Crafting a Strong Beginning: What Every Good Book Opening Should Do
Good morning, friends! I’m Allison Spooner, self-published author of The Lost Girl: A Neverland Story, The Things We Cannot Change (a story about the ghosts created by addiction), and a couple of collections of flash fiction—and, well, a bunch more stories I haven’t published yet.
Why mention flash fiction? For those who don’t know, flash fiction consists of stories told in 1,000 words or less. Writing tight, compact narratives has taught me a lot about the craft of beginnings. In flash fiction, you don’t have the luxury of pages to slowly reel readers in—you need to grab their attention immediately.
I recently did a presentation on creating good beginnings, and I thought it might be helpful to share some of the tips I covered. This is going to be part of a series on what makes an opening work, so stay tuned for more posts to come. But first, let’s talk about what a great opening to a story or novel should do.
What Should A Good Beginning Do?
Your opening scene serves as the first impression of your story. It sets the tone, introduces your world, and hooks your readers into wanting more. But let’s break that down into a few key elements every strong opening should accomplish:
1. Set Up the “Before Image”
In her book Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (which I highly recommend reading), Jessica Brody talks about the importance of crafting an opening image—a snapshot of your hero’s life before the big events of the story unfold.
This “before image” becomes a reference point for the reader and contrasts with the changes and personal growth your character will experience throughout the story. Think of it as your “normal”—what life looks like before you jump in and mess it all up.
2. Establish Tone
Is your book a lighthearted romantic comedy? A dark thriller? A sweeping epic fantasy? Whatever your story’s tone might be, your opening scene should reflect it. The first few pages clue the reader into what kind of emotional experience they’re about to have.
For example, a lighthearted rom-com might open with something funny or quirky, while a thriller might kick things off with suspense. Your tone sets expectations, so readers know what they’re signing up for.
3. Introduce the Main Character(s) and Setting
Your story’s opening is your reader’s introduction to the world and its inhabitants. While you don’t need to throw every detail at them all at once, your beginning should give enough information that readers have a sense of:
- Who the story is about (your protagonist).
- Where the story takes place (the setting).
This doesn’t mean dumping your character’s life story in the first paragraph—in fact, less is more when it comes to introductions. Aim to showcase the essence of your characters and setting through subtle details and context.
4. Engage the Reader
Your opening needs to grab the reader’s attention and make them curious about what’s coming next. There are plenty of ways to accomplish this, like:
- Presenting a dramatic or intriguing action.
- Posing questions that the reader will want to see answered.
- Creating tension or conflict right off the bat.
The key is to engage your audience early and give them a reason to keep turning the page.
One Key Reminder: Avoid the Info Dump
Your opening scene is not the time for a monologue or an information dump. (We’ll dive deeper into this in a future post.) Think of your beginning as an image, not a lecture. You want readers to see and feel the world you’re building through the action and details you’re presenting, not get bogged down in heavy exposition.
How Much Time Do You Have?
Statistically speaking, the beginning of your book—the part where readers will decide if they want to continue—is the first 0-1% of your story. In a standard 300-page novel, this is just the first 3 pages.
Three pages!
That’s not a lot of time, so you’ll need to make the most of every word. If your beginning sets up the “before image,” introduces the tone, hints at the setting, and engages your audience within those first few pages, you’re in a great position to hook readers.
Next Up: What’s Needed for a Strong Beginning?
Now that we’ve talked about what a good beginning should do, the next step is discussing how to make it happen. In my next post, I’ll cover the practical ingredients that go into crafting an opening scene that ticks all the boxes. Stay tuned for that!
In the meantime, think about your current project:
- Does your opening set up the “before” image?
- Can readers tell the tone of your story right away?
- Are you engaging them with intrigue or questions?
- Is your scene showing, not just telling?
Take a look at your beginning with fresh eyes and see how it measures up!
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful rest of your day. Don’t forget to check back for the next post in this series, where we’ll dive deeper into what makes an amazing opening. Happy writing!