I'm sitting here laughing at myself and wondering what the heck I've gotten myself into. One of the things I've recognized from the start is that I believe I have three possible openings for my novel. This video may have helped me whittle down the number but even at that, I know there's much work to be done. I follow several folks who talk about writing but you've quickly become my favorite. You've even helped with me wanting everything to be perfect the first time through and finally beginning to accept that ain't how this whole thing works. Thank you.
I know I'm a year in, but I have some solid advice. Many people write their entire first draft before letting anyone see it. I know people who don't tell anyone they're writing a novel. I prefer a few people to know so I have a support group. One thing I have learned (I'm not done, but it's a great step) is after I finished 5 chapters I got a professional to do the first-chapter critique of my story. It helped me learn where I can improve, where my storytelling worked, the grammatical errors I missed, and a few more. This gave me confidence. When she said she cared about my MC and what he is going through, how he feels about himself, and how he looks, that lifted my spirit. So, that's a suggest I have. Thank you for what you do, I love your videos, they are helping me become a better writer.
@@AlyssaMatesic I should note, the book I'm writing started as a short story, which a friend looked at and critiqued 18 years ago, so I had a solid idea. I just focused on re-writing it as I basically had a rough outline. :)
First, congratulations on making your channel so successful in such a short period. Judging by the number of comments, you have cultivated a loyal, diligent and focused crowd of avid writers who are smart enough to seek advice. Something I wished I had done more of in my youth. My current WIP is an urban fantasy with the themes of family, loyalty, and love. Based on the audience for this genre, the opening focuses on the intense stakes coupled with character detail. It doesn’t matter how much peril my protagonist is in if the reader doesn’t understand how why this matters to my character.
I want to say I think it’s amazing that you’re doing this and I’ve been watching your videos for a few months now and they have been so incredibly helpful, so thank you so much! I used character detail to open my novel, revealing my main character’s profession and a bit of what the world is like through her inner thoughts, showing how she feels about it. My biggest challenge has honestly been myself. I am so indecisive and constantly questioning whether anything I write is good enough, but I’ve been working through that. Also, lately I’ve had to struggle with killing some of my darlings :(
My opening pages contain all three, but my first line sets the scene. The most difficult part of the process for me as an underwriter is finding places to bulk up the word count with details and emotions. This is such a great giveaway idea! Good luck to everyone!
As a direct result of your video, I changed the start of my novel from: "Janine stumbled and fell, for a second time, cursing her clumsiness under her breath. She quickly looked back over her shoulder to see if the three men who were chasing her were within sight. They weren’t. She could, nonetheless, still hear them crashing through the undergrowth, far too close for comfort." to "Janine knew that she had to make a decision. Was she going to live or was she going to die? She was in mortal danger. The moment had come when she must fight or flee. She knew herself to be nothing like a fighter but she knew that she could run like the wind. This being the case, she concluded, her decision was already made for her." which, I felt, was more dramatic, more immediate and far more intriguing. I am pretty sure that the impact on editors has been seriously improved.
Hi Alyssa, thank you for the opportunity, it’s such a nice thing to do! I’ve been watching your videos for quite some time now, you’re really inspiring. In my new adult urban fantasy, I open with character detail AND stakes. It’s written in first person PoV, so the two are intertwined. My biggest challenge has been writing antagonists and villains. I am terrified of people finding my villain flat and uninteresting, even though I love It to bits. 😬 It doesn’t turn up in the first ten pages, so you won’t have to deal with It in case I wine! :D
Appreciate these videos, Alyssa. Your insight has been very helpful on my novel writing journey. 1) My novel opens with Character Detail from a narrator spirit who describes its intended target to possess. The story follows the spirit’s mission as it attempts to uncover the hidden potential of a dim human soul. 2) The biggest challenge I’ve faced so far is finding a B-story as strong as the A-story to help flesh out each character properly.
Hi Alyssa! Thank you so much for all your advice, I've been watching you for a while now. My novel probably uses the second technique (establishing intense stakes) the most in its opening pages. My biggest challenge has undoubtedly been killing my darlings! I tend to write excessively, and it's hard for me to know what should be cut and what should stay. Beta readers are very useful in this arena.
Thank you for this opportunity Alyssa. My historical fiction novel opens with the intense stakes of a woman about to give birth. I think my biggest challenge was that I had used the multiple-time line structure. Then I saw your video entitled, Your Common Novel Structures and How to Pick the Right One. You were so right - it is very complex and difficult for a newbie like myself. I realized I was making myself crazy trying to find creative ways to segue back and forth between events. It’s difficult to keep track of all the details such as the ages of the characters, what the weather would be and what had or hadn’t been invented. Once I changed around some paragraphs and sentences, the reading became smoother and the story is now easier to follow. Thank you again!
Same here-I’m doing a historical fiction based on actual events! That really makes writing SCARY! And research adds to the hectic pace of writing. Good luck to you!❤️
A blend of literary and historical fiction, my novel opens with intense stakes as, on the edge of her chair in the waiting room of a renowned psychologist, Darcy “hears” yet again the damning criticisms levelled at her over years by her dead husband, Karl - a notorious, homicidal therapist who insisted she listen only to him. This is the saga of a multi-generational haunting, a baffling family legacy Darcy plans to put a stop to. Developing successive generations of characters around a common theme of resilience in the face of the unknown while constantly progressing toward a meaningful conclusion was a tactical challenge for me, but one I've truly enjoyed. Thanks for this opportunity. Love your channel!
A. I think mine is setting as it's on a spaceship. B. My biggest challenge had been getting the characters, plot, and theme to play well together. It's a lot to harmonize. Thanks!
Congrats, Kristen! You've won the giveaway for a free critique! Please send me an email at asmeditorial [at] gmail [dot] com, and we will discuss the next steps.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for all the great advice and information. The journey of writing a novel has been both terrifying and exciting. The creative side comes easy to me. The technical/business side is a completely different story. I think my opening is closer to the third choice. I open with my main character, who is a natural born magic user, doing what he does best, being a rebellious vigilante. I have two exceptional challenges, knowing when enough is enough on editing and that dreaded blurb you’ve mentioned in an earlier video. God shoot me I’ve rewritten it more than three dozen times and still don’t like it. Thanks, keep the great content coming!
Hi Alyssa! My novel’s opening is probably closest to a character detail. My biggest challenge writing my novel has been getting the tone right. Thanks for the opportunity to work with you!
So excited about this! I use the first technique. I’m all about character, and my MC - like me - is synesthetic so she perceives the world in a unique way through color. A challenge has been pulling back on this since some readers have said they don’t understand it. Since a door chime can only ring silver for me and I have no idea what it’s like to have it any other way, I find it challenging to pull back on this type of description. Someone told me my book is trying too hard to be literary and that was before I realized I was writing a literary novel… so that has been my challenge.
Thanks so much for this video and giveaway! 1) The character detail segment of your video most closely aligns with my contemporary fiction novel’s opening, although it has scene-setting as well. 2) The hardest thing about novel-writing for me has been learning to plot and carry the same conflict thread (as well as character arcs) through a book-length manuscript in a satisfying way. Working through revisions now and the ripple effects of every plot change are brutal!
Alyssa, thank you for getting to the meat of whatever subject you are currently covering. Doing so with a smile and professionalism is refreshing. I am 60,000 words into my first novel and am in my first re-wright with notes of additions and notes on many structural and strategic inclusions before not considered by me. I deal with the main character as much as the first cataclysm in the Prelude ,which will be changed to my first chapter. I have just purchased a good size shed which I have converted for my writing. I need quiet to write and am a little envious of those who can write in a café. Thanks for helping me grow.
Thanks, Alyssa, for all the work and wisdom you put into your channel. In the first 500 words of my literary novel, character stakes, setting and character detail are shown, in that order. The biggest challenge has been integrating several major themes (about how society and the world are changing) with the development of three major characters and a suspense driven plot. Sometimes it feels like it could all explode; but the first draft is 3/4 complete without incident.
I am so glad I was called back to this video! Sorting these options in three categories reflects as much about my book as it does my style in a new light. Thank you!!
