Hello, I was thinking about how the best way to draw in your readers right away, is to start the beginning of your story in either a mysterious way, or in the middle of some action, something to catch their interest. But I am worried that the way I am planning the beginning of my story won't draw them right away. At first, I have a scene of them going out. This scene will give the readers a chance to see who the MC is before she is changed into a vampire. She gets attacked once she gets home. But I wanted to show how she was living beforehand. Her friends, her lifestyle, and her mindset as a human, before the attack. My question is, if I start off the story with a young girl going out with her friends for a whole chapter and nothing too crazy happens until she gets home, and then things start to pick up, will I be able to keep a hold of my readers' interest?
Hey Jamie, There's two different types of introductions to a story. The first is an action introduction, and it's what it means. Some sort of activity, or violence, etc kicks off the story. The second is an active introduction which uses a way of making your words come alive and be "active" and engaging to the reader. Let me check something I have in email and I'll shoot you a link via PM on the subject. I'm not a 100% sure on how to quite describe it but I believe the information is still in my email box. CK
Another way is the wide shot, describing what's going on around the main character and pulling in. It helps give the reader a feel for the setting and, depending on how you do it, insight into the character.
Hey, thanks, Captain. I'm about to check it out now. Hey, Sonja. I'm not sure I'm understanding what you mean. I think I get the jist of what you're saying, but not sure how I would make that work for it to count as the very beginning of my story. I do have planned as soon as she's attacked, to then explain the same scene of the attack from the attackers POV. Including the part that the MC doesn't know about, before she showed up at her home. Is that kind of like what you meant? If so, that part still won't be until after the first scene. I guess I'm just worried that if something paranormal isn't happening in the first chapter, since it's a paranormal story, that the readers might feel that the first chapter isn't intriguing enough.
I think you start with conflict within her normal life. Maybe the MC is having a argument with her friend or she's about go on a date with a long term crush (lol random ideas here). I think that will hold the readers until the real conflict begins.
Some of the most popular novels don't start on a particularly high note, but quickly dive into a strong first chapter with some kind of impending conflict evident. For a short story i would say start in the middle of the action, because i'm going to get bored if you don't get to the point in the first 300 words. Sounds like the perfect scenario for a flash back, or a non-linear story line for the start at least. Start in the middle, perhaps she's sucking the blood of a human and the taste reminds her of something in her past(flash back here).
Flash backs are contrived, and lazy, writing to start off with in a first chapter unless it's a short story, and even then the possibility of that issue remains. There are very few flashbacks done by the writers I read, who are very successful by any category you wish to use. Stay away from the flashback.
