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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33878
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **In Media Res**

Your idea of starting right in the middle is a good one and is used by the best stories. Readers quickly become bored with stories which just tell a lot of backstory.

The idea is such a great one it is an actual literary term known as In Media Res ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In\_medias\_res](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medias_res)) which means "into the middle of things".

That's what we want to do as writers, throw our characters (and readers, vicariously) into the middle of the action.

Your next question was:

**What should I focus on the most...?**

That is easy and difficult to answer.

**Easy Answer**

The easy answer is focus on what is important to your story. Focus on what the character sees and experiences. That leads us inexorably to the (more) difficult answer.

**(More) Difficult Answer**

The difficult answer isn't really more difficult. It actually makes logical sense too. However, _it is more work_.

**Act Out The Scene**

The way to get to "what you should focus on" is to act out the scene in your head.

**Ask Yourself The Following Questions**

1. How would you feel, if you awoke in a strange place?
2. What would be the first thing that would go through your mind? (Where am I? Where was I last?)
3. While you are thinking those things, how would your body react? (Cry? Curl into little ball?, etc)
4. What actions would you then take? (try to find a way out?, cry more?)

**Visualize The Scene**

Begin to visualize the actual scene taking place with yourself as the protagonist. Capture the reactions step by step in your writing and write it clearly so someone else can see the scene play out in front of them.

If you follow these simple steps you will find that your fiction becomes very realistic and will be clear for readers.

Original score: 4