I've been writing this story for quite a while and over this time it has grown but also changed/developed. One of the things that has changed is the start. I have got two obvious places to start, what do I need to consider when deciding which place to start? If I'm asking does that mean it probably shouldn't be either? There is a big time gap between the two potential starts but I am considering having part one and part two. Any thoughts?
That's extremely vague, but I'll give a minor suggestion here. I would draw out a detailed outline and structure of what you would like to occur during the plotline, and when you would like to reveal or introduce certain information and characters. When you have a strong structure, this task should be pretty simple. Pick the one that fits better at that timing in the structure of your narrative.
Have you finished the story yet? If you're not sure where it should start, and you haven't yet finished, my suggestion would be to just keep writing. Once you get to the end, you'll have a much better idea of where the story should start. If you can tie the beginning and the ending together in some way, that's always significant. Maybe you can foreshadow the ending right at the start. Not in a way that encourages people to guess, but in a way that once the ending comes, the readers go ...ahhhh. And it all clicks together. I always like to strive for an echo of the beginning, there at the end. However, you won't know what that will be until you do reach the end. So I'd say just keep going for now. Your beginnings have got YOU started, and that's the main thing at the moment.
Hi, I was in a similar position with my WIP. There were two places that seemed like a good starting pointing but they were a distance from each other so that meant I'd have to "fill in" the gap between them. So I wrote from the first scene and realized there was too much filler required, nothing was moving forward. So I just moved the second scene forward a bit. Sometimes it helps to just write from your first scene to the end. A few times I've realized chapter 3 is actually a better starting point so that has become chapter 1.
I would decide which starting point best sets up your book's main conflict, and start there. The start of the story should set up your readers' expectations for that story.
Start as close to the action as possible, that also gives you time to set up the MC. Anything preceding the immediate action that kicks off the plot should be spent allowing the reader to get to know your MC. And what you reveal about the MC should be information or characteristics the reader needs to know immediately in order to understand the context of the plot and why the MC's important, or rather how the MC fits into the plot. Sometimes getting a beta reader helps, see where the reader starts to get excited about the story, then cut everything that came before that point.
Start with story. It can be all to easy to fall into the trap of writing ourselves into the story like some sort of introduction before the actual story starts, and that is usually a mistake. I will admit I'm guilty of occasionally writing my way into a story, but this is something I always go back to and change once I become aware of what I've done. And it makes a huge difference. If that's not really your problem, I think a good idea is to start as close to the end as possible. They say that for short stories, but I think it can apply to novels as well. I had a few false starts with my novel, but now the beginning is in a better place. I started my novel while something is happening. You can make it clear what's come before this action without starting at the very beginning. And, like @jannert, I am a big fan of foreshadowing. A little subtext is a great way to use foreshadowing at the start of your novel.
Gaps are okay as long as you're able to make both parts REALLY interesting. Of course, any part of a story should be interesting but it is especially important at the beginning because your audience isn’t invested yet. So you have to first get them interested. If you are able to do that with a two-parter, go for it. If you have doubts, then see if there are other entry points that may spark the audience’s interest more.
I had the same exact thing happen to me. I didn't know where my story should start either. I had to choose if I wanted to start from the "beginning" or if I wanted to start from my characters beginning. I chose my characters beginning because as I wrote more and more, I realized I wanted to keep the past to myself for the first book. That I would still use use the other part I'd written, but it would now be a secret only revealed when my readers start finding clues and asking questions. Which I planned for them to do in the second book. Basically, I have a character that's a reincarnation. I originally had his first life as a small chapter to begin my story. But as I wrote onward I kept thinking back. Wondering if one past life was enough, but it wasn't for me. I thought about how that one opening chapter would give so much away, and how nothing would seem surprising. I wanted to keep my readers guesses, anticipating, and especially surprised by the development, but all so excited and happy that it came about. I now have my story set in the present day with my main character explaining his life and reasons for what he does in that chapter. A set up for everything, but only a hint that readers can easily pass by to indicate what is to come. And even if they do suspect, the plot just drives them to think something else. My advice is to think about what you want both your characters and your readers to know. Think about the future and if the beginning is the best place and time to reveal that information. Books aren't like movies. When you watch a movie, its good to have some major foreshadowing. Books however, are best when you never suspected that change of events. There are a few exceptions to this however. Such as common time leaps or wanting the beginning to be the end. A lot of my writing does the latter. Ultimately, it's up to you. Though I would say you sound as if neither opening is just right yet. I hope this helped.
