Why we should not Start our Stories at the Beginning
By Patrick Davy
When we are writing our stories, we should not start at the beginning. More times than not, there is nothing interesting going on at the start of the conflict, problem, or event we are writing about. Instead, we should start writing from the point where something – something exciting – is going on. This is necessary to ensure that we grab readers’ attention right from the start. Grabbing readers’ attention early is what writing teachers call hooking readers.
Let us examine the sample openings below. We should see why it is important to start our stories where something exciting or dramatic is taking place.
Sample event
The City Council has voted to demolish the famous Night Inn Hotel that stood for over a hundred and seventy-five years at the corner of Main and Pine Streets. The City Council decides to destroy the landmark to build an apartment complex at the same spot.
Sample opening one
It was over a hundred and seventy-five years ago when fifty masons lay the foundation for the famous Night Inn Hotel at the corner of Main and Pine Streets. They dug several one-hundred-foot holes and filled them with concrete and steel. For the next ten months, the builders lay cement blocks and mortar on one another. They also ran plumbing and electrical lines and installed windows and rooftops until the building was complete. Now, the City Council has ordered the replacement of the famous building with an apartment complex.
Sample opening two
Many people from across town heard when the Night Inn Hotel on Main and Pine Streets toppled to the ground. The City Council had ordered a demolition company to destroy the famous landmark so it can build a high-rise apartment complex. Many watched the demolition with dropped jaws and wide opened eyes. In less than an hour, the company reduced one hundred and seventy-five years worth of history to a pile of rubble.
Sample two get to the heart of the action faster than Sample one. The careful writer should work, into the story later, the information about how and when builders built the hotel – after grabbing the readers’ attention. The aim from the start should be to get readers' attention. Writing a chronological list of the beginning events of whatever we are writing about might not readily grab readers’ attention.
Therefore, we should start our stories at the places and times when something exciting or dramatic is going on. The more exciting and dramatic the actions are, the more likely we are to hook readers to our stories.
Categories: Good Writing:Where to start a story
Tags: start stories beginning conflict problem attention grabbing grab grabbing hooking readers dramatic e
I always thought about going to school to get my degree in creative writing and communication, but I never thought I would be a good enough writer to make anything of it. Had I seen your tips on writing stories before I made my decision, it may have changed my mind. When you're writing, do you eventually tell the story from the beginning even if you actually don't write it at the beginning of the book or do you just leave that mystery to the readers to figure out?
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I understand your thinking about producing good enough writings to entertain readers. Every day I am learning something new about good writing. I believe we can hone and perfect our writing skills by keeping at it. This could mean write something every day. I urge you not to give up your dreams of becoming a creative writer.
Now to your question about whether you eventually tell a story from the beginning. Writers must know the beginning of the stories they are writing, but they do not have to start there. Remember, they should hook readers early. If they waste time starting from the beginning, hoping to build up to exciting actions and events, readers might not stick around that long. That is why writers need to start in the middle of actions then feed readers beginning information as needed. This back-story information is necessary to flesh out or develop characters. If writers hook readers early and feed them back-story as the stories progress, readers will figure out things for themselves.
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