Hey guys, so my mc has just moved to a new town and a new school. Ive headed straight into the 'entering the classroom on first day at the school' as my opening here, not really describing anyone here as such but giving her a sense of her surroundings and introducing how the friendship is built up between the 2 girls by one of them having to be the mc's guide around the school for the week. Do you think this is a believable opening? or would it be better chucking the mc in the new school already and returning home to complain about it, or write in her diary or whatever??? opinions here please? someone said it would be totally believable if it were to start with my mc doing something completely mundane????? help!!!!! Thanks, xx
It would be believable if you make it believable. It's all in the execution, if you think starting the story there is the best way to start it, then by all means start it that way. I guess a question I have is, what exactly are you trying to tell the reader in the opening? Are you trying to introduce the new surroundings? Are you trying to get the reader to know your mc, or are you trying to show the reader her day by day routine in this new town and school? It's all up to you to make these choices. What's best for the story you are trying to tell?
Thanks pepsik. Well yes obv moving to a new town and school I wanted to intro that as being something which she despises and thought the best way to go about opening up the story would be to start with the new school first day scenario, which would also give a descrip of the central characters in the plot, what she's up against in school in of rivalry and relationships etc. So my aim in the first chapter was just to get across a feel of this and how the chapter ends is that the reader can clearly see there is going to be conflict and essentially competition and trouble for what's up ahead. If that makes sense???
Even if you decide to use the first day, I would suggest that you start with that day in progress, rather than with her walking into the classroom. For example, if I were writing this I could imagine myself starting with: "Get the mac and cheese. It's the only thing worth eating on Thursdays." Jane stopped, and the cafeteria line stalled behind her. "Don't they have a low carb option?" Mary's eyes widened. "No diet talk. Seriously, not at this school. The teachers'll send you to counseling as an anorexia risk, and everybody else will call you fat." I'm not saying this is good, it's just intended to be an example of (1) starting in the middle of things and (2) communicating that they're in school without saying that explicitly. It also demonstrates the relationship between the two girls, the fact that one is an old hand and one is new, the fact that they seem to be reasonably friendly, and probably other things that I'm not conscious of seeing.
how do you expect to engage your reader with mundane? I would have her come home, throw her bag ay the wall and yelling at her mom all the crap that happened - or singing happy songs telling her mom how great it is except for that bitch Jackie... Blah blah blah
Believable, sure. But beginning with the mundane is rarely a good way to start. Now if that first day were an unmitigated disaster, you might have a better opening. And as someone who started new schools several times growing up, miserable first days are very believable.
As long as the two girls don't become instant best friends I'd believe it. I changed schools once in my life. I don't get ya fiction's obsession with the insta-friend. It took weeks to get over being the new kid. In fact my first friend I made was a guy - a guy-friend not a boyfriend. Complaining though might be cool as that would let her vent, and gain the readers empathy ( they've been there. ) I don't know if I'd do mundane. Not even sure how you'd do mundane and still make it cool. If you mean something like the mc brushing her teeth or something, well, I think you'd have to perk up the blah angle by making it secondary to something more interesting going on. Like - I brushed my teeth with Close-up hoping the reek of cinnamon would completely cover the scent of smoke.
Thanks for all your valuable replies here!!! Yes I've stuck with the new school first day scenario, and with my me walking into her classroom, how it sounds and how she feels, her introduction to the class which is brief but does bond her with a girl as her 'guide for the week'-no saying they are going to be best friends atall as I intend on my mc being much more a loner due to who she is and what she faces and must do - her out of school activities, so I've differentiated her a lot from this other girl in a lot of ways. I've included a short paragraph of high school reality of having to write an essay, but followed up with a bit of a mystery for the readers to keep them wondering about her, then her guide after lunch showing her around and pointing out a few specific people who will play a part in the story. So its mainly an introduction to her new school, the central characters at her school, a bit of mysterious Ness coming out, and a few thought on what she is thinking, and at the end she hates having to have had move. She hates where she's moved to, and she hates her new school. I intend to follow up in chapter 2 with her returning home that evening, going straight to her room, sticking on some heavy rock music as loud as she can, just to block everything out. Good plan???
