One of the best writing advice I've gotten is from a filmmaker in a workshop on making 5-minute films: something has to change. Whether it's a character reaching their goal or not, their mood, the tone, something in the environment, our perception of the situation, or any other number of things -- something must change.
@@writing8727 I didn't even watch half of it. Not good content. You don't need conflict in your story to hook readers. You can make a huge cast and make it easy for reader to follow and thats for starters what is wrong with this video.
Tips for a Great Opening: Imagery, without being too descriptive, sprinkle some words that help the reader paint a mental picture. Action, some kind of action makes that image memorable. Evoke emotion, that is what glues those images and actions into your psyche, the feelings they evoke. The emotions can be good, bad, or both, but remember that you are also setting the tone here, so make sure it is consistent with the tone you want your story to take.
Great stuff. I like the idea of the story question at the beginning; 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' 'It was a pleasure to burn.' 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.' And we can't ignore 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.' All the great stories start off with a great line and/or the story question.
Hey, I've just discovered your channel, and it really resonated with me. I'm just finished with the 3rd draft of my book and feel that the start is much weaker than the end. Right time, right place, I guess.
Welcome! Sounds like you’re in the right place 😊. I’d love to know if there are any other aspects of writing craft or process you’d like to see videos on in the future.
As a reader thinking over my own reading experience, I'm not sure about #1. It's really tricky: a moment of significant change or conflict hits harder and I care more about it if I first have a sense of what's normal for the character(s) or their world. But, as noted, taking time at the beginning to establish that "normal" can risk losing the reader.
As with many things in writing it's definitely a balancing act. I find it doesn't take much information to give readers a reason to care about a character, at least within the context of those first few scenes. If you build them around high conflict or compelling action then you earn yourself time to expand out into showing more and more of the normal world as you move through Act 1.
Just discovered your channel and feels like I found hidden treasure. I watch a lot of these videos that gives writing advice, and yours are one of the bests. I can tell these are all well thought out and you give the impression that you really know your stuff. Also you even give examples so it is easier to understand for a non English native speaker like me I hope you stay motivated doing this and gain more subs! This quality deserves at least 100k+
Thank you so much! I’ve been on a break this past month due to some real life challenges but I’m excited to dive back into regular releases again. Please let me know if there are any topics or specific issues you’d like to see some videos on.
I agree with not wasting time and showing off your skills in the first chapter to instantly hook readers, but I also agree with taking your time. A lot of times a quick-to-the-point story is amazing, but those that take their time to get there usually reward you greatly. Take Quentin Tarantino for example. A lot of his writing and directing is slow as hell, taking his sweet ass time. And his stories become so memorable, so unforgettable, turning into fan faves. He breaks a lot of rules when it comes to writing stories. And it works.
That’s a good point! But pacing is kind of a separate issue. You’ll notice that even when Tarantino moves slowly with unfolding the primary plot points his characters are always in interesting or high conflict situations, especially in the opening scenes.
I strongly disagree with Quentin Tarantino as an example of what you're trying to say. Take a look at Reservoir Dogs: opens with scene of a car careening through the street with someone in a suit bleeding profusely in the back seat. Pulp Fiction: opens with a scene of two people chatting at a table in a Diner before jumping up on the table pointing a gun at everybody in the restaurant and screaming that they're robbing them and "if anybody moves I'll kill every last one of you mother fuckers!" After the opening, sure, he slows down, but he definitely tries to hook the viewer asap.
So glad I found your channel! It feels like there’s a ton of ways to mess up telling a great story. I’m definitely going to rifle through all your videos!
Good advice all the way through! I saved this to watch a second time (or more). I do believe in hooking the reader immediately. I agree, over-describing is one of the worst mistakes new writers make.
I think this was a good video. I am really sceptical of author tube. It's so often an echo chamber. But you list some good points and do a good job of summarising them. Framing the story question is an important one. You have but to trawl through reddit's writing subs to see threads like, 'My first 3 chapters are devoted to world building, how do I...?' Important to remember to 'Get this f--king show on the road!' from the very first sentence.
