It's so annoying!!!! I've written the first chapter of my novel which basically introduces 2 of the main characters with more focus on the main character but with a little twist of a hint that 1 may like the other more than just a friend. As I state this is a bit of a twist as at the current time the other is unaware and does not show any recuperation, and also introduces their backgrounds which differ some what. It's the opening to the novel. It could also be a bit misleading as we know it's one who fancies the other but does it go that way? Anyway (I guess by now you realise this is in the erotica genre!), but I was up late last night writing. Writing the start of the story. The actual key to where in the novel it all begins. And all I ended up writing were a few pages of utter shite. It was basic girly dialogue between the girls sat under a bus shelter with the surroundings described great but my main character I felt wasn't portrayed in the way I wanted her to be - dragging and exhaling on a cigarette. My other character kept her act together well but it all seemed a bit 'stiff' and 'off'. It was a good start with a clear event to maybe give the girls these ideas and talk about such things , but it just all seemed so wrong so I scrapped the lot of it. I just wasn't happy with it atall. My characters weren't playing ball so I gave into sleep annoyed with them that I couldn't figure out a start. Even today, I hadn't really thought about my writing atall until this after noon when I had to go out. Typical! I was hit with a great opening and if I'm clever can lead the dialogue off from there , but isn't it just annoying? Both when your work just 'doesn't' work for you, and also when you are hit with your characters in your head at such awkward and inconvenient times? Ok maybe this is a venting thread haha! Sorry for no paragraph breaks but all this is text typed from my galaxy phone.
Ok, so this basically revolves around where to start the story, yes? My personal advice is just to go with your writing, let it take you where it takes you, and worry less about the exact Page #1 for the time being. I often (very often) find that what I believe to be the fabled Page #1 never actually is. It reveals itself later in the writing process and what was the beginning of the story either gets folded back into the text later on or simply gets lopped as "warm-up writing".
Thanks for that advice I figure that what I have considered to be chapter one may actually be a prologue? How do people feel about prologues in books? I've read several with them in,but equally several without.
Everyone has their own take, but I am personally not a fan of the prologue. The story should be told within the story.
:/ eeeeeeeek! I guess that wasn't what I was hoping to hear - though I did ask for views and opinions so I do welcome and value them I guess in my heart I'm firmly standing by mine
