How to start a book off?
I have been working on my book (on and off...) for about 6 months. I have a good bit planned out with the plot, story line, and characters. I even have a small idea on how to start the story but somehow it never seems to be right.... So is there a certain place I should start my story? Way before the life changing events? Presently where the main character is and then just do backflashes? Please help!
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There have been a bunch of good suggestions already. I think what I'm offering up is coming from a slightly different angle.
My first question to you is how do you want to write your story, or how do you want to write stories in general? Some writers are fervent outliners and they refuse to write any scenes until a solid skeleton is built. Some writers are intentionally discovery writers, they write with some purpose, story, character, setting, etc in mind, but they do not have a specific plan for what will happen. They let the story come to them as they write and edit.
As stated, there is not one answer. The most important is to not allow yourself too much time to think about it. There isn't a perfect formula, but for me, I try to evenly balance my time between mental processing and content creation. Or another way to put it, just start typing, or scribbling, or sketching... It is frustrating as a writer to produce bad content, but it is a contradiction as a writer to produce no content.
Trying something like a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) group... or a meet-up to get you into the discipline of producing content. Once you're writing consistently you can even potentially work on multiple projects at once to keep your mind fresh, as perhaps even find other genres you really enjoy.
There's tons of advice to be given, but the most important is to put words on paper. The rest will follow...
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The most important thing to remember when writing the opening of the story is that you have to keep the reader interested.
If it bores the reader, there is a high chance that he or she will put the book down.
This does not mean starting straight off with the life-changing events; in fact, those events will feel fake if there is no build-up. (Not to mention that the reader might not understand what's going on - another reason readers put down books!)
Bottom line, though, is that it depends on many factors.
By the way, you can post possible openings here and ask for critique.
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When in doubt, make it count for something. Many authors begin the story at a place which is or will be a pivotal part of the plot. Only you will know where or what this is, of course.
That is not to say that you should elaborate or explain why this particular passage is central, of course. Suspense and lack of information will drive your story forward.
A few famous examples:
The Accidental Tourist, by Anne Tyler begins with the main event: The time when the protagonists wife asks him for a divorce. This is the event that triggers everything that transpires in the book.
Lord of the Rings by Tolkien begins with him describing the hobbit race. They will turn out to be the main focus of the books.
The hitchhiker's guide the the galaxy, by Douglas Adams begins with a description of Earth, and its subsequent destruction. The reasons for which are not immediately obvious.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown begins with the assassination of an old man, which puts us firmly in the middle of the conspiracy and a murder mystery.
Perhaps more or less all books can be crammed into such a category, but the point is, this central point was invented (or discovered) by the author. Follow the threads in your story, see where they originate, and begin there.
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If the beginning is blocking you, start writing something else.
You have an outline, right? You know roughly what's going to happen when. So pick some point which is easier, and start there. My suggestion is to start near the beginning (If your intro is I. in your outline, start with II., for example), but start with whatever part makes you excited to be writing.
Once you get into the groove, and you're feeling the voices of your characters and watching the story unfold under your fingertips, you can let that momentum carry you back to the opening of the story.
And you might develop an opening and then toss it three months from now when you're halfway through the book and you realize there's a better way to present your story. That's okay too.
Find excuses to start writing, not excuses to keep you from writing.
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