That's a great tip, too! That doesn't work for me since I'm such a linear writer, but I'm sure it would help a lot of other writers that don't need to write everything from beginning to end.
What you plot out for your character in your outline will 98% change when writing the actual novel. Because the more you write about someone the more you will know them even more than before and what you plotted might not mesh well with the story.
Such good advice! I had done almost everything wrong and this has really helped create a much better story for me. The idea that the tone and the promise have to be there changed everything for my first chapter goals. I will probably watch this many times.
Thank you so much for making things crystal clear to me! I believe I have a really great story to tell, but I have lost the direction and focus of the storyline. Thank for directing me out of the maze I have felt trapped in 53,000 words into my novel.
My first chapter gets to the action pretty quickly, but my creative writing lecturer said it's too quick. I like it, so I've kept it that way, but he made me doubt if I need to add more before 😑
Oh gosh, I know how that feels. I stopped writing Way of Spears for 3 months (I think) after my creative writing teacher gave it a really harsh criticism. But despite their 'credentials', I found that most of the creative writing professors at my school just didn't understand YA fiction and definitely weren't my intended audience, so their feedback stopped mattering so much to me. If you want to know more, I chat about it in this old video: th-cam.com/video/P-p2gfIbSAk/w-d-xo.html
I was always troubled by the don't start with a dream sequence because for the book i'm currently writing, dreams are so vital to the world-building and understanding how everything works.
I definitely agree with most of your tips, but I feel like it's heavily catered towards action/adventure stories. I'm hesitant to say "Start with action" when dealing with a literary novel or a high-fantasy with a complex magic system. Especially following the "Your first chapter is a promise to your readers of what's to come" tip. I guess what I'm getting at is that you give very valuable advice but for a specific niche in writing, and I wonder if you have tips for those starting out writing in other genres.
Hi there, and thanks for your feedback! I don't necessarily agree that my tips are catered toward one niche, however. Despite studying literary fiction, I don't have a preference for it, so you may be very right in saying that starting with action may not apply to that genre. However, when I say action I don't mean it has to be a fight scene or a brawl. Even a heated discussion between two people or the king in your fantasy world declaring a new law that will wreak havoc on the rest of the novel can be considered action. It is a method of drawing the reader in and enticing them to read more. It's true that not every tip will apply to every novel, and different genres may indeed require different modes of execution. For example, I don't write thrillers, and I don't know much about how they work, so I wouldn't be a good reference if you're looking for nitty gritty details about how to write one. But I do feel that I can share some basic tips that apply to a wide range of genres and writers. Please let me know if you have any further questions or are looking for some other tips. I appreciate the comment!
Really helpful video, I’ve already written my first book but was doubting chapter one. But after this video I’m thinking it’s not as bad as I thought it was lol 🎉
I just found your channel and after watching just two videos, I already love it! I've written 3 romance novels, but they are all stuck in their first drafts. Editing is so hard for me LOL
Can you do a video or series about point of view? I always find first person so entrancing when done well, yet most of the time it's a train wreck. Which one do you like best? Do you switch them up? Please, this is my favorite topic.
I really like this idea. I love talking about POV, and I've written novels both in first and third person, so it would be fun to chat about my thoughts on both. Thanks for the request!
Hi Natalia, great video and love your earrings. And I think tip seven should apply to writing each chapter. The one thing that I always struggle with is going back and trying to make it better, when I should just focus on completing it. You make a good point by the end of the novel you'll know your characters better which in turn makes writing everything else for the novel easier.
Hey Crystel! Thanks - I absolutely love earrings :D And you make a good point. It's not easy to move forward if you're constantly going back and stressing out about making each chapter perfect. Just write it to the best of your ability and then come back later to shine it up.
Thank you for this. I have begun a first chapter and it's going to be a ghost/romance. I have a few pages written but have no idea what to write next. I feel stuck but don't want to abandon it. I would like to show what I have written and get some advice.
This is great advise! I'm supposed to be on a writing break for August after July camp nano. But you have made me eager to get back in it! It isnt even August yet! 😂💚
I don't think you need to 'set the tone' as soon as you start the book. At least not in chapter one. The whole "if it's horror I want to be spooked before the end of chapter one" idea doesn't always work. Sometimes rushing things too much isn't your best option. Sometimes it even kills the mood before the story has even started. Make the reader feel so cosy he has no idea what's coming even though he bought the book in the horror aisle. And then spook him real good. Not like in the last 20% of the book of course but a few chapter in. Surprise the reader. No one wants something to predictable.
