Asked by: Barbi Barker

How to Start a Novel: 8 Steps to the Perfect Opening Scene

1. Step 1: Think about your novel as a whole. …
2. Step 2: Set the mood. …
3. Step 3: Choose your point of view. …
4. Step 4: Craft a killer opening line. …
5. Step 5: Introduce your characters early. …
6. Step 6: Establish the stakes of the story. …
7. Step 7: Develop your inciting incident.

How do you start your first sentence in a novel?

6 Tips for Writing a Memorable Opening Line

1. Start in the middle of a story. The first lines don’t have to begin with long descriptions of a room’s appearance or a character’s personality. …
2. Open with a mystery. …
3. Flash back to the past. …
4. Describe the current state of affairs. …
5. Set the tone. …
6. Start with a voice.

How do you start an introduction for a novel?

Introductions are built from these elements:

1. Hook the reader.
2. Tell a story about the reader’s current pain.
3. Tell a story about the reader’s potential pleasure.
4. Tell them what they’ll learn.
5. Describe the author’s background/origin of book.
6. Set up the book with a call to action.

How do you start a first chapter of a novel example?

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.