So my story centers around the young son of a medieval lord. His father died in battle and now his family lands are ruled by a regent (his uncle) until he's of age. Except that's never going to happen, his uncle is going have him quietly killed before then. He knows this and concocts a cunning plan to escape the castle with enough gold to start a new life. He escapes, leaves his ancestral homeland behind and flees into the northern forest. When I originally had this idea it was to start with a mysterious figure traveling into the forest. Then i'd gradually unveil his backstory through interactions with other characters as the story went on. Then I decided to start at the more exciting part where he's enacting his plan and escaping the castle. But then I thought, hang on the reader will want to know why he's escaping, what the stakes are. So I should start with him overhearing his cousin and uncle discussing killing him. But what about his father's death, or his mother's death, or the day his uncle took over, his preparations for the escape. Where should I start telling the story.
I would start with the discovery that his uncle wants him dead. I wouldn't start before that, not even by a fictional hour--I would start with that.
I half agree with Chicken. Start it the moment AFTER he finds out his uncle wants him dead. Start with him packing his things, getting his gold, grabbing a sword, and jumping out the window or something. Bonus points for having him kick some ass on the way out. Bonus bonus points for having his uncle try to stop him, so we have protag and antag in the first chapter. This is starting to sound good already.
The murder of the boy's father and the uncle rising to power are the inciting events, but inciting events can happen before narration begins. I agree that staring with or very near the boy's escape plan is best. Maybe the first scene would involve a friend or retainer saying "This is it, kid. You've gotta leave tonight." And the boy steels himself for what's to come. Generally, readers will be patient about finding out about backstory later, as long as the current action is engaging.
You can start as said above, when he discovers his uncle's plan and escapes. However... the misterious guy in the forest is not a bad start, it depends on the actual plot of the story. Is it him finding a new life? Fighting for the throne? Finding a girl, that will discover who he is over time?
It's a Little of column A, Little of column B. I'm planning on calling it. "Wrath of the barbarian." Long story short he escapes but pursuit drives him out of the kingdom into the wilderness. There he is taken in by a barbarian tribe and he becomes one of them (becoming the titular barbarian). His past still bugs him but he discovers himself and let's it go. But his uncle has other ideas. He attempts to conquer the Barbarians unaware that his nephew is now one of them. MC uses his knowledge to help lead the barbarians to victory and returns with a barbarian horde to reclaim his homeland (unleashing the titular wrath.) Kills his uncle and reclaims his lands. Et Viola. The protagonist both finds himself and exacts revenge. The antagonist ironically brings about his own downfall. And the whole thing has the undercurrent theme of "The strength found through acceptance and diversity."
Thanks for the advice guys it's been very useful. Actually I'm taking your advice. I'm going to start the story with him discovering his uncle's plans to kill him in a very brief and urgent way. Then like a spring trap the MC launches into action and makes his escape. The reader knows just enough to know he's innocent and fighting for his life, they may not know exactly why but that can come later. Thnx for the help.
I would say start with this... He's running in the woods, following a cloaked figure. He turns around to catch one final glimpse of the only home he had ever known fading beyond the horizon... And then you can introduce him in the next chapter as the Prince whose parents died and whose uncle plots to kill him and claim the throne, and that hooded figure as someone trying to help him get away. I'm also experimenting with a non-linear plot structure. I plan on introducing my main characters in the first few chapters, at each of their most desperate moments, but not giving their names or true identities until later. Good luck!
It's been like 20 years, but itsn't this how the book 'Prince Caspian' begins? If you haven't read it, I would suggest you do just so you can see how it has been done. -OJB.
