Blogging today on BEGININGS too ala Rob Walker

[robert walker]

Okay if you are not up for the problem(s) with Endings, you may want to see my take on BEGINNINGS as am blogging today at ACME Authors Link on Beginnings--all but the kitchen sink on the "Most Important Element of your story" with sample/examples! That is at http.//acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

[John Desjarlais]

I didn't drift over to the blog, Rob, but here's (or, here ARE) my 2 cents on beginnings:
There are 7 things an opening needs to do:
1. it hooks the editor and later the casual bookstore browser. We don't have much time/page-space to grab attention.
2. it introduces one or two of the main characters. As in chess, it's best to get the big pieces out on the board fast. My beginner students often put too many people "on stage" at the start.
3. it hints at a conflict to come or a problem to solve. Put another way, the "Story Question" must emerge early and be important enough for the reader to want it answered.
4. it suggests the genre and mood of the story. "In walks this dame poured into a red dress..." immediately says 'noir' (or a parody of one).
5. It sets the pace of the story. One can feel by the language rhythm whether this will be a roller-coaster ride or a long walk.
6. It suggests the setting (time, location, period, culture).
7. It starts - as we hear so often - in medias res, in the middle of action, close to a change in the status quo.

The main problems I see in student work with #7 is that writers feel a need to provide lots of backstory right away to understand the action. So they do a 'backstory dump' (maybe a flashback) after the opening graf of action - thereby putting on the brakes - or they decide to attach a 'prolog,' which is just another form of backstory dump (unless the action in it occurs at least ten years before the opening scene).

Starting 'in medias res' is the usual advice but it isn't the only choice. There are 3 points you can open (if your story is told in chronological fashion):
1. just before the problem comes up
2. just as the problem comes up
3. just after the problem comes up.

I'd use #1 if it introduces the main character well AND emphasizes the seriousness of the problem he/she'll face. The drawback: it can run too long.
I'd use #2 if the arrival of the problem itself is more dramatic. I think we can see how lots of our stuff begins like this: the discovery of the body. The drawback: it can emphasize the problem over the main character. Another common problem is that the arrival of the problem is announced by a wake-up phone call (I once won a 'worst opening sentence' contest with: Brrriiiiiiiiiiiiing! went the phone.
I'd use #3 if the lead character's reaction or first action to solve the problem is more dramatic. The drawback: at some point we need to know what caused this action, requiring backstory in one form or another - flashback, backstory bits in dialog, a dossier, an interrogation, etc.

OK, it was 3 cents, not 2. Sorry for the ramble.

[robert walker]

I can see you have given the matter considerable thught, John. See also that like me you have taught and apparently are teaching fiction now. Good for you! Best way to stay sharp on fiction is to teach it--as with anything, I believe. My blog on the subject offers some sample openings after a brief paragraph--that grabs hold--on the matter. I believe in show and tell, examples, models as I am sure you do, Sounds like we are on the same page and I agree with your 7. When your next book is rolled out, contact me and we'll find a spot for you on ACME authors at http.//acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Rob

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Great points, John. I feel like I could print that off and teach a class with it.

Crime fiction, in my opinion, is one of the easiest genres to apply your principles. Many works begin with a crime being committed or discovered. This method sets everything up. Even within a short chapter, all seven criteria can be met (with maybe the exception of introducing the protag).

[Daniel Hatadi]

Robert, it's generally poor form to post announcements about blog events in the main forum (there's an Events section and your own member blog for that), and usually I would just delete the post. However, people have put some time and thought into their comments so I will leave it as is. For the future, please have a good read of the section on Promotion in the Help page.