writer in to the reading right away!
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RobertArend
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Perhaps it is, in this short attention span nation, necessary to begin every piece of fiction with action, the hook. To begin with background (i.e.,
"Widmore was a small town in New Jersey. Unplanned and twisted streets were all that held back the creep of so many unmowed lawns.") is to chance
being unread.
Action: "Even the tallest grass and weeds of Widmore's many unmowed lawns could not hide Brandon when his hugh head thrashed with every spasm of pain
from where the bullet had come to rest in his groin."
Hmmm, shot in the groin. Ouch! How'd that happen? Got to read more to find out.
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tanyakaterina
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Not to steal the topic, but I totally love that example, Robert... Well, okay, I promise I don't love that somebody got shot in the groin! That's not
what I meant =)
America is a visually-stimulated culture. Create a sense of visual stimulation, and you're golden. Create a sense of visual stimulation that carries
more weight than its immediate function... And you're magic. ;)
Cain't knock this woman down ... She stands on a Solid Rock."Truth is handsomer than the affectation of love." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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RobertArend
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Thanks, Tanya,
I do want to know how this Brandon got shot in the groin. I guess I'll just have to write the story to find out.
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LittleCricket
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I usually don't have much comment experience when it comes to these things, but before I started forcing myself some years back I used to only read
the books that entrapt me in the first few pages, if not sentences. If youre going for a young adult, that might be super important, especially if
they're just browsing - a lazy teen might skip a detailed scene later in the story, but if you catch them in the beginning, it's hard for them to
stray far.
Two cents!
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BenE.
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While I cringe at the example, Robert is correct in that the hook is what you need. 
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heathergrenier
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Thanks everyone. I have been doing a lot of thinking and I think (at least at this point) I am going to write some sort of prologue.
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BenE.
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Good idea. That way you won't have to change anything that you've already done (or at least not too much!).
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Dennis Bergendorf
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May I weigh in?
I don't think you need "action" per se up front, but you do need to explain quickly why the character(s) is worth investing time on. And I don't think
you can put off action (or conflict) indefinitely. Better have some transformative event occur in the first couple of pages.
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Kess
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It doesn't have to be action. It has to be a hook that will draw your reader in and make them want to keeping reading. It has to raise questions, some
of which will take the whole book to be answered. Action is just one way of doing that.
You can always add backstory in later, and fill out scenery as you go to create a full picture. I definitely recommend dropping the reader into an
interesting scene, one that is going to excite them enough to keep reading. Just be careful of confusing the reader - it can be a delicate balance.
A prologue is one way to put in some exposition before your eye-grabbing opening line, but bear in mind that readers often skip or skim them. If it is
essential to the story, put it in the story proper - prologues (and epilogues) are optional extras to the story rather than a direct part.
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itzrissa2u
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Go to your favorite YA books and read the first few pages. Do they all start with action? I think what you like to read helps shape the way you
write.
As everyone said, the hook is important. It doesn't have to be action. I am a little worried about my book because it does start off with a dream,
which I have read isn't the best. I may have to change it when the book is done to have a better hook.
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Nancy G.
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I have read statements made by some agents that they will not read or consider a manuscript that starts with a prologue. It goes immediately into the
reject file. It would be a shame to have a book refused because of using a prologue.
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Sevastian Winters
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My recommendation... While you are writing, don't read anyone's advice. Don't try to keep rules in mind. Let all of that go and tell the story until
you are done with it. Don't 2nd guess yourself and don't write for your audience. Write for you and see what you can make of it once you finish.
Writing is rewriting. There will be time for rules and public opinion polls later. Until then, just write your story and dont let anyone or anything
stop you.
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Jmercer
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Don't get too stressed about *writing* the first chapter with action. Lawrence Block shared a piece of advice that he had received of swapping the
first and second chapters after writing the novel. You will need to do some patchwork to make sure that everything still works, but this way you can
get all of the backstory on paper first.
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