My A-Z of Writing Tips: Beginnings (The First 250 Words)

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The beginning of your manuscript is so important, all I can say is:

GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION AND DO NOT LET GO!!!

Enough said, I think.

But seriously, it pays to place a lot of importance on how you write the first page of your book. Obviously, the rest of the manuscript has to hold up as well. But...if you don't capture the agent's/editor's attention right at the start, the rest of the manuscript may not even get read. Read Mary Kole's awesome post on Beginnings if you're not convinced!

Consider your opening scene. Is it gripping? Compelling? Does something happen? Do the first 250 words give a good idea of the voice of your main character? Of your writing voice?

Here's a useful exercise for you:

1. open a new word document
2. copy the first 250 words (no more, no less) of your manuscript into the new document and save
3. let the passage sit unopened for a few days, a week (or longer) if possible
4. open the document and read the passage in complete isolation from the rest of your manuscript. Pretend you're reading it for the first time in a bookstore while you wonder if you can justify another charge to the credit card and if this is the book you'll charge
5. does the passage grab your interest? Be honest. Be objective. Would you turn the page?
6. consider the contents of your opening passage. Is your MC mentioned? Do we hear the MC's voice? Does something happen or are we just reading about the MC thinking, reading, sitting on the toilet, looking out a window, or any other passive (and possibly boring) action? Is the scene set-up so long that the reader still won't know what is happening by the end of the first page?
7. now for the big question - have you opened with a cliche? There are some great websites out there on first chapter and opening scene cliches (too many to mention). Google them and have a good read. Unfortunately, many agents will assume that if your opening scene/page is cliche-ridden (for want of a better phrase), the rest of your manuscript may be built on cliches as well. Why give them a reason to reject your work before they even turn to the manuscript's second page?
8. once you're completely happy with your opening page, give it to your critique partner(s) to read as well
9. listen to their comments. Apply
10. do a happy dance, then repeat steps 1-10 all over again!

I can't wait to read your first 250 words. Will I want to keep on reading???

How about you: how important is the beginning of your manuscript for you?

First Page Blog Fest

Today I’m participating in Elle Strauss’s First Page Blog Fest.

Here are the first 250-words from my YA Horror/Paranormal manuscript, FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

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When I woke, with a splitting headache and pain slashing through my body, things had changed. They had brought another victim.

I strained to see the girl through grainy eyes. My heart pounded, rocketing away in all directions in my too-tight chest. A drum solo emphasizing my frantic thoughts.

No. No. No.

The girl lay beside me, just out of reach. Battered. Bruised. Naked. Ragged patches of blood smeared parts of her body, shadowing the small of her back and defining the curve of her hip.

Wait…the shape of her body…it couldn’t be. Could it? My head felt like it was cemented to the ground, but I managed to lift it slightly. To see the girl better. I breathed a sigh of relief when my eyes came to rest on her matted dark hair. It was closer to mine in color than to Audrey’s bottle-blonde. I should’ve known better. My sister still lay in hospital, breathing through that awful tube shoved down her throat. There was no way this girl could be her.

She lay so still. I tried to reach toward her, tried to see if she was all right, but my own body refused my commands. My head collapsed back to the ground with a painful thud. I needed to rest.

My ragged breathing slowed. Softened. There was no other sound. The silence pressed down on me, growing louder and louder, echoing in my eardrums.

Time slithered away from me as I lay there. A giant hourglass poised in the air above my head. Waiting to fall and smash me to bits when the last grain of sand trickled through.

When will they return?

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Hope you all enjoyed reading, would love to hear what you think. I’m currently neck-deep in revisions for this manuscript, and plan to begin the submission process very soon.

To check out the other participants in this blog fest, click here.

Top Tip - The First 250 Words of Your Manuscript

GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION AND DO NOT LET GO!!!

Enough said, I think.

But seriously, it pays to place a lot of importance on how you write the first page of your book. Obviously, the rest of the manuscript has to hold up as well. But...if you don't capture the agent's/editor's attention right at the start, the rest of the manuscript may not even get read.

Consider your opening scene. Is it gripping? Compelling? Does something happen? Does the first 250 words give a good idea of the voice of your main character?

Will a casual browser in a book store want to turn the page? Even better, will the first page make the casual browser want to keep reading right to the end of the chapter? That's one of the best ways to encourage them to buy your book right off the shelves.

I'm a part of a fabulous critique group, iVoice, where we work together to discuss plot and general writing issues, give and receive critiques on various portions of our manuscripts, and improve our writing skills. One of the particular things we focus on when critiquing manuscripts is the first 250 words.

Here's a useful exercise for you:

1. open a new word document;
2. copy the first 250 words (no more, no less) of your manuscript into the new document and save;
3. let the passage sit unopened for a few days, a week if possible;
   
4. open the document and read the passage in complete isolation from the rest of your manuscript. Pretend you're reading it for the first time in a bookstore while you tap your foot and wait for your partner to stop maxing out the credit card;
5. does the passage grab your interest? Be honest. Be objective. Would you turn the page?
   
6. consider the contents of your opening passage. Is the main character (MC) mentioned? Do we hear the MC's voice? Does something happen, or are we just reading about the MC thinking, reading, musing, sitting on the toilet, looking out a window, or any other passive (and possibly boring) action? Is the scene set-up so long that the reader still won't know what is happening by the end of the first page?
   
7. now for the big question - have you inadvertently opened with a cliche? There's some great websites out there on first chapter and opening scene cliches (too many to mention), and I would suggest you Google and have a good read of them. Unfortunately, many agents will assume that if your opening scene/page is cliche-ridden (for want of a better phrase), the rest of your manuscript may be built on cliches as well. Why give them a reason to reject your work before they even turn the manuscript page;
   
8. once you're completely happy with your opening page, give it to others to read as well;
   
9. listen to their comments. Apply;
10. do a happy dance, then repeat steps 1-10 all over again!
    

Author Jody Hedlund blogs about potential first chapter problems, and makes some fantastic suggestions about things to avoid. It's definitely worth a read, and I may even do a Top Tip post on the first chapter at a later date. Keep in mind that many of Jody's suggestions will apply to the first 250 words as well.

I can't wait to read your first 250 words! Will I want to keep on reading???