What happens in the first chapter of a book?

An introduction to the main character: A great opening usually contains an introduction to the main character. By the end of the first chapter of your novel, the reader should have a basic sense of who your main character is and be eager to follow their journey into the second chapter.

What makes a poor opening for a novel?

Exposition The problem comes when an author begins their story with a mass of exposition, the information dump, which the reader has to wade through to begin the story. While this information needs to be shared, it makes for a terrible hook.

Why is the first chapter of a book important?

The first chapter of your book just might be the most important chapter you ever write. It sets the tone for the entire novel. It tells the reader the manner in which you write and that reader will decide to continue on or not after the first chapter.

How do you start off a chapter?

5 Ways to Start a Chapter and Keep Your Readers Engaged

1. Begin with action. When in doubt, begin the opening scene of a new chapter with action.
2. Try a new point of view.
3. Reveal new information.
4. Include sensory details.
5. Jump through time.

How do you start off the first chapter of a book?

An ideal first chapter should do the following things:

1. 1) Introduce the main character.
2. 2) Make us care enough to go on a journey with that character.
3. 3) Set tone.
4. 4) Let us know the theme.
5. 5) Let us know where we are.
6. 6) Introduce the antagonist.
7. 7) Ignite conflict.

What is the first chapter of a book called?

Front matter. Front matter (or preliminaries; shortened to “prelims”) comprises the first section of a book, and is usually the smallest section in terms of the number of pages.

How do you start a first chapter of a novel?

How do you start a book without being cliche?

10 Tips to Avoid Clichés in Writing

1. Avoid Stolen or Borrowed Tales.
2. Resist The Lure of the Sensational.
3. Turn a Stereotype on its Head.
4. Tell the Story Only You Can Tell.
5. Keep it Real by Taking it Slow.
6. Deliver Your Story From Circumstantial Cliché
7. Elevate the Ordinary.
8. Rescue Gratuitous Scenes From Melodramatic Action.

What does a first chapter need?

An ideal first chapter should do the following things:

• 1) Introduce the main character.
• 2) Make us care enough to go on a journey with that character.
• 3) Set tone.
• 4) Let us know the theme.
• 5) Let us know where we are.
• 6) Introduce the antagonist.
• 7) Ignite conflict.

How do you hook a reader in Chapter 1?

How to Write a Good Hook & Start Your Novel with a Bang!

1. Startle readers with the first line.
2. Begin at a life-changing moment.
3. Create intrigue about the characters.
4. Use a setting as the inciting incident.
5. Up the stakes within the first few pages.
6. Introduce something ominous right away.
7. Set the mood.

What happens in the first chapter of a novel?

In the first chapter it’s essential to establish the where and the when of the story, just so the reader isn’t flailing around through time like a wine-sodden Doctor Who. But this also doesn’t mean hitting the reader over the head with it.

What makes a good first line for a first chapter?

Opening Line Hook Your first chapter starts with a first line—and that line needs to be brilliant. Optimally, it will hook readers all by itself by presenting something so entertaining, curious, or shocking they can’t turn away.

What is a hook in the first chapter?

One of the most overlooked opportunities for a hook in the first chapter is a story’s tone. The voice and vibe of a story create its personality, and its personality is a subtle foreshadowing trick that primes readers for what to expect.

Does the first chapter of your book need to be good?

If those first pages don’t hook them, if they don’t instantly capture their attention and make them want to read more, they’ll move on to the next submission. That means if you want your book to be picked up by an agent and then a publisher, your first chapter needs to be good.