WWE Fan Fiction Help

First Chapter: Do's and Don'ts

           This is one of the major things I get asked on a daily basis. What should I include in my first chapter? What should I leave out? How do I get my readers to continue reading? After writing almost a hundred first chapters, I have finally compiled a list of do's and don'ts to help answer the golden question. First, I will begin with the don'ts. I will add a brief explanation to help you understand my reasoning.

The Don'ts

1. Don't begin your chapter dragging on about the scenery.

- This is your reader's first impression of your book. They don't want to read six paragraphs about how the cliché alarm clock buzzed on your nightstand or how your posters lined your bedroom walls. They don't care and if you don't grab their attention within those first few paragraphs, they'll hit the back button to never return again.

2. Don't introduce every character in your book all at once.

- This is one of those things that drives every reader insane. The first chapter is important but that doesn't mean you need to explain every character in your book in a few paragraphs. I like to introduce two but I would say three is a hard maximum. Anything over that and you're going to overwhelm your reader.

3. Don't switch point of views!

- I know this one will probably get me a lot of hate but before you comment anything vulgar, please refer back to chapter one and hear me out. In the publishing world, publishers HATE point of view switches. You could literally write the best book ever, with perfect dialogue and grammar, and they will turn you down just for that reason. At first, I didn't understand why but then I did some digging. Switching point of views quickly does nothing but confuse your reader about who's talking. It is highly recommended that you never ever switch POV's in your book, but if you do, please don't do it in the first chapter. I guarantee you that people will stop reading.

4. Don't make your chapter long.

- This applies to every chapter but especially the first. It is a proven fact that if you keep it between 1,000 to 2,000 words, readers are more likely to continue reading your book. Around ninety percent of the audience here on Wattpad reads on mobile devices and usually while their traveling. They don't want to scroll through pages and pages of text that really aren't necessary.

5. Don't make silly grammar mistakes.

- This is one of the most hated topics by writers everywhere but I promise, it is important. This rule happens to be my biggest pet peeve. Nothing can possibly turn me away faster from reading a book than bad grammar. It drives me insane! Don't write in text language, I honestly shouldn't even have to explain this. Use complete sentences and please, dear God, re-read what you write. I promise you will catch ninety-nine percent of the errors you make just by reading it aloud. I do this before I publish any of my chapters and it honestly just becomes a habit. Another trick I like to use, is copying and pasting my chapter into Google Translate. When you do this, you can hit the volume button at the end of the text and it will actually read back what you've written. This is a life saver! You will catch some silly things just by doing this.

The Do's

1. Paint the reader an image.

- You can do this without explaining every detail about your surroundings. Something simple like, "The cold winter breeze blew through my hair as I watched him enter the arena." That is just as good, if not better than, "It was a chilly evening with snow in the air as I stood behind the black car. I was dressed in my merch t-shirt, black jeans, Nike shox, and black hooded jacket. The sky was a dull blue and the clouds in the shape of hearts as I watched him enter the arena." First of all, we don't need to know the color of the car, what you're wearing, or what the sky looked like when all we care about is who you're watching.

2. Use action to your advantage.

- Nothing can get a reader interested like action. Instead of opening with ten paragraphs about your surroundings, add some kick. Throw in something to make your readers curious about your main character(s). Make them interested and ask, "Why?"

3. Make your main character relatable.

- No one is perfect and your main character shouldn't be either. Everyone has their flaws and flaws make great conflicts! For instance, someone with a bad temper, communication problems, trust issues, and the list goes on and on. Use these things to your advantage by getting your reader in your character's shoes.

4. Add a cliffhanger.

- Now, I'm not saying add them to every chapter, because your reader will get annoyed, but adding them to the first chapter is a win-win situation. You will get the audience hooked on your story and the reader will want to read more.

5. Introduce your conflict.

- What's going to cause problems later on in the story? Or rather who? It is more than safe to touch on this in your first chapter to get the reader wanting more. Obviously, you don't want to give it all away, but you want to give the reader a taste of what's to come.

          In short, these are my first chapter do's and don'ts. I will be furthering my tips and tricks throughout the rest of the book, along with my explanations of each. As always, feel free to ask questions, as I am here to help.