The Accidental Writer: The Magic of the First Chapter
A good first chapter should feel like a first kiss. It should leave the reader intrigued, a little breathless, and wanting more. If your first chapter does that, then you have a winner. Of course that’s easier said than done.
Here are a few things you should do in a first chapter. Establish one of the major characters. He or she doesn’t need to be the main character, but certainly an important one. Don’t forget that when establishing any major character it’s important to show a number of (think 7) personality traits that will immediately lock readers in and establish an intimate relationship between character and reader. Set a tone for the novel. If you’re writing a thriller, make it fast and suspenseful. Lastly, set up the main conflict in your story in some fashion. You don’t need to lay it all out for the reader, but at least a hint that makes the reader think “hmm” and leaves him or her wanting to know more.
There are also a few things to avoid in your first chapter. Back-story for characters should be sparse if used at all. There’s time for that later. Settings, while important in later chapters, should be kept to a minimum. Emphasize those things that hook readers—characters and conflict. Don’t give the reader an “information dump” where you tell them everything in the world they need to know for the entire story. Too much, too soon, ruins that first embrace.
The opening chapter of your novel is the all-important moment when you get to make a first impression with the reader. In our fast-paced world, readers will dispense with any book that doesn’t grip them and make them want to read more in the opening few pages. It’s your chance at that first kiss. Make it a good one.
You can read my mostly incoherent rambings on twitter at @JeffAltabef. If you’re interested in a great local political thriller, check out my debut novel Fourteenth Colony. http://www.amazon.com/Fourteenth-Colony-Jeff-Altabef/dp/1625104529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406498452&sr=1-1&keywords=fourteenth+colony
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