When my editor returned my second manuscript, she suggested that I delete the first chapter. She thinks the tale begins at the wrong point. It’s difficult to figure out the best spot to start the story. The reader must care about the main character before caring about their troubles and travails. Some backstory must be sprinkled into the narrative, but too much backstory bogs down the pace. It’s a balancing act…and subject to individual opinion. When I was querying agents, I received conflicting feedback. One person said that there was too much backstory and another said that there was not enough…
Aspiring authors are warned that they must hook the reader at the outset or all is lost. I recently watched the interview of a literary agent. He said that the key was piquing curiosity—making the reader curious so they would keep reading. Something must happen at the outset: an action scene or major disruption. The beginning must contain conflict, tension, and a foreshadowing of danger.
The agent discussed some “do’s and don’ts.” Never begin with a dream sequence or awakening from sleep. Don’t start the story with the main character on a solo car ride or staring into a mirror and talking to themself. Don’t begin with a ringing phone or alarm. Don’t start with dialogue. Never begin with a backstory dump. Do start with a compelling and intriguing situation that hooks the reader. Published authors can bend the rules, but debut authors are advised to color within the lines.
The Cozy subgroup of Sisters in Crime has been discussing when the body should drop. For debut authors, the body should drop early. But the main character must be introduced beforehand so the reader becomes invested in their well-being. As Lois Winston said, “The bottom line is that you want to create a compelling story with a sleuth that readers will bond with and want to keep reading about.” And Kaye George advised, “…open with tension. Some unanswered questions. Some mysteries.”
Bottom line: finding the right starting block to launch your story is critical to winning the publishing race.