Hello, Natalia, thank you for the tips! :D I'm about to start writing a story I was planning for years and finally finished thinking up the concept (okay, relatively XD), but now that I watched this video, I feel kind of confused... Well, I tried 3-4 times to write that first chapter, and what I understood is that the best way to start that story is with a dream sequence of the first support character (the one that isn't antagonist and not in the same way important as the protagonist, but yet one of most important ones, if you understand what i'm trying to say xD), cause that dream is what leads him to the first interesting action, but now you tell it's a pretty cliched and 'wrong' way to start. I wanted to ask: what to do? Am I supposed to change the beginning scene to something that is more close to a reader, or to just keep this idea because it's the exact moment where action begins? I hope I don't disturb you in any way, and I'm waiting for the response. Thank you in advance! :)
Hi Natalia. Thanks for the tips, they will definitely help me when I go back to chapter 1. Have you done a video on edits? If not would please would you. The different types, content, line, and others. I am so confused about which to go for and at what point. Since I started posting on social media about writing, every man and his dog have been asking me to like their page or feed and then start asking me to let them know when I'll need their services. Thanks again.
Hey Kate! I haven't done an in-depth video on how I edit yet, but I'll definitely get that video up once I start editing Song of the Dryad. Thanks for the request, and I hope you continue to enjoy my videos!
I'm a new writer, I've written 7 books and several journalling-type books. I find in books that I read, authors don't know when to use contractions. I find it very unrealistic and for me, it is like a stutter in the dialog when two people say "Hi I am sam and Hi I am Mary" For me, it flows much better with Hi I'm Sam and Hi I'm Mary" Is there a rule as to when to use contractions? I keep writing to get better because my husband laughed at me when I said I was going to write a book. The first book I dreamt from beginning to end.
I always get an idea.. like I just saw a scene in reality then something came up on my mind like I just made a Short story about that scene like it immediately came up on my mind. For some reason, I think I like to make it a story but I'm always bad at Writing and explaining stuff and I like to visualize it even more since I don't have the speciality Intellegence in Vocabulary. But even though I wanna try to expand or something that I want to learn more about Writing a story. Since I can't make a Story like a Comic without a script. So.. I hope that you guys can help me.. how should I start. But This video help me too.
Sis I am currently working on a story about friendship and love... So is it necessary to introduce both the characters in chapter 1 cause I want to introduce one of the main characters and ROMANCE...later...would that work?
Great video! Would three consecutive paragraphs in the 1st chapter about what the character was doing earlier that day be considered “back story” in your opinion? My first chapter is only 5 pages long, but the MC is sitting in a car stuck in traffic rethinking the day. I’ve tried to cut and rewrite but feel it’s too important to the story to cut out entirely, but I don’t want to bore someone, either...hopefully three paragraphs wouldn’t do that. Thanks in advance!
I was watching a different video and it wouldn't let me comment, so here I am. Do you think buying say 10 paperback proofs of my book and edit it from there so I can see all the read and think of it as more than a document and give copies to CPs and family (grammer nazi's)? I really like this idea because it feels like a real book and I read it like such.
In my current novel, I started with action. As I continue to write the novel I keep finding new things I want to add to the beginning of the book. My problem is I want the book to start with the action but the extra world building stuff I keep discovering,I have to figure out where to put it other than the beginning. Even though the points I want to make are before the first chapter. That's my struggle as of today.
If I'm really stuck I'll skip writing chapter one all together and just jump right into a scene that I feel motivated with
That's a great tip, too! That doesn't work for me since I'm such a linear writer, but I'm sure it would help a lot of other writers that don't need to write everything from beginning to end.
This only works for me if I just completed a beat and I'm struggling with the reactionary scene.
I swear🤣🤣💯
Same here. Write now, organize later. Chapter 1 might already be written as chapter 5, and I bump it up later.
Dean R. Koontz begins with the inciting incident right off the bat. It's what made me buy, Phantoms. The first damn sentence is what hooked me.
shouldn't you know your Characters before you even start your first chapter?
you know from outlining?
What you plot out for your character in your outline will 98% change when writing the actual novel. Because the more you write about someone the more you will know them even more than before and what you plotted might not mesh well with the story.
Such good advice! I had done almost everything wrong and this has really helped create a much better story for me. The idea that the tone and the promise have to be there changed everything for my first chapter goals. I will probably watch this many times.
I'm so glad it was helpful! Happy writing!
Thank you, all your videos are so helpful, especially for me, a new writer.
Thank you so much for making things crystal clear to me! I believe I have a really great story to tell, but I have lost the direction and focus of the storyline. Thank for directing me out of the maze I have felt trapped in 53,000 words into my novel.
How's your story going? I'm an aspiring author myself. Writing hard, but interesting challenge. Interesting goal.
This is so helpful! Thank you so much!
