Writing advice
Create an unputdownable opening
Many of us will recognise some killer first lines from famous classic novels. Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Orwell – they’ve all written now-legendary opening lines that are quoted far and wide.
On the other hand, can you think of a time you were so gripped by the opening to a novel, you couldn’t put it down? You simply had to know what happened next… This is exactly what you’re aiming for when writing a novel opening – something that grabs the reader and holds on to them tight. You want the reader to commit themselves to reading your book… and they’re far more likely to do that with an opening that packs a punch.
And that punch? It should be the event that changes everything for your character. It is called the inciting incident and it turns their ordinary life upside down – and makes the reader desperate to find out what happens next. Think of Monique Grant in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, who, in the opening chapters, is invited to interview the aging, reclusive Hollywood starlet. Or Bilbo Baggins, who is invited on an exciting adventure by Gandalf the wizard in the first chapter of The Hobbit.
If this event happens too late in the story – if you spend too much time setting up your character’s everyday life first – you risk losing the reader’s interest. The opening will feel weaker, more humdrum. Imagine reading chapter after chapter of Monique’s dreary post-break-up life, shuttling between her empty apartment and her office, or of Bilbo Baggins bumbling around the Shire… It would not be overly thrilling! A little bit of set-up is fine – perhaps necessary, to establish what life is like for your characters before their adventure begins. But even the set-up needs to get readers asking questions, give them someone to love or hate, and it is crucial that your opening also includes the event that kicks everything off.
But no matter how good your opening line is, if the rest of the chapter is a stinker, you’re in trouble! Because the opening of your novel isn’t just your first line – it’s also the next line, and the next, and the one after that. In fact, the opening can include the first few chapters of your novel… and it’s vital to get it right.
Have you ever flicked through the first few pages of a book in a shop, or browsed a book sample on Amazon, and not been immediately grabbed by the story? If the opening of a novel is a bit ‘meh’, the likelihood is, you won’t be tempted to read on. Instead, you’re going to close the book, pop it back on the shelf, and move on to something else. The book – and the writer – has missed out on the chance to capture you as a reader.
On the other hand, can you think of a time you were so gripped by the opening to a novel, you couldn’t put it down? You simply had to know what happened next… This is exactly what you’re aiming for when writing a novel opening – something that grabs the reader and holds on to them tight. You want the reader to commit themselves to reading your book… and they’re far more likely to do that with an opening that packs a punch.
And that punch? It should be the event that changes everything for your character. It is called the inciting incident and it turns their ordinary life upside down – and makes the reader desperate to find out what happens next. Think of Monique Grant in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, who, in the opening chapters, is invited to interview the aging, reclusive Hollywood starlet. Or Bilbo Baggins, who is invited on an exciting adventure by Gandalf the wizard in the first chapter of The Hobbit.
If this event happens too late in the story – if you spend too much time setting up your character’s everyday life first – you risk losing the reader’s interest. The opening will feel weaker, more humdrum. Imagine reading chapter after chapter of Monique’s dreary post-break-up life, shuttling between her empty apartment and her office, or of Bilbo Baggins bumbling around the Shire… It would not be overly thrilling! A little bit of set-up is fine – perhaps necessary, to establish what life is like for your characters before their adventure begins. But even the set-up needs to get readers asking questions, give them someone to love or hate, and it is crucial that your opening also includes the event that kicks everything off.
Remember – a strong opening will propel readers through your book, making them want to know what happens next. And that, fundamentally, is the aim of your opening – to prevent your readers from closing your book… until they reach the end!
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