“Hook your readers and draw them into your world.” ~~Anoop Judge
Ways to Begin a Story: Crafting the Perfect Opening
The author of this article, Anoop Judge, is also the author of No Ordinary Thursday, a family drama of secrets, misconceptions, and tragedy, She’s the author of three additional books and is also a writing instructor, a former TV host, and a recovering litigator. With a background like that, she has a lot of wisdom, and she shares some of it in the article below:
As writers, we know that the opening of a story carries immense weight. It’s our first impression, our initial handshake with the reader. An engaging start can lure readers into the narrative, making them eager to turn the page. Here are several effective ways to begin a story, each with the potential to captivate and compel.
- Start with Action
Jumping straight into the action can immediately grab the reader’s attention. It immerses them in the heart of the story, creating a sense of urgency and intrigue. For example:
It was a pleasure to burn.
It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.
Wow. Personally, I would keep reading that. That’s the opening of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
- Begin with Dialogue
Dialogue can be a powerful way to introduce characters and set the tone. A compelling conversation or a striking line can intrigue readers and propel them into the story. For instance:
One famous example of a story opening with dialogue is from “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
This opening line immediately sets the tone and theme of the novel while also capturing the reader’s attention with a bold statement. It is followed by dialogue in the second paragraph:
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
This dialogue not only introduces the characters but also propels the story forward, engaging the reader right from the start.
- Set the Scene with Vivid Description
Descriptive openings can transport readers to a different place and time, building a rich setting that immerses them in the story world. For example:
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a chain upon the gate. I called in my dream to the lodge-keeper, and had no answer, and peering closer through the rusted spokes of the gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.’
This opening line from Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier sets the scene for a novel in which dreams become nightmares, obsessions take root in the mind – and a lost house of secrets feels as real as any of its inhabitants, living or dead.
- Use a Flashback
Starting with a flashback can provide essential backstory and context that shapes the main plot. This approach can offer depth and complexity right from the start. A notable example of opening a story with a flashback can be found in Gabriel García Márquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. The novel begins with a vivid recollection from the protagonist, Colonel Aureliano Buendía:
“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.”
This opening line immediately transports the reader to a pivotal moment in the protagonist’s past, setting the tone for the intricate and layered narrative that unfolds. The flashback serves to immerse the reader in the world of Macondo and the Buendía family, hinting at the themes of memory and destiny that permeate the novel.
- Begin with a Bold Statement
A strong, declarative opening can grab attention and set a decisive tone. Consider this opening line from Anna Karenina’s Leo Tolstoy:
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
This approach can establish themes and provoke thought, making it memorable and impactful.
- Use a Thought-Provoking Quote or Fact
Opening with a quote or an intriguing fact can set the tone and context for the story. For example:
“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson.
A well-chosen quote can provide insight into the themes or mood of the narrative, engaging readers from the get-go.
In conclusion, the beginning of your story is your opportunity to hook your readers and draw them into your world. Whether you choose action, dialogue, vivid description, or a bold statement, make sure it serves the larger narrative and resonates with your intended audience. Experiment with different approaches to find the one that best fits your story’s voice and vision. Happy writing!
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“Do I let this book and this dream and this movement go? Or do I breathe new life into them?” ~~Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber
Don’t Let Poor Mental Health Destroy Your Book Launch
Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber is an award-winning author of eight books and a highly sought public speaker. She is the Founder of Tehom Center Publishing, an imprint publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. Her work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPo, Ms. Magazine, Tiny House Nation, and more. Find out all about her at angelayarber.org.
In the article below she discusses how her mental health affected her book launch and what she did to resolve the problem. This interview opportunity came from WOW: Women on Writing.
I had grand plans for my memoir, Queering the American Dream. But when my book was first published in hardback in 2022, I was still reeling. Struggling with Bipolar II, chronic fatigue, parenting two children with disabilities, and having just been released from a residential Eating Disorder Recovery facility that prompted a six thousand mile move across an ocean and a continent, I launched my book into the world, hoping for the best.
Mental health, grief, disability, and nearly five years living below the poverty line had other plans. They sucker punched me back into bed for nine months, launch team untapped, book marketing plans out the window.
It sucked.
And when my doctors finally took me off the medication that was keeping me down, I came back to myself. I had energy, renewed hope, and the capacity to be the productive person I’d been for over forty years. I started a publishing company, Tehom Center Publishing, an imprint publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers, and I found myself living into the movement I’d originally dreamed of with the initial publication of this book.
I wasn’t just awake and productive. I was flourishing. And I was helping other marginalized authors flourish in the process. Yet, the hardback of Queering the American Dream sat dusty in boxes, unopened for all those events I’d planned only two years prior when my health and life took a dramatic nosedive.
And I had to ask myself, “Do I let this book and this dream and this movement go? Or do I breathe new life into them?”
Girded by the wisdom of the women who inspired my queer family’s travels in my memoir, I chose the latter. And I began to dream new dreams.
This time, though, the first item on my publishing to-do list was “mental health care.”
Yes, it’s true that it wasn’t my book alone that spiraled me into a deep depression; it was the bad medication prescribed by my doctor. But my expectations related to my memoir were, indeed, part of it.
Publishing a book is hard. It can be isolating. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, whenever I coach authors at Tehom Center Publishing, one of the first things I tell them to include on their Launch Team Responsibilities List is “mental health support.” Whether it’s a therapist, a cohort of authors, or a best friend who functions like a cheerleader, writers need mental health support when we share our books with the world.
