After writing this column for several years I’d begun to think I’ve covered most of the mechanical elements that go into writing a novel.  For the most part I have sketched out the beginning elements.  But I can never over emphasize the important elements that go into fiction writing.

 I’ve discovered from the writers in my critique group that they indeed do know how to tell a story, but all suffer the same lack of basic understanding of what goes into writing a novel.  Show, don’t tell, being the first lesson.  I delight in watching their faces when a new element is introduced, and how that element works in their own writing. There is a great deal of satisfaction when they realize “I get it!”   As new authors join us, the long-time members can see how far their own writing has come.  That’s what this column has been all about, showing you, the writer, the elements that go into fiction writing.  I have followed and taught the Dwight Swain method over the years, as I do today.  His book Techniques of The Selling Writer is truly the bible for fiction writers. 

There are still some sticking points beginning writers have trouble with.  The first being…where does the story start?  It starts the day something is different for the main character.  Desire plus danger give you a beginning for any story. Something has happened to the character in the pre-story stage that propels him/her into making a decision to go forward.  That very instant is when the story begins.

Why?

Because the story is the record of how somebody deals with danger. Until your focal character makes up their mind to fight the danger and not run away from it, you have no story.

So what is the fight all about?  To achieve a goal.  What hooks a reader in the opening sentence?  Curiosity.  What holds the reader the rest of the way? Suspense.  The reader wants to know from page one that the story question of will the focal character win, or won’t he, have enough depth and suspense to hold their attention. Suspense doesn’t always mean writing a mystery, but a feeling your story develops in a reader. Hope, plus fear.  Will it or won’t it happen?

Open your story with curiosity-arousing devices, designed to establish (1) that your focal character has a goal and (2) that goal is somehow threatened.  Always make clear what the goal is from page one and, the problem that will make it difficult to attain that goal.  If you have trouble understanding this concept then open any novel and read page one.  Remember that an author writes for the reader, so grab their attention on the first page.

So many times beginning writers feel they have to explain away their openings, their choice of character and heaven forbid…a cast of characters on the first page.  This type of writing will never get past an editor.  Find your hero and stick with him/her, let the reader follow their ups and downs throughout the story until their goal is achieved.

I also caution the prologue users.  Start the day that is different for your main character and let the reader live the story as it happens.  If you need a prologue to set the story up ask yourself why?  The prologue can usually be chapter one.  There are exceptions, but those are usually done by writers who have learned the rules and are skilled in what they are doing.  Prologues are usually used to set up what happened in the past, pre-story.  If you must use a prologue, then for goodness sake tie it into the present day first chapter.  There has to be a thread leading from one to the other or it won’t make any sense.

The second most important rule to remember about the beginning of a novel is that your story doesn’t actually start until your focal character takes on the story problem to reach their goal.  So the quicker your focal character takes on the problem, the quicker your reader will be able to reach that satisfying ending.