I know many of you are starting a novel today. So am I. That's exciting. But the thing about starting a novel is, most people start at the beginning. And you don't need to do it that way, you can start writing whatever scene interests you first and jump around, but most of you will be writing chronologically, so I thought I'd chat a bit about opening a novel, and maybe you'll find something useful here.
When the reader starts your novel they're deciding whether to continue reading. It's up to you to provide an incentive to do that. This can be done with:
Coming into the middle of a conversation is a great way to capture and hold the reader's attention. In addition to showing us characters and how they interact with each other, it brings us into the swing of things rather than drawing out the beginning with long-winded exposition.
"But the Duke will be there!"
As the conversation and dialogue tags unfold we learn context of the conversation.
Action doesn't necessarily mean swordfights or car chases, although starting the story in the middle of a battle or chase scene can work very well. Really, it's about motion. The character doing something.
A logger taking the final blow to a tree with an axe before wiping their brow. A busy parent throwing packed lunch into their son's hands. A job candidate checking their reflection before an interview.
The beginning of the story shouldn't feel like the beginning of the world. The world should already be there, established, in motion, when the reader comes in, and action is a good way to convey that.
Another good way to hook the reader is by offering an intriguing teaser line, something that leads the reader wanting to know more.
I hadn’t planned on attending my own funeral, but the invitation was handwritten and far too polite to ignore.
When the alarms finally stopped, we all clapped. The experiment had worked.
The rules were simple: never look directly in the mirror after midnight, and never, under any circumstance, answer when it calls your name.
I was eight when my mother disappeared, but it took me twenty years to realize she’d been practicing for it my entire life.
I mentioned long-winded exposition earlier. Generally it is a good idea to avoid this, especially at the beginning, but that doesn't mean we can't paint a picture for the reader. A good strong opening image can be a great way to start your story.
Dr. Wren looked like someone had tried to draw a person from memory and gotten the details slightly wrong - too many buttons, hair in constant rebellion, and eyes that never seemed to blink at the right time.
Ash fell like lazy snow over the rooftops, muffling the world in a strange hush. Somewhere, a bell kept ringing, as if refusing to believe the church was gone.
The hotel smelled of dust and orange peels, its chandeliers long since surrendered to cobwebs but still pretending to sparkle when the sun hit just right.
The main street glowed honey-gold, the neon sign of the diner flickering its last stubborn “O” while cicadas tuned their night symphony in the trees.
A current of warm air coiled around her ankles as she stepped off the curb, an impossible thing in winter, but then again, so was the shadow that crossed the street ahead of her without its owner.
The tents stood like ghosts under the pale sun, their edges fluttering with old newspaper clippings and prayer flags. Even the wind sounded tired, dragging its feet across the dunes.
A really memorable and attention grabbing way to open a story is with a statement. The most famous example that comes to mind is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
In this one statement Austen establishes the setting, tone and premise of the novel before even introducing any characters.
Tonal shifts can be extremely affective at the right time, but put some thought into what sort of tone you want to maintain through the story and how you can introduce it. This is not so much about what you say but how you say it. Word choice. Number of syllables per sentence. Number of sentences per paragraph. Metaphors and similes or straight-forward description. Mood. Think about all the things that go into establishing and maintaining tone.
Mystery is good, but there's a fine line between mystery and disorientation. Try to make sure by the end of page 2, the reader knows
There are going to be exceptions to this but make sure these are deliberately made, not just because you are meandering in your introduction.
4. Accept that your opening will probably change
You're nor really writing an entire novel this month, you're writing the first draft. Once you've finished the draft, you might realise that the story actually needs to start several weeks earlier, or much later, or from an entirely different pov. That's normal. That's writing.
- Use your opening to set tone and manage reader expectations
- Anchor the reader in the world
- Be willing to rewrite your beginning once you understand your ending
As you dive into Day 1 of your November writing challenge, don’t chase the perfect first line; chase momentum. Your opening isn’t a masterpiece, it’s a door. Walk through it. Focus on tone and energy, not polish. You’ll fix the rough edges later. For now, get words down, find your rhythm, and trust that clarity comes from motion. The best beginnings reveal themselves halfway through the process, so start writing, and let the story catch up.
