How to Start Your Novel

Because so much attention is paid to novel openings, you might be wondering how to start your novel. “I see my character alone, in her room,” one of my writing friends recently said about her novel opening. “It’s really important that she be isolated.”

 I shook my head. “Don’t start alone in a room. Here’s how to start your novel with a scene instead, trust me.”

How to start your novel with a scene that captivates the reader.

How to Start your novel

When you’re settling in to watch Netflix tonight, think about the opening scenes on different shows. Some start with scenic montages, giving you a few minutes to settle in before you have to pay attention. Others, like The Office, will start with an opening joke, a gag that has nothing to do with the rest of the show before they roll the opening credits and break for commercial. And then Stranger Things episode one opens with a scientist in a lab running, thinking he’ll be safe in the elevator …

All three are different, and the following scene might initially seem unrelated, but the opening has set the tone for what you should expect. But there are lessons here about how to start your novel.

When You Start a Story, Consider the Tone

When you’re wondering how to start your novel, you need to introduce your main character, set the tone, and engage the reader. What will get the reader to turn the page? In your first draft, don’t worry about your opening line or page, but do try to create a scene where we see your character interacting or reacting to something that will quickly lead to the inciting incident.

(What’s the inciting incident, you ask? The thing that happens at the beginning that sets the story in motion. The catalyst. The bit that changes the world your character is in and forces them to react.)

But I Love Writing Long, Descriptive Paragraphs!

Often writers will start a story with describing the scene, where their characters are. But to grab the reader, something needs to happen. Even if your character is isolated, we need to see them out in the world, isolated. Maybe they’re feeding the pigeons in the park. Maybe they’re sitting on a park bench, watching people go by. But then something needs to happen to them, or they need to do something. What could happen if the lonely protagonist is sitting on the park bench? How would she react if said pigeon pooped on her?

 Yes, we need to meet your character if you’re casting around for how to start your novel. Yes, it helps if they do something endearing so we care about them and want to keep reading. (For more on that, check out Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat.) But for that first draft, don’t belabor the dialogue or the exact details. You’ll work those out in revisions. Think about the tone and mood you want to set, and how you want the reader to emotionally engage with what you’re writing.

My friend moved her character out of her lonely room and into a restaurant. She ate alone, hunched in on herself, but caught the attention of a man across the room when she spilled something hot on her lap. Still alone, still isolated, but now she’s part of a scene. And it will set the tone for the rest of the story.

Whether you’re just starting your story or you’ve written a full draft, I’d love to help! Book me as an editor at Good Story Editing. Post contains affiliate links.