There's
nothing like a great opening to a story
to get your readers hooked. Here are
some suggestions that will almost
guarantee that your readers will keep
reading.
Your story should start with some
significant event or turning point and
present the main character with a
problem they have to solve. It should
interrupt the hero's life and send him
off in a new and exciting direction. It
should excite the readers' interest and
hook them into wanting to read more.
If you can include a sentence or phrase
that poses the problem, or the hint of a
mystery or some sense of intrigue, then
the reader will eagerly devour your
prose to find the answer. If there's one
thing readers like it's a good puzzle,
and better still they like to engage
with the author and try to work out
what's going to happen next. So hint at
some difficulty or coming conflict which
will engage the reader's mind and get
them thinking.
For instance: 'Elaine opened the letter
she had been dreading and read, "Dear Ms
Corquadale, We have conditionally
accepted you application as Head of
Science at Tollesbury School for Girls,
but we have further questions to put to
you regarding your late mother's will
and the unusual bequest she has made to
the school."'
Your opening should quite clearly tell
the reader what kind of story it is. Is
it a romance? An adventure? A horror
story? Humourous? Whatever it is make
this obvious from the start.
If you are introducing more than one
character as you open your story make it
clear who your main character is. From
then on unfold events from his or her
viewpoint. Don't make the mistake of
bringing in too many characters too
soon. Let the reader become acquainted
with them gradually or they may become
confused. It's a bit like being
introduced to strangers at a party; you
need time to remember their names.
"But how will the poor reader understand
what has gone on before and how my hero
got to the opening hiatus?" I hear you
asking. Well, for starters it's a bit
early in the morning to start using
words like 'hiatus' but I know what you
mean. The thing is you can use the
'flashback' device that will neatly
answer this problem.
You know what that is, I'm sure, but for
any writers new to the craft I'll
explain. After zapping the reader with
your exciting opening there should soon
come a time when the pace slows down a
bit. At this point you can introduce a
flashback to fill in some background.
For instance: 'Gerald sat down
breathlessly on the grass behind a thick
hedge well away from the farmer's
shotgun. If only he had realised, he
thought to himself, that his decision to
leave sleepy Swancote-by-the-Sea and
embark on the life of a photo-journalist
could have landed him into so much hot
water, things might have been
different.' This gives an anchor to his
past, and more can be filled in later if
needed. There are other devices but
space does not permit.
Another opening gambit is dialogue.
Start with someone saying something. Not
necessarily the hero, but make what they
say pertinent to the story's theme with
that all important hook to engage the
reader. Such as, "Mr Bullstrode, if you
don't come out of your bedroom
immediately I shall call the police!"
Hopefully the above ideas will have
given you the inspiration to get
cracking and create some great openings
to your stories.