I know that having a farmboy going on an adventure and becoming the hero is a boring and far too often used trope. But the story I’m currently working on is set in northern Germany (Germania) during the 2nd century a.d. and the biggest villages were rarely over 300 people. More like 200. So starting anywhere not remote and farmboy-like is literally not possible. Does that still count into the farmboy cliche or not?
This is an excellent list. I wasn't expecting your capstone item, so well done. :) One of my favorite openings is to the first Indiana Jones movie, when we get a mini-adventure with the protagonist, that encapsulates for the viewer what the larger story is going to be about. It's an idea I incorporate into all my opening chapters now. What is this story about, in miniature? While we're at it, who is the protagonist? (Don't waste time with something that happened a thousand years ago. Who is your protagonist, right now?) What's the magic system like? (Let's see it in action and get the general flavor of it.) Etc. Don't give away everything, and give only as much exposition as is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for your reader to follow along with the scene. You can get into greater detail later, when you've earned the privilege of doing so. I've just completed two first chapters for two wildly different projects, and I've found once you get this technique down, it just works.
Right, so... In this video the focus has been almost exclusively on the introduction, and how to grab the reader's attention. In all but one point in this video - namely the one about technical errors - I disagree. Let me start with the first point. Beginning the story "in medias res" as it were, can work no doubt, but not all stories benefit from this approach (i.e. setting-driven stories); Most stories I would argue, benefits from laying the proverbial foundation before anything else, establishing a baseline from which understanding can be built and in many cases removing the very idea of later plot contrivances or Deus ex Machina type scenarios. While clichés are ubiquitous in every genre, working within them rather than against them can very often be to the author and reader's benefit; The author can weave in subtle yet potent threads of nuance which is impossible if one starts the story in an odd or unusual place, the reader is also greeted in a nice and pleasant manner without the need to pay attention to every last detail of the story from second one. Conflict or tension can be excellent motivators for driving the plot or narrative, however, if there is no resolution or time for the characters to breathe it can be exhausting; It is vital to every character based story to have both highs AND lows, pitting the character against an obstacle is reasonable and expected, but after the obstacle is overcome the character/world needs to have a new baseline established before new obstacles can be faced. (Personal Note: I believe the notion of constant tension to be "moviefication" of books, and utterly unnecessary in the medium of litterray storytelling.) Introduction of a lot of characters and concepts might not be the right fit for single POV stories, but in stories with a large cast or setting-based stories it can work if done with care; Letting the reader know there are many elements in the story, only to zoom in bit by bit to all the mentioned elements, and while the balance can be hard to hit, it is a useful part of a storyteller's toolkit. (This is perhaps where I disagree the heaviest, and is most personal.) Keeping description relevant is of course essential to any story, but discarding every bit of detail not directly tied to tension is reductive to the concept of "Mood" or "atmosphere", it is here the writer can stretch the creative muscles and express something more than just action; (Personal) I believe this mentality of cutting to the core of everything is stifling for the art of storytelling, especially as someone who loves it when authors wax poetic or lyrical on one or other thing in a story, and doubly so as I enjoy writing so called "purple prose" with flowery and vivid descriptions. The point about Reader Psychology can be brought into a wider discussion, but pertinent to my disagreement here is this: What readers want is subjective beyond belief, and both subsequent points can be rolled into a single point from before; The introduction of a book is not a "trailer" for the story, as it is not a Movie, and if we are to keep up with this comparison; Not every movie is an action one, some can be documentaries, others short art films, others still can be quiet philosophical pieces. Audiences are not monolithic in their wants, and the publishing industry really has to stop forcing all but a narrow subset of literature out of the limelight. Hope this serves as an understandable critique on the points made in this video. I am as both reader and writer glad to provide my thoughts.
My story starts after the first inciting incident. I want to take the approach where what lead to the situation the character is in is revealed later in the story after it gets some setup. The focus of my story is magic. The premise is basically "Harry Potter but set in another realm". More specifically, my character is sent to another realm to learn magic. The story starts on Earth as my MC waits at what is basically the Kingscross Station of my story. This chapter is meant to be juxtaposed with the following chapter when she enters the otherworld-- the setting jumps from a cold winter night to a sunny spring morning. This is meant to reflect my characters mindset and how this is a new chapter for her. Since my story is about magic, i want to introduce it in some way in this opening chapter, i just haven't decided how yet. I'm also worried there won't be enough of a hook introduced here.