My first chapter gets to the action pretty quickly, but my creative writing lecturer said it's too quick. I like it, so I've kept it that way, but he made me doubt if I need to add more before 😑
Oh gosh, I know how that feels. I stopped writing Way of Spears for 3 months (I think) after my creative writing teacher gave it a really harsh criticism. But despite their 'credentials', I found that most of the creative writing professors at my school just didn't understand YA fiction and definitely weren't my intended audience, so their feedback stopped mattering so much to me. If you want to know more, I chat about it in this old video: th-cam.com/video/P-p2gfIbSAk/w-d-xo.html
Just finished writing my first draft and started editing! I'm worried that my first chapter is not good enough but this video really helped me!
I'm so glad it was helpful! Happy writing!
I am soooo happy that I found Your channel ❤ I am writing chapter one today and I really appriciate Your advises 👍
I was always troubled by the don't start with a dream sequence because for the book i'm currently writing, dreams are so vital to the world-building and understanding how everything works.
I completely understand! Not all tips apply to every story or writer, so take the ones that help you and leave the ones that don't! :)
It was a really helpful video like always! Thank you so much for the tips! Makes it easier for writers wanting to get serious with their work!
I definitely agree with most of your tips, but I feel like it's heavily catered towards action/adventure stories. I'm hesitant to say "Start with action" when dealing with a literary novel or a high-fantasy with a complex magic system. Especially following the "Your first chapter is a promise to your readers of what's to come" tip.
I guess what I'm getting at is that you give very valuable advice but for a specific niche in writing, and I wonder if you have tips for those starting out writing in other genres.
Hi there, and thanks for your feedback! I don't necessarily agree that my tips are catered toward one niche, however. Despite studying literary fiction, I don't have a preference for it, so you may be very right in saying that starting with action may not apply to that genre. However, when I say action I don't mean it has to be a fight scene or a brawl. Even a heated discussion between two people or the king in your fantasy world declaring a new law that will wreak havoc on the rest of the novel can be considered action. It is a method of drawing the reader in and enticing them to read more.
It's true that not every tip will apply to every novel, and different genres may indeed require different modes of execution. For example, I don't write thrillers, and I don't know much about how they work, so I wouldn't be a good reference if you're looking for nitty gritty details about how to write one. But I do feel that I can share some basic tips that apply to a wide range of genres and writers. Please let me know if you have any further questions or are looking for some other tips. I appreciate the comment!
Really helpful video, I’ve already written my first book but was doubting chapter one. But after this video I’m thinking it’s not as bad as I thought it was lol 🎉
I just found your channel and after watching just two videos, I already love it! I've written 3 romance novels, but they are all stuck in their first drafts. Editing is so hard for me LOL
Very informative. Love it.
I love all your advise's for Chapter one. They are great and I will keep them in a folder.
Can you do a video or series about point of view? I always find first person so entrancing when done well, yet most of the time it's a train wreck. Which one do you like best? Do you switch them up? Please, this is my favorite topic.
I really like this idea. I love talking about POV, and I've written novels both in first and third person, so it would be fun to chat about my thoughts on both. Thanks for the request!
Thank you. Excellent information and delivery.
Great tips Natalia! I'm definitely going to be using these tips as I fully plot out my novel again and then write it.
Thank you Jess! I hope they help you out!
Ive discovered to add conflict to setting descriptions so they dont drone on so much. Then reward the reader with lots of dialogue.
Thank you!
Hi Natalia, great video and love your earrings. And I think tip seven should apply to writing each chapter. The one thing that I always struggle with is going back and trying to make it better, when I should just focus on completing it. You make a good point by the end of the novel you'll know your characters better which in turn makes writing everything else for the novel easier.
Hey Crystel! Thanks - I absolutely love earrings :D And you make a good point. It's not easy to move forward if you're constantly going back and stressing out about making each chapter perfect. Just write it to the best of your ability and then come back later to shine it up.
Those were fantastic tips. Probably the best collection I've heard. Thanks!
Thank you so much Hanah! I really appreciate it :)
Thank you for this. I have begun a first chapter and it's going to be a ghost/romance. I have a few pages written but have no idea what to write next. I feel stuck but don't want to abandon it. I would like to show what I have written and get some advice.
This is great advise! I'm supposed to be on a writing break for August after July camp nano. But you have made me eager to get back in it! It isnt even August yet! 😂💚
-fist pump- If I can inspire you to write, then I'm accomplishing what I set out to do! lol
Omg Thank you this really helped me get started!❤
I don't think you need to 'set the tone' as soon as you start the book. At least not in chapter one. The whole "if it's horror I want to be spooked before the end of chapter one" idea doesn't always work. Sometimes rushing things too much isn't your best option. Sometimes it even kills the mood before the story has even started. Make the reader feel so cosy he has no idea what's coming even though he bought the book in the horror aisle. And then spook him real good. Not like in the last 20% of the book of course but a few chapter in. Surprise the reader. No one wants something to predictable.