Hi Alyssa, thank you for all the tips! I’ve watched all of your videos. My novel, women’s contemporary fiction, opens with a character detail. The most difficult part of the novel writing process for me has been editing, specifically re-working my second act, I have a messy middle that I’m determined to work through. Many thanks again! Loren
Hi there, I’ve stumbled across your video’s searching for: getting my books published and I must say I couldn’t stop listening to you speaking. This has enlightened my creativity to writing better. I can’t wait to find a big publisher soon. Thank you for helping me better understand all aspects of the writing business. Free tools are always needed. I’m officially a new subscriber thanks to you..
Hey Alyssa, thanks so much for all of these super helpful videos! The first ten pages of my novel probably mostly closely align with your advice on intense stakes. The biggest challenge with this story is probably my own obsessive tendency to never stop trying to edit and revise it.
Your videos are insightful and helpful. They are a bit addictive because there is always another title I need to know about. I re-wrote my first chapter yesterday after watching your video on main characters. Thanks!
My novel opens with character detail - he's a hopeless romantic and it's shown through reverie. But I try to establish stakes early on too, so the stakes are known by the end of the first ten pages. The hardest part for me is writing prose. I don't mind outlining, executing, and revising story elements, but conveying the story elegantly with lines (active character voice, show don't tell, avoiding the white room syndrome, etc) is very difficult. Luckily, practice makes perfect, and I'm sticking with it.
Good points. Points I try to have in my opening page. A: The closest are the character details and scene-settings. The first sentence begins with her eyes rolled up in annoyance, because she is a witch and mercenary and people fear her. Especially in a village where witches are prohibited. Then it follows about the surroundings, technology and what people are wearing. All explaining in a few sentences without overwhelming the reader with information. And of course what the hero wears and what weapons she uses. B: It's a fantasy steampunk novel. But I like to take liberties what kind of technology, clothing and weapons are being used. Research on what people wore roughly 200 years ago and then 100 years, took some time. Trying to create each town the hero visits with believable surroundings and technology that suits the world, also took some time how I implement them. Another challenge is to find the right time and place how an angry witch slowly changes her behaviour, and making the romance believable.
In the novel I am currently writing I think I fulfilled the concepts you outlined in this video. The challenge in my particular story is that the tedium of where it begins is an integral part of the setting. A hum drum office job where mind numbing actions of repitition is a daily ritual. One way that I tried to avoid this setting immediately pushing people away is through the introductory paragraph. In that paragraph there are strong implications of something malevolent in the book's world. So, the order goes: Intro paragraph: there is something unforeseen and foreboding First few pages: boring office job that veils the unknown threat Midway through the first chapter tensions start to rise End of first chapter: shocking event that shows how false the boringness actually was.
Character detail is how I open my first chapter right out of the gate though I use the description to explain why she is there and the stakes she is dealing with. My biggest obstacle writing has been needing cataract surgery for over a year but the pandemic delayed them until this past July and August. I'm ready to go now physically but need to find a job first since my workplace has yet to reopen. On the plus side it has given me a lot of time to listen to a lot of authortube and lectures on writing and really outline the plot of the first book in my head to where I don't think it would have been if I had written the book already. I'm so excited to start working so I can schedule time go write during my off time.
Had to subscribe with the channel where I'll actually see that I got a response if I win, since I won't see it on my personal channel that I usually watch with :D My novel opening probably fits best within the "Intense Stakes" category; as intense as they can be anyway, given the story being told. But it uses that more as a vehicle to quickly arrive in the realm of "Character Detail", since it's a slice-of-life drama by and large. The biggest challenge I've faced in writing my novel has definitely been ensuring respectful representation of women. The story has a young, adult woman as a co-lead character, and particularly later on, it heavily explores women's issues, and systemic problems in current day society that women can often face. As a cis-male author wanting to scrutinize such topics responsibly, it's a harrowing task trying to make sure my work is a healthy, empathetic, and useful lens into womanhood for readers, while also being a compelling story that doesn't treat the female characters like props to virtue signal and white knight with. They're people first, who happen to face struggles more common and even unique to women... rather than being characterized solely by their gender and the barriers that may come with that. That's the goal anyway, lol.
Thanks for the advice Alyssa! My novel opening most closely aligns with establishing intense stakes, and has been rewritten several times! My biggest challenge has been line editing my third draft. I started it as a NoNoWriMo project, so there were large chunks of it that had to be rewritten since there were days in November where quantity > quality :)
Hi Alyssa! I am now a subscriber! I can't wait to dive into more of your videos. Will you be having another contest for the first 10 pages critiqued in the near future? I am coming from the screenwriting world. Many say to turn your screenplays into novels nowadays. I don't feel comfortable writing in novel form but am trying. Do you have any advice on that? I really would like to write in screenplay format writing scenes/descriptions and the dialogue dropped down as a normal screenplay without anything else. Like Julian Fellowes sold the screenplay in book form. Would that actually work? Love to hear your advice/thoughts. Thanks so much! Now I need to get back to watching more of your videos!
Thank you so much for doing this amazing giveaway, Alyssa! My novel actually opens up on a prologue that establishes intense stakes and interesting character background. Essentially, my mc is entered into a murder marriage (and it explains how he got in it) and he's not happy about it (obviously). The biggest challenge for me is definitely the last act. I've used your advice to make it more dynamic and interesting but I still feel like it's not enough and there's still a lot of gaps. I'm actually 50K in but the last third had been really difficult.
I start with a character detail in the form of an unique observation by the character. I recently deleted my initial first scene to improve pacing and so I could start at this new place. Biggest challenge is endless edits and revisions. Thanks.
Hi Alyssa, I am a recent follower of your channel and I find the information very useful. As I write this comment my very first children's picture book is being drawn getting ready for self-publishing on Amazon and Ingram. Happy to report that I have another dozen picture book ideas and a short novel. The idea for goes back to 2006. As I am inching towards finishing first draft I can tell my opening for the book is a mixture of the 2nd and 3rd examples you gave in this video. Thank you for making these videos. Gökhan Çukurova
Going over my first pages, I would say my novel aligns more with scene-setting. This manuscript has been a real challenge for me. I've had this idea for more than 20 years, since 1998 when I was studying filmmaking. I'm a language instructor now, and I've been writing bits and pieces ever since. Right now, I'm at the 60,000 words mark, but it seems like a neverending story. I'd love to be traditionally published, yet the standards to get an agent and sell your book are so high that it's frustrating. I believe my story is a solid, fun piece; then again I begin to self-doubt myself and hesitate about it. I'm struggling with time management and sentence structures. I don't want the passages to be repetitive. Your help would definitely push me forward to complete a stronger novel. As always, keep the good work with your channel. Best wishes! ❤🙏🏼
I’m loving your channel so far! Found it when. Researching editors. I figured if I had an editor in mind, maybe it would help keep me motivated to finally finish a novel. This is my third or fourth attempt at a move and this one uses intense stakes for the opening. A man facing the death penalty though he says he’s been wrongly convicted. He’s given a chance to convert the sentence to life, but refuses due to the terms. My biggest struggle has probably been telling more than showing, but My plan was to just get the story out first and then take care of that in the second draft. A bonus detail: the books I’ve previously started and not finished I tried plotting out using a variety of methods such as the snowball method, the save the cat method, just plain outlining… all of them failed and the writing itself felt horrible. Im a big fan of King and Gaiman and both are panthers so I’ve decided to give that a go and have enjoyed the process so much more this go around. I just hope it doesn’t cost me a lot of extra work with potential plot problems down the road. Keep up the amazing work!
This video/channel was recommended to me by a friend as I’ve been reworking my opening chapter this week. I believe my opening is closest to a character detail (but it’s an antagonist). My current challenge has been nailing down tone. It is fantasy world in which each suit in a deck of cards in a country with a unique power; a subversive fairytale. I want the opening to sound like someone is reading it to you; a tale worthy on Scheherazade, with room to explore complex motivations, human dignity, and cultural divides. Peanuts, really. Thanks for the wonderful video - it's been nice to reconsider all the options I may have to start off my story.
What are your thoughts on prologues? I started with one that takes place 10 years before the events of the story. There is some character backstory, world building that leave the reader with questions, and a compelling scene (I think). I think it adds to the story, and would make the reader want to continue. But the first chapter is definitely stronger from a page turning perspective.
I'm primarily using intense stakes, and trying to integrate a little of character detail. I'm working on a memoir and my biggest challenge is finding the right flow of revealing details to maintain tension (as the available details are a set pool of options). I also struggle with not putting in too many plot points- knowing how much is too much and what is just right to support the through line, maintain tension, and provide strong character development and reader buy in.