A lot of authors experience something akin to postpartum depression after we birth our books into the world. And there is absolutely no shame in this. Learn from my mistake and create a mental health plan to accompany you as you release your book into the world.
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To join us in queering the American dream and stay connected with book and publishing events, visit www.tehomcenter.org/booktour
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“Deep conversations with the right people are priceless.” –Found on a poster
Dialogue
Write a dialogue you’ve always wanted to have with a family member. Any family member. What did you want to say to a parent? To your child? What do you wish you’d asked a grandparent? Or an aunt? Or an uncle? What might the person have said? Or refused to say?
OR
Write a dialogue between
- Your adult self and your teen self
- Yourself and your child’s teacher
- Yourself and an employee or employer
- Your teenage self and your worst enemy or best friend
- Your childhood self and an imaginary friend
- Your adult self and any government official –police person, IRS representative, your congressperson, a worker in the unemployment office, a worker at social security…
- Two children under the age of 10
- Any two people you’d like to see talk
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- Make your writing somewhere between 15 and 1500 words.
- Be clear about what’s at stake for each character.
- Make every word count.
- Add body language when appropriate.
- Help us to see and hear the characters and make us aware of how they sound to each other.
- Let us infer what isn’t said.
- Most important of all, have fun with it.
OR for a conversation starter, try this: “If you came with a warning label, what would it be?” Talk to a friend, a neighbor, a stranger, a pastor, a teacher, a partner, or your nemesis.
We’d love to read your work. If you don’t want to post it here, you can send it through the Contact Us box at the bottom of the home page. I promise to write back and tell you what I love in the work. What have you got to lose?
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“How do I start?”
A Dozen What-Ifs for Your Story
Here are some “What Ifs” to help you start a new story:
- What if your narrator is homeless?
- What if your narrator wins the lottery?
- What if your narrator is a talking dog? What will s/he say and do?
- What if your narrator wakes up in someone else’s body?
- What if your narrator is crushed by a break up with a boyfriend/girlfriend /partner?
- What if your narrator loses a family member, a best friend, or a friend she hasn’t thoutht about in 30 years?
- What if your narrator hears gossip/news that she needs to share?
- What if your narrator takes the blame for a car accident because the person driving was impaired (drunk)? What does he owe her and how will he repay it?
- What if a loved one disappears from the narrator’s life?
- What if the narrator discovers that she’s married to a man with two families?
- What if the narrator is caught in an earthquake or tornado or hurricane?
- What if the narrator hears the voice of an angel? The voice of a demon? The voice of a loved one?
Start with a scene. Start with a conflict. Start with a crisis Start anywhere. See where it goes. OR plan the ending and work towards it.
We’d love to read your work. You can post it in the comments, and we’ll say what we love, or you can send it through the Contact Box if you’re uncomfortable sharing.
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Take action on your writing goals today!
April Writing Prompts . . .
You can always free write about anything, but if you’re feeling stuck, please feel free to use these. Send the results through the Contact Box if you want to. I’ll let you know what I love about your writing and answer whatever questions you have.
- Write about spring from the POV of a new leaf or a new puppy.
- Write about any news story from the POV of a 10-year-old.
- Write about a sport from the POV of a 14-year-old.
- Write about a new job from the POV of a 25-year-old.
- Write about 2024 from the POV of a new parent.
OR Write using one of these sentence starts lifted from literature in the March 2024 issue of The Sun Magazine.
- Talking about…
- Pick-up basketball is . . .
- I picture him in . . .
- The wad of twenties in my . . .
- We are all born . . .
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A Dozen Flexible Rules for Struggling Writers:
- Write daily. Start by writing for 10-20 minutes.
- Give yourself permission to get lost in your writing
- Write about whatever you want, and if one day you want to write a list, start there.
- Go wherever the writing takes you. No one ever has to read it but you.
- When you are done, reread what you’ve written and underline 2-3 places that have energy for you.
- Pick one the next day that you really like and start there.
- Or write another list.
- Or write about whatever is on your mind.
- Can’t write? Read a story.
- As you do, look at how professionals put a story together.
- Go back to your journal and say what you liked about the story.
- Let the writing go wherever it wants before repeating Steps 5 & 6.
Start anywhere! Writing daily matters. Your techniques will improve. So will the speed at which you get ideas.
I’ve been writing Monday through Friday for the last 6 weeks or so. Theoretically, I write first thing in the morning—but I usually do some stretches, put food in Mateo McPuppers’ bowl, and pour a cup of coffee before I start. Usually, I write for 10 minutes, but I often go longer. Then polish for another 15-20.
I started doing this to help me get back on track after publishing Disrupted. I don’t consider myself a struggling writer, but this helps so much that I recommend it anytime anyone gets in a slump.
NOTE: If you defy rules:
- Quitting is not an option.
- Doodling is not an option.
- Checking the Internet or my e-mail is not an option.
You must have the material before you can start shaping it, and I feel more and more ready to shape and sculpt my stories every day.
“Write, revise, send, and repeat,” a speaker I heard recently said. I think I’ve got the first two down. For me, it’s time to start practicing send and repeat, and see where those steps take me. What do you need to work on? Please send your answer using the Contact Box on the home page.
