Zen…

I’ve read so many interesting stories, seen awesome movies and as a detail driven writer I was able to analyze a few things.

One thing you should understand is this, If the first chapter of your story is wack, there’s a chance your readers will quit reading it before they even start.

Start with a basic setting: could be anything from alone in the shower, climbing a hill, coming back from a grocery store to a dead body in front of a house… anything at all (avoid cliches or replace cliches with a fresher approach) but keep it simple. Your readers will be engaged from the very first line.

Point of view: choose a POV that works for you and your story. If you’re writing in first person, make sure you are able to communicate your message properly to your readers with it. If not, try something else.

Some writers prefer third persons because it works mostly for their novels. Creates a perfect picture. Second person works more for non fiction books, it commands attention and demands action while first persons enable the readers get inside your head, it makes the story about them.

It’s your duty to stick to a particular POV which communicates your message strongest.

Introduce your protagonist: let your readers know who the main character is. What’s his mission in the story. What answer is he searching for or what problem is he trying to solve. Your protagonist must have a purpose or something which gives him a purpose. It could be a boy who’s usually bullied by his classmates. One day he picks a note which asks him to write down his deepest desire…

Establish a voice : your writing style is important. Your voice sets the tone of the story. It entails the mood of the story. Is your voice suspenseful? Are you grieving? Or humorous?

How do you want the readers to feel? If at the beginning of a story your readers are yet to determine the tone or mood of the story. Whether it’s suspense, romance or something, you might want to rethink what you’re doing.

Day in the life : introduce the character’s daily life. Is she a sales girl at a coffeeshop? A delivery guy?

Then what is missing in his or her life that needs to be found.

Show us his uniqueness.

A glance of the conflict that’ll set up the story is important.

Your readers will want to know more.

To start your story right, your first chapter needs to be engaging, thought provoking and it should begin with a basic setting, your main character in his daily life, his life changing encounter (this is also where conflict is introduced) and you’ll be able to figure the rest.