Hello Alyssa. I've been a subscriber for a few months now and I always appreciate the great advice. The opening to my debut novel primarily opens with intense stakes. I would say that I probably struggle with dialog more then anything else, mainly because I have had a hard time placing myself in the various characters prospective as they all come from different walks of life. It's made it difficult to determine how they might respond to one another given different circumstances. At any rate, thanks again for the great advice, I look forward to more from you soon.
Thank you for this Video. Actually it did gave me an idea that has improved my inspiration for my book opening. I shall remain looking on your videos. Thanks in advance and i send you some friendly greetings from Germany Stuttgart. Mario Omazic
Hello, Alyssa. Nice meeting you. I'm a new subscriber, but am already hooked. I've been needing something like this desperately! You're wonderful! I've been on my present book for over a year, so am at the final-final proofing stage for this one. Although the CMOS is my bible and I've always loved English and words, you're so insightful in saying that "we're too close to our novel to be able to edit it subjectively." Yet, I keep plugging along. Every time I get rejected, I plug along that much more. ..Plug....plug....plug...I've actually been writing for twenty years and feel like I've arrived, but at the same time, apparently have a way to go since I've been struggling to get published. Humorously, I had to ditch my last book, which was a light sci-fi futuristic book. I was on it for so long, it's no longer futuristic! I love your honesty, as well as your encouragement. In reference to my present comic-commercial action-adventure opening, the character's personality traits and a touch of backstory is my approach to connecting the reader to her. (The prologue is a clip from a future action scene, however.) As I'm a senior, I have twice the struggle in having the reader identify with my senior character, as many readers may be younger. And yes, I'm married to the senior-character role, as it's sort of become an issue for me, since senior characters aren't properly represented in today's market. I know we should write "what sells" but I'm an advocate of "to thine own self be true." Besides, how can it be creative and unique, yet "fit the format" at the same time? That's always my struggle. But right now, after your comments here, I'm excited to focus on my story's beginning/the agents' first impression. Thank you so much for creating your site and for working so hard to enable us to continually grow.
Great tips! I heard your channel mentioned by another TH-camr (Alexa Donne) the other day and have been digging through your useful content since. I used intense stakes to hook the reader with some tension at the start of my novel. My biggest challenge was diving deep into topics I was less knowledgeable about and keeping my notes organized throughout the writing process. I accumulated well over ten pages of research alone with loads of links to pertinent sites. It was worth the time spent though since it helped add authenticity and more layers to the story.
Hi Alyssa, my novel opens with a character detail that reveals a fundamental personality trait they have. These character details are revealed in the opening pages as my character finds himself dealing with intense stakes. The greatest struggle I've had as it pertains to the first 10 pages is establishing a likeable character through prose and dialogue while they are going through such a hard life trial.
I’d like to and subscribed. Just found you this morning. I’m very intrigued by your channel. I love that you give writing advice as well as glimpses into the publishing world. I hope you’ll do the critiques ongoing. I would love to be considered for this, as this is my first novel. I think my most difficult part is closing the novel out. My novel starts with a bang and I think it’s difficult to keep the pacing. Thanks again for taking your time to put these videos out and help us as a community. I joined simily but it doesn’t seem very well used. It seems like there’s a lot of potential there but very few people are using it as I think it was intended to be used.
Mine opens with character detail and backstory on a significant event in the main characters' lives. My biggest challenge has been writing my first trilogy. It's hard keeping things straight, deciding what details or events to include when, and not revealing things too slowly or quickly.
Great video Alyssa,...once again. :D I think this one ties very nicely with the one your posted on how to nail your novel opening, a few months ago. It complements that video without being redundant at all. Keep them coming! They are a great help. As for the giveaway, the technique that aligns the most with my novel´s opening is probably the "intense stakes" one. Although it´s also a vehicle to drive "character detail". There is some scene-setting, but it´s just an excuse for the other two. Regarding my biggest challenge, without any doubt, the fact that I have a different narrator per chapter (and sometimes unreliable ones!), and I still have to hook my reader every time. It feels like a constant uphill battle!
Solid advice throughout, priceless. My opening is character detailed with a twist of setting. My challenge is bringing the character forward given his history and past relationships. You may get the idea here. And so it goes.
(1) Opening with stakes, I feel I usually go for this as it comes natural to me. (2) Biggest challenge is keeping track of all the needed changes in early chapters whenever something gets updated in a later chapter
My opening probably has elements of all three but in particular presents the character doing something mundane but shows why it is not at all ordinary for them.
I am using the character reveal technique for my opener. My greatest challenge with my book is possibly pacing but may also be over using dialogue for world building.
Great giveaway. And also really helpful advice in the video. My current project is a YA fantasy, so in my first scene I focus on my main character and her special ability and then kind of "zoom out" to give a first glimpse of the world she lives in and her struggle to fit into that world. So it basically uses all three approaches and moves from character detail to surrounding world to stakes.
Your advice is helpful thank you for sharing! After watching video decided to add one sentence to begining that will add intensity. The secondary main character has a problem the main character wants to help him with. Through the experimental treatment her life is changed. I watched one of your other videos that suggested bringing in characters earlier instead of bringing them in when needed. I resisted this concept. Then started to write him in. I need to do more research on his character trait (ptsd). When I asked the person I left read my original about bringing in that character earlier with that trait. The reader said yes! Thank you for your advice. Hope I win your giveaway! If I can ever get it finished because I have to keep doing rewrites please know you had a huge influence.
Thanks for the helpful info and the giveaway opportunity! 1. My novel most closely aligns with the opening of Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. 2. My biggest challenge has been knowing whether what I've written is working or not. 😅 Working in a vacuum makes it hard to tell how other people will perceive it.
Big fan of your vids Alyssa! Clear, unpretentious advice from someone who actually knows what they are talking about. As for the giveaway - well I'm going to have to give it a go :) I have gone for the quirky character trait approach for my opening - as my story is very much driven by the unusual mindset of the protagonist so it makes most sense in my view. Most challenging for me has been knowing what to keep working on and what to leave and avoid 'overwriting' when revising the novel - it is so easy to lose perspective and in the quest for perfection lose the raw heart of what attracted you to the idea in the first place. But rewriting is of course also vital... so getting that balance is hard, especially when you have been immersed in a project the size of a novel for a long time.
Thanks for the video and giveaway! a) While I'm sure I've used all three techniques for different projects, for my current work in progress I think the high stakes method and character method are closest to what I've used, and b) Flow and pacing have been a couple of my main challenges, which I guess is usual in the first draft.
The "scene-setting" technique most closely aligns with the opening of my sci-fi novel, Park. The biggest challenge has been pacing; I have to keep reminding myself I'm still on the first draft and that I should just finish the thing, already!
a) I opened my novel with all three. The setting and stakes are revealed with a unique character trait. b) The most difficult element of my writing journey has been quality control. I write something that sounds like the clapping of angel wings in one chapter, then I write another that feels like I'm scraping my eyeballs with sandpaper. And while I might think I've written angels, others think it's sandpaper.
Thank you for the opportunity Alyssa! 1) Opening with a character detail: I'm writing a psychological suspense novel about a girl who thinks she sees ghosts. The story begins with the protagonist calling her uncle and trying to talk him into coming over and fixing something in the creepy house she's moving into, establishing that she's afraid of the house before she purports to see a ghost in it. 2) The challenge with this book has been to manage all its working parts. It proposes two potential realities--the ghosts are real, or the ghosts are a figment of the protagonist's imagination--and both realities have their own underlying mystery to be solved. The book's ending is either romantic or tragic depending on which reality is true. The challenge with the opening specifically is to make the protagonist loveable despite her troubled and troublemaking nature. I watch all your videos (though I'm admittedly terrible about remembering to hit the subscribe button) and would love the chance to get your feedback. Thanks again!
Hi Alyssa, Thanks for the video. As always, you provide useful information and insights. The opening of my fantasy manuscript uses the first technique. The main character does things that should be impossible, while also struggling with inner conflicts from a mysterious past. The hardest part of writing this, was a lack of confidence in myself. I’d never written anything this long and complex before. There were so many times that I wondered if I was creating something for an audience of one; namely myself. There are times in life where it’s better to have tried and failed, than to always wonder what might have been.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful tips on writing fiction. My current WIP is an epic fantasy marked by tragedy, love, guilt, intrigue and mercy. It’s meant to be gut wrenching yet enlightening on the negative as well as positive aspects of religion. I’d say the technique that I employ in the first page of my book is intense stakes. The main character must make a horrendous decision that kicks off the story. :) The most difficult thing I’ve been dealing with is filling in the finer details of the story. Like, I know what I want to convey, but whether or not it’s correct for the time period I’m trying to emulate is befuddling.
