Tonet's Daily Playlist requires a Flash Plugin How to Start Your Story with a Bang
By tonet on Jul 4, 2007 in How To, Life and Experience
One purpose of writing a story is to create a world that will draw the reader away from his or her own. In order to do this one must create suspense, drama and mystery. Your reader must absolutely need to get from page to page, to find out what happens. There are several simple techniques to get your story going and draw the reader in. Here are just a few:
Steps:
1. Start in the middle of a problem, such as a lover’s quarrel, a murder, a personal dilemma.
2. Start with an unusual environment, such as Alice in Wonderland, the beginning of the final frontier, a journey to a new world.
3. Start with action, such as a gun has just been fired, a woman is deciding whether to jump or not, a hospital ER being mobilized.
4. Start with a feeling.
* Example: The soft silk slid across her skin, as she finally slid into his bed. Hot coals burned his stomach as the bullet tore through him. The rich, velvety feel of chocolate on her tongue was the perfect end to a dreadful day.
Tips:
Avoid too many details at the start, unless they are absolutely crucial to understanding your story. Even then, save descriptions for later in your story if you can. Get the reader hooked first, then you can describe the rich incandescence of his eyes or the exact color of her house. Remember, your story should be like life, fast-paced, even at a standstill, and utterly surprising.
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