Writing Tips

Beginnings

Many professional writers say that Beginnings are the hardest part of the story to write. You've got to introduce the character, make the reader like her/him, show the genre, and make the reader like the first chapter (if not the first sentence) enough so that they'll keep on. 

There are three things that a first chapter must do:

1) Introduce the main character (MC)

It is important to introduce the MC soon in the novel. As @awendybird pointed out, ALL books don't introduce the MC immediatley, and many of those stories (Jurrasic Park, Game of Thrones, etc.) can get away with it. But usually introduce your character ASAP.

Besides just stating who the MC is, you've got to make the reader care about him/her. An unlikable character turns people away faster then rotten sushi. A flat character, an obnoxious character, a perfect character will make someone stop reading and head for Harry Potter or the like.

2) Plant a hook so that the reader is interested

A person who has read many books will judge your story by the first paragraph, if not the first sentence. There is too much competition in the novel world for your story to start at the 'boring' part. You cannot tell your reader: "No, I promise, it gets better at chapter four" Sorry buddy, that's not going to fly. Start with an inciting moment, or an action. Instead of starting right before a sword fight, start in the sword fight. The reader will most likely be sucked in, and want to know who will win, why they are fighting, etc.

Also, you don't have to feel the need to give all the backstory in the first chapter (I proclaim myself partially guilty of this -_-) People are *usually* smart enough to pick up facts if you plant them every now and then, instead of info dumping. 

3) Introduce the plot, setting, and other characters

Make sure the beginning of your book is right at the beginning of the plot, the place where things start to happen. Introduce other important characters. Also, introduce the genre. This is important. When not on Wattpad, when you can read on the side "Fantasy/Romance", you need the reader to know what genre it is. Make sure they know it's fantasy by telling about kingdoms and mythical lands. Make sure they know it's science fiction by having robots or a different government introduced. 

Many times, we want to give up right as we start on the book. We read the first two paragraphs, proclaim it crappy, and want to give up. Just write it. Get it all out, and later you can revise. If you are constantly worrying about how the character first comes across and the action, etc, etc, you aren't writing. So write it out. Don't care how crappy it seems at first. Get it done, and then revise. 

~Star