Thanks for an opportunity!! My cozy mystery starts more as an intense moment than a stake. My protagonist is getting fired. By the end of the first chapter, a customer is found dead. As my biggest struggle, why agents haven't requested a manuscript from me. I've listen to lots of videos, as in how to and what not to do. I've tried to apply it to my work. However, I must be doing something that I dont realized that I'm doing wrong. Thanks again and best of luck to everyone!
My novel opens with a bit of character description but much is about "setting the scene." He uses his "place" to give himself a comfort zone but which, somewhat unkowingly , is keeping him from obtaining true happiness or fulfillment.
My novel is YA fantasy. My opening was open with scene and Character detail, she was on the run with her body guards and her family from assassins in the woods. The biggest challenge I have was grammars, but most of it was describing situation around character during dialogue.
Thanks for this helpful video! My novel opens with a character detail and I struggle with putting in too much backstory in the early pages. I want the pages to move faster! I spent years reading literary fiction (I was an English major in college, so I was indoctrinated with the belief that "high literature" was what I should read and aspire to write), but I've been devouring commercial fiction for years now, trying to educate myself on pacing, plotting and structure to hook and entertain readers. Much to learn!
Another good video! My novel opens with a little character detail and a little scene setting. The most difficult part has been figuring out when you are done!
Hi Alyssa. Your posts are on my must view list each week. Thank you for the generous giveaway offer. My novel opens with scene-setting. My biggest challenge is not bogging down in the middle. I want to build on the stakes facing the main characters while fleshing them out. Thanks to the help of a writers group and watching instructional videos such as yours I've made progress with my writing. I look forward to your advice almost as much as I look forward to weekends and the chance to work on my story.
The character detail technique is what aligns with closely with my novel, although I do try to put the conflict as the close to the forefront as possible. The hardest part has been nailing down the motivations of my characters. I have a general sense such as greed, revenge, regret etc but putting that into real world actions through business deals and acts of sabotage and researching that whole world has been a struggle.
Hello Alyssa thank you for the wonderful contents that you've created. They've been of immense help for a newbie writer like me. Since the day I subscribed to your channel, I have not missed a single video, because I know your videos always have something new for me. 1. I am trying to write an epic fantasy and scene-setting is the one which closely align with my novel. 2. My biggest challenge as a writer is the narrative. Often' I have a feeling of dissatisfaction with the way I describe the scenes, characters, things, objects and so on. I just can't find the proper words to narrate the story in an interesting way. I know, this makes me an underwriter.... I do not know how to solve this problem, or maybe it's only a feeling.
When the phone rang I was in the kitchen, boiling a potful of spaghetti and whistling along to an FM broadcast of the overture to Rossini's 'The Thieving Magpie,' which has to be the perfect music for cooking pasta.
The first of your examples comes closest to what I'm going for, in my character-driven sci-fi novel. My biggest challenge for this particular novel was getting into the head of one of my main characters. His personality and values needed to be so different than my own and I didn't want him to feel like a strawman. I wanted him to be a rich character whose motives were understandable if flawed. Took me some time and frustration but it was worth it.
Hello! Thanks for offering this valuable giveaway! 1) The "intense stakes" technique most closely aligns with the opening of my mystery/historical fantasy WIP. 2) My biggest challenge has been wrestling with the overall pacing. I'm fairly satisfied with Acts 2 and 3, but my Act 1 still feels too lengthy and a bit meandering at times.
Thanks for offering a give away as well as all the great free advise you provide to the community! My novel starts with setting. The hardest part of my novel (besides finishing drafts) has been choosing an opening scene :facepalm:
My open more aligns with intense stakes. The hardest part of writing my mystery/detective novel has been to narrow down a direction that I want to take when telling the story that is stuck in my head. I flirted with the idea of using a series to really establish the character arcs, but I decided to basically dive in at roughly what I envisioned as the last book of the series. I figured I could explore the other ideas of potential mysteries for my detective books later, but I need to tell this story first.
Hello! Great video as always! My novel is a historical thriller about two girls from France running from Nazis to search for the Holy Grail. 1. My novel opens with scene setting and raising the stakes (Two Nazi officials in Wewelsburg Castle discuss the urgency of finding the Grail to help create an occult pagan religion to replace Christianity). 2. Being a historical thriller, I'm not entirely certain if there is too much exposition in my opening pages.
I think I have elements of both character detail and scene setting. Maybe that's part of my problem. For me, the most difficult part has been to write an engaging opening or hook. I've had multiple people read my novel and tell me they couldn't put it down from about midway through until the end. Many seem to feel the first quarter of the book is slow and lacks a hook. This video has given me a lot to think about.
My novel opens with a character detail. My biggest challenge has been with line editing. Smoothing out my prose to create an immersive narrative that flows. Sometimes I think I'm overthinking it, but I want my novel to be the best it can be.
Hi Alyssa! 1) I'm currently working on a project that starts with a "character detail". More specifically a past event. 2) Setting descriptions have always been difficult for me to write. I never know if I've written too little or too much. Thank you for reading. D.
There's nothing quite like the opening being the strongest part of the novel. It's a way to gauge your readers with expectations for that delivery, FOR THE REST OF YOUR NOVEL. Writers seem to forget that, but it is consistency and cohesiveness that makes a great story!
1) character detail 2) biggest challenge has been identifying my character voice. Writing alternating chapters between male and female POV and wanting to make sure they are different.
Hi Alyssa, Thank you so much for your useful videos, they are truly awesome! My manuscript starts off with character details as I establish the slightly dysfunctional relationship between the protagonist who is coming of age and her father set back in ancient Germania. It is my debut novel, so I have some concern about flow, how much show vs. tell, etc. I have a sprinkling of the second and third techniques later on, but felt starting with character dynamics best. The biggest challenge of writing my novel is that since it takes place in ancient Germania & ancient Rome that family relationships which are influenced by culture, historical gender roles and the societal rules such as slavery, how LGBT folks were viewed (if my description is accurate or not) and gauging how much politics to include as those historically based events cause for one of the antagonists to impact the protagonist. Also I've tried to keep the book PG13 though some of my beta readers have requested more details in the intimate scenes and fighting/killing scenes which would be more of a R rating while others have suggested more of a PG style. Finally another challenge was deciding how much description should be included in describing ancient Roman and Greek armies, weapons, tactical formations in battle, as I assume many readers would not know what a gladius or xiphos is without my writing gladius/xiphos sword or if I write a pilum that most would not understand that is a standard infantry javelin or what Roman testudo & Greek phalanx formations were. Being a novice writer I tried to add enough descriptions without slowing the story down too much.... Ultimately it is a heroine's journey now at 87,000+ words. I have had a read through and responses from my beta readers, I think I am at a sweet spot towards approaching literary agents now. Any feedback of the first 10 pages that you could add, perhaps improve my hook or cut down on this or that would be treasured. Thank you for reading this and your consideration.
An interesting video, as always, thanks! My opening begins with scene-setting and my main protagonist. It's Up Lit. I struggle with getting the balance right between dialogue and prose. Like myself, sometimes the characters talk too much!
I like Joseph Campbell's take on openings: Start with a character dealing with "every day troubles".
lol, I just wrote a scene on the first page where the mc chokes on his water XD
If that isn't an everyday trouble, I don't know what is.
I'm sitting here laughing at myself and wondering what the heck I've gotten myself into. One of the things I've recognized from the start is that I believe I have three possible openings for my novel. This video may have helped me whittle down the number but even at that, I know there's much work to be done. I follow several folks who talk about writing but you've quickly become my favorite. You've even helped with me wanting everything to be perfect the first time through and finally beginning to accept that ain't how this whole thing works. Thank you.
I'm glad the video helped you with your novel planning, if just a bit! Best of luck, Wally!
