Beginning the Book

Beginning the book is honestly the hardest part of writing. Sure, it’s easy to daydream about the plot or the characters. But every time you get onto the actual platform and stare at the empty page, you wonder where to start.

There are several ways to start the book. You could start it in the middle of the action, like a battle scene or in the middle of an argument. You could start it with a single line that your character would say in the middle of a normal day.

But please, for the love of everything you are writing about, please don’t start it with your character waking up or describing themselves in the mirror. Sure, you might need to start it with them waking up with a nightmare but think about if you absolutely have to. Also, you do not want to hit your reader with an info dump. You want your readers to gradually know your main character through indirect characterization, like how they speak or eat.

Another thing to note for your beginning chapter is that you should introduce the conflict early, to help the readers get sucked in. When you are reading a book yourself, the first chapter is usually the most boring because you are just waiting for the actions to start. You don’t want the readers to put down the book after the first two chapters. Don’t make them wait. Make it interesting at first glance.

Lastly, I know that you are going to think your first sentence or first chapter sucks. Don’t worry, every author has been through it. Don’t delete those words. Just keep writing! Because if you keep rewriting it over and over again, you will lose interest in the book and you will give up. Just keep going and if you really need to, you can rewrite it when you're farther into your book or even better, done! I believe in you!