Sage-Tips

What should you avoid in the first chapter?

7 Common Mistakes To Avoid In Your First Chapter

• An overly slow opening. Take a look at where you’ve decided to begin your novel.
• Generic or clichéd beginnings.
• Overwritten prose.
• Too much descriptive detail.
• Backstory or info-dumping.
• False beginnings/bait-and-switches.
• An unnecessary prologue.

How do you introduce a character in chapter 1?

Here is some writing advice to help you introduce your characters as effectively as possible:

1. Don’t get bogged down in physical appearance.
2. Give your character a memorable character trait.
3. Start with backstory when appropriate.
4. Introduce a character through action.
5. Introduce the main character as soon as possible.

How many characters should you introduce in the first chapter?

As a general rule of thumb I only introduce the main MAIN character in the first chapter. That’s to say, just one person. You can introduce someone else with them, but no more then one other person. After that, you can gradually introduce the characters at whatever interval you deem necessary.

What should be in the first chapter of a novel?

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 end a first chapter?

There are two main ways to end a chapter:

1. End with a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers pose big questions at the end of a chapter or section.
2. End at a natural pause. If you’re not writing a cliffhanger ending, stop at the moment you’ve fulfilled your narrative promise to the reader.

How do I not start my novel?

25 Terrible Ways to Start a Novel

• Starting 5 or 10 pages before the beginning of the story.
• Not introducing your main character immediately.
• Introducing a whole boardroom of characters.
• Not creating conflict on the first page.
• Starting with summary rather than a scene.

Who is main character?

The main character is a central character who acts as the audience surrogate—we experience the story through their eyes. The main character is involved in the story, interacts with the secondary characters, and is personally impacted by the plot’s main conflict.

How do you introduce a large number of characters?

The easiest solution is to split up the introduction. If it’s possible at all, have the MC share a scene with one or two characters, then with two or three others, and so on until you’ve introduced them all. It can also be helpful to mention a character not present in the scene, before he is properly introduced.

How do you introduce multiple characters in a script?

How do you introduce multiple characters in a screenplay at once? You introduce multiple characters in a screenplay by giving them all one characteristic in their actions, words or decisons that stands out from everyone else in the scene.

What makes a great first chapter?

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.

How long should your first chapter be?

From these numbers, we can establish some guidelines: the average word count of a chapter typically falls somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000 words, with 3,000–4,000 being the most common sweet spot.

How do you introduce a new character in a story?

1: Use backstory for an important character introduction. Telling a character’s history upfront immediately gives readers a sense of formative experiences and character psychology. If you choose this approach to introducing a character, avoid the info dump.

What is an example of a character introduction?

This type of character introduction is particularly common in first person novels where the protagonist is also the narrator. The narrator Taylor Greer in Barbara Kingsolver’s novel The Bean Trees is one example.

Is it weird to start a story with a secondary character?

Uncommon but not weird at all. It’s not entirely uncommon for stories to start with secondary characters finding and “activating” (freeing, hiring, convincing, blackmailing) the actual protagonist. – SF.

Can an offence be proven without reference to bad character?

An offence which could not be proved without reference to bad character would clearly be one that would fall within section 98 (a).