I know I'm a year in, but I have some solid advice. Many people write their entire first draft before letting anyone see it. I know people who don't tell anyone they're writing a novel. I prefer a few people to know so I have a support group. One thing I have learned (I'm not done, but it's a great step) is after I finished 5 chapters I got a professional to do the first-chapter critique of my story. It helped me learn where I can improve, where my storytelling worked, the grammatical errors I missed, and a few more. This gave me confidence. When she said she cared about my MC and what he is going through, how he feels about himself, and how he looks, that lifted my spirit. So, that's a suggest I have. Thank you for what you do, I love your videos, they are helping me become a better writer.
That's a great way to tackle the editing process--thanks for sharing!
@@AlyssaMatesic I should note, the book I'm writing started as a short story, which a friend looked at and critiqued 18 years ago, so I had a solid idea. I just focused on re-writing it as I basically had a rough outline. :)
@@joshuafurtado2299 how is the book going?
I'm so glad you gave multiple examples from different kind of books. A lot of other videos just tell you what to do without any kind of examples
The opening of the character detail that you suggested about a character doing an action, is basically how my story opening is gonna start.
First, congratulations on making your channel so successful in such a short period. Judging by the number of comments, you have cultivated a loyal, diligent and focused crowd of avid writers who are smart enough to seek advice. Something I wished I had done more of in my youth.
My current WIP is an urban fantasy with the themes of family, loyalty, and love. Based on the audience for this genre, the opening focuses on the intense stakes coupled with character detail. It doesn’t matter how much peril my protagonist is in if the reader doesn’t understand how why this matters to my character.
I want to say I think it’s amazing that you’re doing this and I’ve been watching your videos for a few months now and they have been so incredibly helpful, so thank you so much!
I used character detail to open my novel, revealing my main character’s profession and a bit of what the world is like through her inner thoughts, showing how she feels about it. My biggest challenge has honestly been myself. I am so indecisive and constantly questioning whether anything I write is good enough, but I’ve been working through that. Also, lately I’ve had to struggle with killing some of my darlings :(
My opening pages contain all three, but my first line sets the scene. The most difficult part of the process for me as an underwriter is finding places to bulk up the word count with details and emotions. This is such a great giveaway idea! Good luck to everyone!
As a direct result of your video, I changed the start of my novel from:
"Janine stumbled and fell, for a second time, cursing her clumsiness under her breath. She quickly looked back over her shoulder to see if the three men who were chasing her were within sight. They weren’t. She could, nonetheless, still hear them crashing through the undergrowth, far too close for comfort."
to
"Janine knew that she had to make a decision. Was she going to live or was she going to die? She was in mortal danger. The moment had come when she must fight or flee. She knew herself to be nothing like a fighter but she knew that she could run like the wind. This being the case, she concluded, her decision was already made for her."
which, I felt, was more dramatic, more immediate and far more intriguing. I am pretty sure that the impact on editors has been seriously improved.
Are these the very first sentences of the first chapter or prologue?
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Hi Alyssa, thank you for the opportunity, it’s such a nice thing to do! I’ve been watching your videos for quite some time now, you’re really inspiring.
In my new adult urban fantasy, I open with character detail AND stakes. It’s written in first person PoV, so the two are intertwined.
My biggest challenge has been writing antagonists and villains. I am terrified of people finding my villain flat and uninteresting, even though I love It to bits. 😬 It doesn’t turn up in the first ten pages, so you won’t have to deal with It in case I wine! :D
Appreciate these videos, Alyssa. Your insight has been very helpful on my novel writing journey.
1) My novel opens with Character Detail from a narrator spirit who describes its intended target to possess. The story follows the spirit’s mission as it attempts to uncover the hidden potential of a dim human soul.
2) The biggest challenge I’ve faced so far is finding a B-story as strong as the A-story to help flesh out each character properly.
Hi Alyssa! Thank you so much for all your advice, I've been watching you for a while now. My novel probably uses the second technique (establishing intense stakes) the most in its opening pages. My biggest challenge has undoubtedly been killing my darlings! I tend to write excessively, and it's hard for me to know what should be cut and what should stay. Beta readers are very useful in this arena.
Thank you for this opportunity Alyssa. My historical fiction novel opens with the intense stakes of a woman about to give birth. I think my biggest challenge was that I had used the multiple-time line structure. Then I saw your video entitled, Your Common Novel Structures and How to Pick the Right One. You were so right - it is very complex and difficult for a newbie like myself. I realized I was making myself crazy trying to find creative ways to segue back and forth between events. It’s difficult to keep track of all the details such as the ages of the characters, what the weather would be and what had or hadn’t been invented. Once I changed around some paragraphs and sentences, the reading became smoother and the story is now easier to follow. Thank you again!
Same here-I’m doing a historical fiction based on actual events! That really makes writing SCARY! And research adds to the hectic pace of writing. Good luck to you!❤️
A blend of literary and historical fiction, my novel opens with intense stakes as, on the edge of her chair in the waiting room of a renowned psychologist, Darcy “hears” yet again the damning criticisms levelled at her over years by her dead husband, Karl - a notorious, homicidal therapist who insisted she listen only to him.
This is the saga of a multi-generational haunting, a baffling family legacy Darcy plans to put a stop to. Developing successive generations of characters around a common theme of resilience in the face of the unknown while constantly progressing toward a meaningful conclusion was a tactical challenge for me, but one I've truly enjoyed.
Thanks for this opportunity. Love your channel!
A. I think mine is setting as it's on a spaceship.
B. My biggest challenge had been getting the characters, plot, and theme to play well together. It's a lot to harmonize. Thanks!
Congrats, Kristen! You've won the giveaway for a free critique! Please send me an email at asmeditorial [at] gmail [dot] com, and we will discuss the next steps.
@@AlyssaMatesic That is awesome!! Thank you so much.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for all the great advice and information. The journey of writing a novel has been both terrifying and exciting. The creative side comes easy to me. The technical/business side is a completely different story. I think my opening is closer to the third choice. I open with my main character, who is a natural born magic user, doing what he does best, being a rebellious vigilante. I have two exceptional challenges, knowing when enough is enough on editing and that dreaded blurb you’ve mentioned in an earlier video. God shoot me I’ve rewritten it more than three dozen times and still don’t like it. Thanks, keep the great content coming!
I like her older videos; she comes off so so cute and authentic.
Hi Alyssa!
My novel’s opening is probably closest to a character detail.
My biggest challenge writing my novel has been getting the tone right.
Thanks for the opportunity to work with you!
So excited about this! I use the first technique. I’m all about character, and my MC - like me - is synesthetic so she perceives the world in a unique way through color. A challenge has been pulling back on this since some readers have said they don’t understand it. Since a door chime can only ring silver for me and I have no idea what it’s like to have it any other way, I find it challenging to pull back on this type of description. Someone told me my book is trying too hard to be literary and that was before I realized I was writing a literary novel… so that has been my challenge.
Thanks so much for this video and giveaway! 1) The character detail segment of your video most closely aligns with my contemporary fiction novel’s opening, although it has scene-setting as well. 2) The hardest thing about novel-writing for me has been learning to plot and carry the same conflict thread (as well as character arcs) through a book-length manuscript in a satisfying way. Working through revisions now and the ripple effects of every plot change are brutal!
Alyssa, thank you for getting to the meat of whatever subject you are currently covering. Doing so with a smile and professionalism is refreshing.
I am 60,000 words into my first novel and am in my first re-wright with notes of additions and notes on many structural and strategic inclusions before not considered by me.
I deal with the main character as much as the first cataclysm in the Prelude ,which will be changed to my first chapter.
I have just purchased a good size shed which I have converted for my writing. I need quiet to write and am a little envious of those who can write in a café.
Thanks for helping me grow.
Thanks, Alyssa, for all the work and wisdom you put into your channel. In the first 500 words of my literary novel, character stakes, setting and character detail are shown, in that order. The biggest challenge has been integrating several major themes (about how society and the world are changing) with the development of three major characters and a suspense driven plot. Sometimes it feels like it could all explode; but the first draft is 3/4 complete without incident.
I am so glad I was called back to this video! Sorting these options in three categories reflects as much about my book as it does my style in a new light. Thank you!!
I’m so happy you are alive!
Thank you
Thank you for this kind comment!
Love these tips! My novel opens with a bit of scene setting and character.
Hi Alyssa, thank you for all the tips! I’ve watched all of your videos. My novel, women’s contemporary fiction, opens with a character detail. The most difficult part of the novel writing process for me has been editing, specifically re-working my second act, I have a messy middle that I’m determined to work through. Many thanks again! Loren
Hi there, I’ve stumbled across your video’s searching for: getting my books published and I must say I couldn’t stop listening to you speaking. This has enlightened my creativity to writing better. I can’t wait to find a big publisher soon. Thank you for helping me better understand all aspects of the writing business. Free tools are always needed. I’m officially a new subscriber thanks to you..
