T
he beginning of any
manuscript needs to act
like a magnet, making
readers – including VIPs
like publishers and editors – go
on reading. Writers have to ind
a way to hook people immediately,
perhaps with excellent prose,
a shock statement or a hint of
mystery – ideally all three.
You don’t always have to start
with a bang: maybe your type
of novel might herald a quiet
beginning. But adding a suggestion
of future intrigue could help.
An opening has to deliver a
lot. Its job is also to establish
the genre of the article, story or
novel, so that the reader knows
what content and tone to expect.An instant hook
In a short story, the main
conlict needs to be addressed
immediately. You can’t take upa page or so to get it across –
there is no time in so few words.
Your hook has to be there, right
at the beginning.
Avoid ‘telling’ the reader what
is happening. ‘Showing’ the story
through emotion and action right
from the start will bring it to life.
The best way to achieve this is
to relate it through your main
character’s viewpoint, showing
his or her thoughts, emotions
and reactions.
Compare the following:It was early morning and Jane
was hurrying down the lane towards
Sarah’s house. She had had a phone
call and was worried that something
might be wrong.Hurrying down the lane towards
Sarah’s house, Jane panicked.
Something had to be wrong, surely?
Sarah phoning her at the crack ofdawn like this, sounding so odd...In the irst example, the reader
is merely told what is happening.
In the second, we are shown – we
are into Jane’s thoughts and begin
to feel her anxiety.Where to start‘We must enter our story as late
as possible.’
William GoldmanWhat makes a good opening to
a story? It works well when it
drops the reader right into the
middle of the action, emotional
trauma or whatever is causing
disruption in the main character’s
life at that moment.
Starting the story in the middle
of a change in circumstances
raises the narrative tension
and ups the stakes. Resist anyBarbara Dynes explains why you should never begin
a story or feature too early – and sets an exercise
STARTING IN THE
RIGHT PLACE
WRITING EXERCISE
temptation to start too early.
Take our sample opening. It
could have begun earlier, with
Sarah’s phone call to Jane. But
starting later, after the call, is
better because it will get us to
Sarah’s house – and the crux of
the story – sooner.A ine balance
One thing to consider: if, in the
short story, you set out to shock
your reader with a really dramatic
opening, will the rest of your
story live up to that mesmerising
scene? Should you then have to
switch to more mundane stuff,
you could end up misleading and
disappointing your readers.
The more complex novel is
different in that you have more
space and time for ups and downs
and variedly paced scenes.
There can be another snag to
starting in the ‘middle’ of events.
At this early stage the reader
knows nothing about the main
character or her background.
Suppose you open with a really
harrowing scene: say your
character is badly injured in an
accident. You have to realise that
you won’t evoke much sympathy
from your reader because it’s too
early in the story. They haven’t
got to know the character yet.
Our earlier situation is less
harrowing, but we still need
readers to care what happens
when Jane gets to Sarah’s or they
won’t read on.
So, as soon as possible, we
must provide some backstory
in the way of lashback, so that
those readers can begin to
identify with Jane.
We could do that while Jane
is hurrying towards Sarah’s. Just
a line or two in Jane’s thoughts,
revealing a little about her, will