Very good video ❤
Thank you!! Really good advice.
I like to start my stories at the last chapter
Awesome
great tips! thanks 😊😘
Thank you for this video! It's very helpful! Writing that first chapter is such a terrifying thought, but I think I'm ready to do it!
Fun tips!
Congrats on the subbies!
Thank you!
I have an idea and i think its gonna be good
👍🏼
Thank you so much
Thank you...
The first and the last chapter...always a total stressed out chaotic mess!!!
Hey maybe i have a tip on how you could plan a chapter when you finish a chapter
tip number 4: don't start with a dream sequence.
meanwhile, Hajime Isayama: -_-
Hello, Natalia, thank you for the tips! :D I'm about to start writing a story I was planning for years and finally finished thinking up the concept (okay, relatively XD), but now that I watched this video, I feel kind of confused...
Well, I tried 3-4 times to write that first chapter, and what I understood is that the best way to start that story is with a dream sequence of the first support character (the one that isn't antagonist and not in the same way important as the protagonist, but yet one of most important ones, if you understand what i'm trying to say xD), cause that dream is what leads him to the first interesting action, but now you tell it's a pretty cliched and 'wrong' way to start.
I wanted to ask: what to do? Am I supposed to change the beginning scene to something that is more close to a reader, or to just keep this idea because it's the exact moment where action begins?
I hope I don't disturb you in any way, and I'm waiting for the response. Thank you in advance! :)
Hi Natalia. Thanks for the tips, they will definitely help me when I go back to chapter 1. Have you done a video on edits? If not would please would you. The different types, content, line, and others. I am so confused about which to go for and at what point. Since I started posting on social media about writing, every man and his dog have been asking me to like their page or feed and then start asking me to let them know when I'll need their services. Thanks again.
Hey Kate! I haven't done an in-depth video on how I edit yet, but I'll definitely get that video up once I start editing Song of the Dryad. Thanks for the request, and I hope you continue to enjoy my videos!
Natalia Leigh awww brilliant, thanks. Your videos definitely brighten up my night shifts 🤗
I'm a new writer, I've written 7 books and several journalling-type books. I find in books that I read, authors don't know when to use contractions. I find it very unrealistic and for me, it is like a stutter in the dialog when two people say "Hi I am sam and Hi I am Mary" For me, it flows much better with Hi I'm Sam and Hi I'm Mary" Is there a rule as to when to use contractions? I keep writing to get better because my husband laughed at me when I said I was going to write a book. The first book I dreamt from beginning to end.
I always get an idea.. like I just saw a scene in reality then something came up on my mind like I just made a Short story about that scene like it immediately came up on my mind. For some reason, I think I like to make it a story but I'm always bad at Writing and explaining stuff and I like to visualize it even more since I don't have the speciality Intellegence in Vocabulary. But even though I wanna try to expand or something that I want to learn more about Writing a story. Since I can't make a Story like a Comic without a script. So.. I hope that you guys can help me.. how should I start. But This video help me too.
Sis I am currently working on a story about friendship and love... So is it necessary to introduce both the characters in chapter 1 cause I want to introduce one of the main characters and ROMANCE...later...would that work?
Is it ok to start it off with a memory like something that triggers the memory?
Would a touching moment with conflict be a good place to start
Really love this video.... It was so helpful. ;;)
So glad you enjoyed it Rishi!
Great video! Would three consecutive paragraphs in the 1st chapter about what the character was doing earlier that day be considered “back story” in your opinion? My first chapter is only 5 pages long, but the MC is sitting in a car stuck in traffic rethinking the day. I’ve tried to cut and rewrite but feel it’s too important to the story to cut out entirely, but I don’t want to bore someone, either...hopefully three paragraphs wouldn’t do that. Thanks in advance!
Haha, I thought she said, “That creep that is outside your house.”
You must have a backstory for some character if not how do you know why example like why do they have a scar ?
I was watching a different video and it wouldn't let me comment, so here I am. Do you think buying say 10 paperback proofs of my book and edit it from there so I can see all the read and think of it as more than a document and give copies to CPs and family (grammer nazi's)? I really like this idea because it feels like a real book and I read it like such.
Hello! Great tips. Q. If i pick the 27 chapter structure but have 3 main characters do i do 27 chapters each?
In my current novel, I started with action. As I continue to write the novel I keep finding new things I want to add to the beginning of the book. My problem is I want the book to start with the action but the extra world building stuff I keep discovering,I have to figure out where to put it other than the beginning. Even though the points I want to make are before the first chapter. That's my struggle as of today.
:D
What's with her teeth? Does she write vampire novels to?