Hey Alyssa, thanks so much for all of these super helpful videos! The first ten pages of my novel probably mostly closely align with your advice on intense stakes. The biggest challenge with this story is probably my own obsessive tendency to never stop trying to edit and revise it.
Your videos are insightful and helpful. They are a bit addictive because there is always another title I need to know about. I re-wrote my first chapter yesterday after watching your video on main characters. Thanks!
My novel opens with character detail - he's a hopeless romantic and it's shown through reverie. But I try to establish stakes early on too, so the stakes are known by the end of the first ten pages. The hardest part for me is writing prose. I don't mind outlining, executing, and revising story elements, but conveying the story elegantly with lines (active character voice, show don't tell, avoiding the white room syndrome, etc) is very difficult. Luckily, practice makes perfect, and I'm sticking with it.
Thank you for using specific examples. Very helpful.
Good points. Points I try to have in my opening page.
A: The closest are the character details and scene-settings. The first sentence begins with her eyes rolled up in annoyance, because she is a witch and mercenary and people fear her. Especially in a village where witches are prohibited. Then it follows about the surroundings, technology and what people are wearing. All explaining in a few sentences without overwhelming the reader with information. And of course what the hero wears and what weapons she uses.
B: It's a fantasy steampunk novel. But I like to take liberties what kind of technology, clothing and weapons are being used. Research on what people wore roughly 200 years ago and then 100 years, took some time. Trying to create each town the hero visits with believable surroundings and technology that suits the world, also took some time how I implement them.
Another challenge is to find the right time and place how an angry witch slowly changes her behaviour, and making the romance believable.
In the novel I am currently writing I think I fulfilled the concepts you outlined in this video.
The challenge in my particular story is that the tedium of where it begins is an integral part of the setting. A hum drum office job where mind numbing actions of repitition is a daily ritual.
One way that I tried to avoid this setting immediately pushing people away is through the introductory paragraph. In that paragraph there are strong implications of something malevolent in the book's world.
So, the order goes:
Intro paragraph: there is something unforeseen and foreboding
First few pages: boring office job that veils the unknown threat
Midway through the first chapter tensions start to rise
End of first chapter: shocking event that shows how false the boringness actually was.
Thank you for this video. The first impression is most important in a novel.
Character detail is how I open my first chapter right out of the gate though I use the description to explain why she is there and the stakes she is dealing with.
My biggest obstacle writing has been needing cataract surgery for over a year but the pandemic delayed them until this past July and August. I'm ready to go now physically but need to find a job first since my workplace has yet to reopen. On the plus side it has given me a lot of time to listen to a lot of authortube and lectures on writing and really outline the plot of the first book in my head to where I don't think it would have been if I had written the book already. I'm so excited to start working so I can schedule time go write during my off time.
Had to subscribe with the channel where I'll actually see that I got a response if I win, since I won't see it on my personal channel that I usually watch with :D
My novel opening probably fits best within the "Intense Stakes" category; as intense as they can be anyway, given the story being told. But it uses that more as a vehicle to quickly arrive in the realm of "Character Detail", since it's a slice-of-life drama by and large.
The biggest challenge I've faced in writing my novel has definitely been ensuring respectful representation of women. The story has a young, adult woman as a co-lead character, and particularly later on, it heavily explores women's issues, and systemic problems in current day society that women can often face. As a cis-male author wanting to scrutinize such topics responsibly, it's a harrowing task trying to make sure my work is a healthy, empathetic, and useful lens into womanhood for readers, while also being a compelling story that doesn't treat the female characters like props to virtue signal and white knight with. They're people first, who happen to face struggles more common and even unique to women... rather than being characterized solely by their gender and the barriers that may come with that.
That's the goal anyway, lol.
Thanks for the advice Alyssa! My novel opening most closely aligns with establishing intense stakes, and has been rewritten several times! My biggest challenge has been line editing my third draft. I started it as a NoNoWriMo project, so there were large chunks of it that had to be rewritten since there were days in November where quantity > quality :)
Hi Alyssa! I am now a subscriber! I can't wait to dive into more of your videos. Will you be having another contest for the first 10 pages critiqued in the near future? I am coming from the screenwriting world. Many say to turn your screenplays into novels nowadays. I don't feel comfortable writing in novel form but am trying. Do you have any advice on that? I really would like to write in screenplay format writing scenes/descriptions and the dialogue dropped down as a normal screenplay without anything else. Like Julian Fellowes sold the screenplay in book form. Would that actually work? Love to hear your advice/thoughts. Thanks so much! Now I need to get back to watching more of your videos!
Thank you so much for doing this amazing giveaway, Alyssa! My novel actually opens up on a prologue that establishes intense stakes and interesting character background. Essentially, my mc is entered into a murder marriage (and it explains how he got in it) and he's not happy about it (obviously). The biggest challenge for me is definitely the last act. I've used your advice to make it more dynamic and interesting but I still feel like it's not enough and there's still a lot of gaps. I'm actually 50K in but the last third had been really difficult.
I start with a character detail in the form of an unique observation by the character. I recently deleted my initial first scene to improve pacing and so I could start at this new place. Biggest challenge is endless edits and revisions. Thanks.
Hi Alyssa,
I am a recent follower of your channel and I find the information very useful. As I write this comment my very first children's picture book is being drawn getting ready for self-publishing on Amazon and Ingram. Happy to report that I have another dozen picture book ideas and a short novel. The idea for goes back to 2006. As I am inching towards finishing first draft I can tell my opening for the book is a mixture of the 2nd and 3rd examples you gave in this video.
Thank you for making these videos.
Gökhan Çukurova
Going over my first pages, I would say my novel aligns more with scene-setting.
This manuscript has been a real challenge for me. I've had this idea for more than 20 years, since 1998 when I was studying filmmaking. I'm a language instructor now, and I've been writing bits and pieces ever since. Right now, I'm at the 60,000 words mark, but it seems like a neverending story.
I'd love to be traditionally published, yet the standards to get an agent and sell your book are so high that it's frustrating. I believe my story is a solid, fun piece; then again I begin to self-doubt myself and hesitate about it. I'm struggling with time management and sentence structures. I don't want the passages to be repetitive.
Your help would definitely push me forward to complete a stronger novel.
As always, keep the good work with your channel. Best wishes! ❤🙏🏼
I’m loving your channel so far! Found it when. Researching editors. I figured if I had an editor in mind, maybe it would help keep me motivated to finally finish a novel.
This is my third or fourth attempt at a move and this one uses intense stakes for the opening. A man facing the death penalty though he says he’s been wrongly convicted. He’s given a chance to convert the sentence to life, but refuses due to the terms. My biggest struggle has probably been telling more than showing, but My plan was to just get the story out first and then take care of that in the second draft. A bonus detail: the books I’ve previously started and not finished I tried plotting out using a variety of methods such as the snowball method, the save the cat method, just plain outlining… all of them failed and the writing itself felt horrible. Im a big fan of King and Gaiman and both are panthers so I’ve decided to give that a go and have enjoyed the process so much more this go around. I just hope it doesn’t cost me a lot of extra work with potential plot problems down the road. Keep up the amazing work!
This video/channel was recommended to me by a friend as I’ve been reworking my opening chapter this week.
I believe my opening is closest to a character detail (but it’s an antagonist). My current challenge has been nailing down tone. It is fantasy world in which each suit in a deck of cards in a country with a unique power; a subversive fairytale. I want the opening to sound like someone is reading it to you; a tale worthy on Scheherazade, with room to explore complex motivations, human dignity, and cultural divides. Peanuts, really.
Thanks for the wonderful video - it's been nice to reconsider all the options I may have to start off my story.
What are your thoughts on prologues? I started with one that takes place 10 years before the events of the story. There is some character backstory, world building that leave the reader with questions, and a compelling scene (I think). I think it adds to the story, and would make the reader want to continue. But the first chapter is definitely stronger from a page turning perspective.
I'm primarily using intense stakes, and trying to integrate a little of character detail. I'm working on a memoir and my biggest challenge is finding the right flow of revealing details to maintain tension (as the available details are a set pool of options). I also struggle with not putting in too many plot points- knowing how much is too much and what is just right to support the through line, maintain tension, and provide strong character development and reader buy in.
