The first chapter is daunting. It has to do so much. Introduce characters. Hint at conflict. Set the scene. Establish voice. Hook the reader.
That’s a tall order for 2,000 words, so let’s break down exactly what that a first chapter needs to do.
First and foremost, your first chapter is your contract with your reader. This means the tone, writing style and overall feel of your book needs to continue past these first pages into the rest of the book. This is where you tell you reader what this book is about and what this journey will be like.
Essentially, this means that first chapter has to work HARD. Harder than all the other chapters. For me, it’s too overwhelming thinking of all the things those first pages must accomplish. If you try to address everything, you’ll end up with an unenjoyable mish-mash of facts and info that have no place in that first interaction with your reader.
So I always focus on two things for Chapter 1: Voice and conflict.
The voice is what pulls your reader in (a must-have for the first page), and the conflict is what will make your reader turn the page to chapter 2.
Let’s look at both:
1. Voice – Your first page needs to come out swinging with a strong, unique voice. Your word choice, sentence length, rhythm of words all lend to the voice of your main character. Take time to make sure this voice sings on your first page.
2. Conflict – There is no story without conflict, so we need to get a sense of it in this first chapter. This does NOT have to be (and usually shouldn’t be) the central conflict of the story. That will just bog your first pages down. Instead, it should either be a hint of this larger conflict or a smaller, introductory conflict (that usually mirrors the central conflict). It needs to be enough that your reader wants to know how things will turn out. And since your voice is so compelling, the reader is already invested in the character and will need to find out how this conflict resolves for him or her!
Of course, you’ll need to put in other elements as you go, but if you nail these two things, everything else will fall into line.
One other note about first chapters: A lot of writers think starting your story "in media res" means you have to start in the middle of an exciting action sequence. That may work for some books, but for most (and definitely in contemporary writing), in media res doesn't mean in the middle of the action, it means in the middle of the story (translated as 'in the middle of things.') That may be a quiet scene, but as long as the emotion/tension/conflict (and voice!) are present, it can be just as thrilling as a chase scene.
My final thought is to not obsess over first chapters during drafting. Most of the time, I think I have started my book in the perfect place until I get about half-way through and realize what my story is actually about and go back and overhaul my first chapter. Then, when I get to the end of the draft, I know even more, and I tackle Chapter 1 again. Since your first chapter is essentially your last chapter in disguise, how can you really do it justice until you've written that last chapter?!
So, tell your inner perfectionist to shut-up and just starting writing the story, even if you don't have the perfect beginning yet. You'll find it along the way!
~March 13 | The Book Box, Draper | Come launch Erin's new YA book EVERY BORROWED BEAT and talk all things young adult romance with fellow authors Tricia Levenseller, Kathryn Purdie and Rosalyn Eves.
Erin Stewart is the author of books for children, including young adult novels SCARS LIKE WINGS, THE WORDS WE KEEP, and her debut middle-grade novel THE FORGOTTEN MAGIC OF ZOEY TURNER. Her latest YA--EVERY BORROWED BEAT--launches THIS March!
Erin is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern and a BYU undergraduate. Erin lives in Utah with her husband and three children. She is represented by the amazing Rebecca Sherman of Writer’s House.
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