Hello Alyssa. I've been a subscriber for a few months now and I always appreciate the great advice. The opening to my debut novel primarily opens with intense stakes. I would say that I probably struggle with dialog more then anything else, mainly because I have had a hard time placing myself in the various characters prospective as they all come from different walks of life. It's made it difficult to determine how they might respond to one another given different circumstances. At any rate, thanks again for the great advice, I look forward to more from you soon.
Thank you for this Video. Actually it did gave me an idea that has improved my inspiration for my book opening. I shall remain looking on your videos. Thanks in advance and i send you some friendly greetings from Germany Stuttgart. Mario Omazic
Hello, Alyssa. Nice meeting you. I'm a new subscriber, but am already hooked. I've been needing something like this desperately! You're wonderful! I've been on my present book for over a year, so am at the final-final proofing stage for this one. Although the CMOS is my bible and I've always loved English and words, you're so insightful in saying that "we're too close to our novel to be able to edit it subjectively." Yet, I keep plugging along. Every time I get rejected, I plug along that much more. ..Plug....plug....plug...I've actually been writing for twenty years and feel like I've arrived, but at the same time, apparently have a way to go since I've been struggling to get published. Humorously, I had to ditch my last book, which was a light sci-fi futuristic book. I was on it for so long, it's no longer futuristic! I love your honesty, as well as your encouragement. In reference to my present comic-commercial action-adventure opening, the character's personality traits and a touch of backstory is my approach to connecting the reader to her. (The prologue is a clip from a future action scene, however.) As I'm a senior, I have twice the struggle in having the reader identify with my senior character, as many readers may be younger. And yes, I'm married to the senior-character role, as it's sort of become an issue for me, since senior characters aren't properly represented in today's market. I know we should write "what sells" but I'm an advocate of "to thine own self be true." Besides, how can it be creative and unique, yet "fit the format" at the same time? That's always my struggle. But right now, after your comments here, I'm excited to focus on my story's beginning/the agents' first impression. Thank you so much for creating your site and for working so hard to enable us to continually grow.
Really good tips. I like the intense stakes beginning since I write novels in the magical realism and paranormal mystery genres.
Yes, that opening works excellently for those genres!
Great tips! I heard your channel mentioned by another TH-camr (Alexa Donne) the other day and have been digging through your useful content since.
I used intense stakes to hook the reader with some tension at the start of my novel. My biggest challenge was diving deep into topics I was less knowledgeable about and keeping my notes organized throughout the writing process. I accumulated well over ten pages of research alone with loads of links to pertinent sites. It was worth the time spent though since it helped add authenticity and more layers to the story.
For the most part, I seem to agree with You.
Hi Alyssa, my novel opens with a character detail that reveals a fundamental personality trait they have. These character details are revealed in the opening pages as my character finds himself dealing with intense stakes. The greatest struggle I've had as it pertains to the first 10 pages is establishing a likeable character through prose and dialogue while they are going through such a hard life trial.
Very useful video with applicable information. Thanks.
I’d like to and subscribed. Just found you this morning. I’m very intrigued by your channel. I love that you give writing advice as well as glimpses into the publishing world. I hope you’ll do the critiques ongoing. I would love to be considered for this, as this is my first novel. I think my most difficult part is closing the novel out. My novel starts with a bang and I think it’s difficult to keep the pacing. Thanks again for taking your time to put these videos out and help us as a community. I joined simily but it doesn’t seem very well used. It seems like there’s a lot of potential there but very few people are using it as I think it was intended to be used.
Mine opens with character detail and backstory on a significant event in the main characters' lives. My biggest challenge has been writing my first trilogy. It's hard keeping things straight, deciding what details or events to include when, and not revealing things too slowly or quickly.
Great video Alyssa,...once again. :D I think this one ties very nicely with the one your posted on how to nail your novel opening, a few months ago. It complements that video without being redundant at all. Keep them coming! They are a great help.
As for the giveaway, the technique that aligns the most with my novel´s opening is probably the "intense stakes" one. Although it´s also a vehicle to drive "character detail". There is some scene-setting, but it´s just an excuse for the other two.
Regarding my biggest challenge, without any doubt, the fact that I have a different narrator per chapter (and sometimes unreliable ones!), and I still have to hook my reader every time. It feels like a constant uphill battle!
Solid advice throughout, priceless. My opening is character detailed with a twist of setting. My challenge is bringing the character forward given his history and past relationships. You may get the idea here. And so it goes.
Best of luck with your novel!
(1) Opening with stakes, I feel I usually go for this as it comes natural to me. (2) Biggest challenge is keeping track of all the needed changes in early chapters whenever something gets updated in a later chapter
My opening probably has elements of all three but in particular presents the character doing something mundane but shows why it is not at all ordinary for them.
I am using the character reveal technique for my opener. My greatest challenge with my book is possibly pacing but may also be over using dialogue for world building.
Great giveaway. And also really helpful advice in the video.
My current project is a YA fantasy, so in my first scene I focus on my main character and her special ability and then kind of "zoom out" to give a first glimpse of the world she lives in and her struggle to fit into that world. So it basically uses all three approaches and moves from character detail to surrounding world to stakes.
Your advice is helpful thank you for sharing!
After watching video decided to add one sentence to begining that will add intensity. The secondary main character has a problem the main character wants to help him with. Through the experimental treatment her life is changed.
I watched one of your other videos that suggested bringing in characters earlier instead of bringing them in when needed. I resisted this concept. Then started to write him in. I need to do more research on his character trait (ptsd).
When I asked the person I left read my original about bringing in that character earlier with that trait. The reader said yes! Thank you for your advice.
Hope I win your giveaway! If I can ever get it finished because I have to keep doing rewrites please know you had a huge influence.
Thanks for the helpful info and the giveaway opportunity! 1. My novel most closely aligns with the opening of Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. 2. My biggest challenge has been knowing whether what I've written is working or not. 😅 Working in a vacuum makes it hard to tell how other people will perceive it.
Big fan of your vids Alyssa! Clear, unpretentious advice from someone who actually knows what they are talking about. As for the giveaway - well I'm going to have to give it a go :) I have gone for the quirky character trait approach for my opening - as my story is very much driven by the unusual mindset of the protagonist so it makes most sense in my view. Most challenging for me has been knowing what to keep working on and what to leave and avoid 'overwriting' when revising the novel - it is so easy to lose perspective and in the quest for perfection lose the raw heart of what attracted you to the idea in the first place. But rewriting is of course also vital... so getting that balance is hard, especially when you have been immersed in a project the size of a novel for a long time.
Thanks for the video and giveaway! a) While I'm sure I've used all three techniques for different projects, for my current work in progress I think the high stakes method and character method are closest to what I've used, and b) Flow and pacing have been a couple of my main challenges, which I guess is usual in the first draft.
The "scene-setting" technique most closely aligns with the opening of my sci-fi novel, Park. The biggest challenge has been pacing; I have to keep reminding myself I'm still on the first draft and that I should just finish the thing, already!
take you tyme
a) I opened my novel with all three. The setting and stakes are revealed with a unique character trait.
b) The most difficult element of my writing journey has been quality control. I write something that sounds like the clapping of angel wings in one chapter, then I write another that feels like I'm scraping my eyeballs with sandpaper. And while I might think I've written angels, others think it's sandpaper.
Thank you for the opportunity Alyssa!
1) Opening with a character detail: I'm writing a psychological suspense novel about a girl who thinks she sees ghosts. The story begins with the protagonist calling her uncle and trying to talk him into coming over and fixing something in the creepy house she's moving into, establishing that she's afraid of the house before she purports to see a ghost in it.
2) The challenge with this book has been to manage all its working parts. It proposes two potential realities--the ghosts are real, or the ghosts are a figment of the protagonist's imagination--and both realities have their own underlying mystery to be solved. The book's ending is either romantic or tragic depending on which reality is true. The challenge with the opening specifically is to make the protagonist loveable despite her troubled and troublemaking nature.
I watch all your videos (though I'm admittedly terrible about remembering to hit the subscribe button) and would love the chance to get your feedback. Thanks again!
Hi Alyssa,
Thanks for the video. As always, you provide useful information and insights.
The opening of my fantasy manuscript uses the first technique. The main character does things that should be impossible, while also struggling with inner conflicts from a mysterious past.
The hardest part of writing this, was a lack of confidence in myself. I’d never written anything this long and complex before. There were so many times that I wondered if I was creating something for an audience of one; namely myself. There are times in life where it’s better to have tried and failed, than to always wonder what might have been.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful tips on writing fiction.
My current WIP is an epic fantasy marked by tragedy, love, guilt, intrigue and mercy. It’s meant to be gut wrenching yet enlightening on the negative as well as positive aspects of religion.
I’d say the technique that I employ in the first page of my book is intense stakes. The main character must make a horrendous decision that kicks off the story. :)
The most difficult thing I’ve been dealing with is filling in the finer details of the story. Like, I know what I want to convey, but whether or not it’s correct for the time period I’m trying to emulate is befuddling.
Thanks for an opportunity!! My cozy mystery starts more as an intense moment than a stake. My protagonist is getting fired. By the end of the first chapter, a customer is found dead. As my biggest struggle, why agents haven't requested a manuscript from me. I've listen to lots of videos, as in how to and what not to do. I've tried to apply it to my work. However, I must be doing something that I dont realized that I'm doing wrong. Thanks again and best of luck to everyone!
My novel opens with a bit of character description but much is about "setting the scene." He uses his "place" to give himself a comfort zone but which, somewhat unkowingly , is keeping him from obtaining true happiness or fulfillment.
My novel is YA fantasy. My opening was open with scene and Character detail, she was on the run with her body guards and her family from assassins in the woods. The biggest challenge I have was grammars, but most of it was describing situation around character during dialogue.
Thanks for this helpful video! My novel opens with a character detail and I struggle with putting in too much backstory in the early pages. I want the pages to move faster! I spent years reading literary fiction (I was an English major in college, so I was indoctrinated with the belief that "high literature" was what I should read and aspire to write), but I've been devouring commercial fiction for years now, trying to educate myself on pacing, plotting and structure to hook and entertain readers. Much to learn!
Another good video! My novel opens with a little character detail and a little scene setting. The most difficult part has been figuring out when you are done!
Hi Alyssa. Your posts are on my must view list each week. Thank you for the generous giveaway offer. My novel opens with scene-setting. My biggest challenge is not bogging down in the middle. I want to build on the stakes facing the main characters while fleshing them out. Thanks to the help of a writers group and watching instructional videos such as yours I've made progress with my writing. I look forward to your advice almost as much as I look forward to weekends and the chance to work on my story.
The character detail technique is what aligns with closely with my novel, although I do try to put the conflict as the close to the forefront as possible.
The hardest part has been nailing down the motivations of my characters. I have a general sense such as greed, revenge, regret etc but putting that into real world actions through business deals and acts of sabotage and researching that whole world has been a struggle.
Hello Alyssa thank you for the wonderful contents that you've created. They've been of immense help for a newbie writer like me. Since the day I subscribed to your channel, I have not missed a single video, because I know your videos always have something new for me.
1. I am trying to write an epic fantasy and scene-setting is the one which closely align with my novel.
2. My biggest challenge as a writer is the narrative. Often' I have a feeling of dissatisfaction with the way I describe
the scenes, characters, things, objects and so on. I just can't find the proper words to narrate the story in an interesting
way. I know, this makes me an underwriter.... I do not know how to solve this problem, or maybe it's only a feeling.
When the phone rang I was in the kitchen, boiling a potful of spaghetti and whistling along to an FM broadcast of the overture to Rossini's 'The Thieving Magpie,' which has to be the perfect music for cooking pasta.
Oh shit, I just bought a book online and it showed up in shrink wrap. I was actually looking for a video on how to open it.
Alyssa, I love watching your videos. The second one is closest to my opening. Everything is a challenge as I am new to this scene:)
I admire your work, thanks for the advice
Character detail and being in the mood to splurge
The first of your examples comes closest to what I'm going for, in my character-driven sci-fi novel. My biggest challenge for this particular novel was getting into the head of one of my main characters. His personality and values needed to be so different than my own and I didn't want him to feel like a strawman. I wanted him to be a rich character whose motives were understandable if flawed. Took me some time and frustration but it was worth it.
Hello! Thanks for offering this valuable giveaway! 1) The "intense stakes" technique most closely aligns with the opening of my mystery/historical fantasy WIP. 2) My biggest challenge has been wrestling with the overall pacing. I'm fairly satisfied with Acts 2 and 3, but my Act 1 still feels too lengthy and a bit meandering at times.
You should do this again!
Thanks for offering a give away as well as all the great free advise you provide to the community! My novel starts with setting. The hardest part of my novel (besides finishing drafts) has been choosing an opening scene :facepalm:
I realise I’m very late to the party here but I would like to ask if you have any current giveaways or any upcoming?
a) My novel opening most aligns with Scene-Setting. b) My biggest challenge has been keeping up the confidence to continue.
My open more aligns with intense stakes. The hardest part of writing my mystery/detective novel has been to narrow down a direction that I want to take when telling the story that is stuck in my head. I flirted with the idea of using a series to really establish the character arcs, but I decided to basically dive in at roughly what I envisioned as the last book of the series. I figured I could explore the other ideas of potential mysteries for my detective books later, but I need to tell this story first.
That first example begins with a comma splice. Puts me right off!
Hello! Great video as always! My novel is a historical thriller about two girls from France running from Nazis to search for the Holy Grail.
1. My novel opens with scene setting and raising the stakes (Two Nazi officials in Wewelsburg Castle discuss the urgency of finding the Grail to help create an occult pagan religion to replace Christianity).
2. Being a historical thriller, I'm not entirely certain if there is too much exposition in my opening pages.
I think I have elements of both character detail and scene setting. Maybe that's part of my problem. For me, the most difficult part has been to write an engaging opening or hook. I've had multiple people read my novel and tell me they couldn't put it down from about midway through until the end. Many seem to feel the first quarter of the book is slow and lacks a hook. This video has given me a lot to think about.
My novel opens with a character detail. My biggest challenge has been with line editing. Smoothing out my prose to create an immersive narrative that flows. Sometimes I think I'm overthinking it, but I want my novel to be the best it can be.
Hi Alyssa!
1) I'm currently working on a project that starts with a "character detail". More specifically a past event.
2) Setting descriptions have always been difficult for me to write. I never know if I've written too little or too much.
Thank you for reading.
D.
There's nothing quite like the opening being the strongest part of the novel. It's a way to gauge your readers with expectations for that delivery, FOR THE REST OF YOUR NOVEL. Writers seem to forget that, but it is consistency and cohesiveness that makes a great story!
1) character detail
2) biggest challenge has been identifying my character voice. Writing alternating chapters between male and female POV and wanting to make sure they are different.
Hi Alyssa, Thank you so much for your useful videos, they are truly awesome! My manuscript starts off with character details as I establish the slightly dysfunctional relationship between the protagonist who is coming of age and her father set back in ancient Germania. It is my debut novel, so I have some concern about flow, how much show vs. tell, etc. I have a sprinkling of the second and third techniques later on, but felt starting with character dynamics best. The biggest challenge of writing my novel is that since it takes place in ancient Germania & ancient Rome that family relationships which are influenced by culture, historical gender roles and the societal rules such as slavery, how LGBT folks were viewed (if my description is accurate or not) and gauging how much politics to include as those historically based events cause for one of the antagonists to impact the protagonist. Also I've tried to keep the book PG13 though some of my beta readers have requested more details in the intimate scenes and fighting/killing scenes which would be more of a R rating while others have suggested more of a PG style. Finally another challenge was deciding how much description should be included in describing ancient Roman and Greek armies, weapons, tactical formations in battle, as I assume many readers would not know what a gladius or xiphos is without my writing gladius/xiphos sword or if I write a pilum that most would not understand that is a standard infantry javelin or what Roman testudo & Greek phalanx formations were. Being a novice writer I tried to add enough descriptions without slowing the story down too much.... Ultimately it is a heroine's journey now at 87,000+ words. I have had a read through and responses from my beta readers, I think I am at a sweet spot towards approaching literary agents now. Any feedback of the first 10 pages that you could add, perhaps improve my hook or cut down on this or that would be treasured. Thank you for reading this and your consideration.
An interesting video, as always, thanks! My opening begins with scene-setting and my main protagonist. It's Up Lit. I struggle with getting the balance right between dialogue and prose. Like myself, sometimes the characters talk too much!