I like that my novel starts out in a specific house, and that house incorporates a lot of elements which are brought up more often, including emotional conflict. The house is present in the subsequent two parts as well. By being forced to leave the house, my first book's MC is invested instead in understanding her mother's complicated journey and also being put into that same space.
I did finish my first novel called the devil's dairy part 1 and I showed it to some of my family members. My dad was the last one, but he wanted to go to the documents to see what was written, and one of them was the prologue. he did say i did a good job writing the story, but it needs more historical information like the range war and so on and so forth. he was giving me some tips on how the publishing company works and most of it is more so business stuff, because if you send out the manuscript, chances are neither one of the people will say that it doesn't have more info. Right now, I'm going back to finish up adding information so on and so forth.
Ok... he says.. do not start with events in the past? Did anyone warned Brandon Sanderson so he can re writ Stormlight Archives? Seriously.. I read fantasy like a maniac, and I never liked books that in the first chapter throw you in the main question..that is childish imho. Some of the best fantasy writters do not even present the main topic until a good 15% into the book.
The keyword here is "trust." It's not the best idea to compare the works of established authors to a debut novel. Sanderson has already earned your trust and you know he will deliver. If you pick up a random book, will you give the author as much time?
@@mauricebrand1823 I always finish a book that I start, so yes I do give the author a whole book on any of his series at least. Gods Steve Erikson first book have 3 plotlines presented in the first chapter and some 9 character.. and 3 senties species several nations and gods... and if I had dropped it.. I would have dropped the best fantasy series ever.
The first thing I thought of when he said no back story is the classic novel The Shining. The first half is in good part flash backs of Jack and Wandy's relationship before he went to get the job at the hotel. The Stand is another one filled with flash backs.
Is your comment based on experience reading books from published authors or do you have experience reading books from aspiring writers? I think this analogy is suitable: For experienced «jump rope athletes», there is no hard rule for how long their rope is. They jump and tricks and simply choose the length at leisure. But when starting out, even if this goes against what all the pros does, all new jump rope athletes are recommended a LONGER length of rope. This is to ensure the new people learn the principles of the motion first. Your comment, perhaps because I dont understands it, is as if telling a new person to cut the rope like pros. Happy to hear if I have misunderstood you.
@@kinenoona1702 I read a lot of semi obscure authors, with 1 or at most 2 books published as well. MY POV is based on a simple concept that is valid in all professions... (as a entrepeneour myself I can attest).. you should not shoot for the moon at the start, but if you shot for the same pool where everyoen else is.. you are doomed to mediocrity. You will NEVER find your public. Zero risk approach is a sure path for being lost in the ocean of competing authors, companies, artists, etc... As I brought as an example.. Steven Erikson FIRST ever book.. Has some 12 characters, has a first scene 12 year in the past, breaks almost every single rule. It ended up being the first book of one of is not the greatest fantasy series ever. On other hand some of the worst fantasy novels I ever read were ones that forced the "show into the road"in the first chapter (Victor Milán books).
FACTS. It's just funny how people be like:"owh yeah , first 100 pages is quite boring and slow , but in 2nd book it really starting cool action , and final plot twist in the 9th book is stunning "...
Your first point is a falsw dichotomy you state two things one to do instead yet both are normaly done together in basicly every fantasy novel thats ever suceeded
Writing is hard. There are things you shouldn’t do, but can still work if you know how to. But, there are also good things you should limit. For example, grammar. It’s good to have good spelling and coherent dialogue. However… too much of it makes your characters look like robots. How annoying, right?
Actually, here's a good advice am sure most writers and wannabe writers know but - never start in the beginning, always work from the middle towards the beginning Edit: Point 4 counterargument - literally the Illiad and any ancient epic poem
I think on some level i already knew this since this was how i started the project I've made the most actual progress on, but i keep trying to start my stories completely chronologically and then getting frustrated they aren't turning out right. Maybe i should revisit those failed projects from the middle lol
Any statement that contains “never” or “always” should be viewed with skepticism. Is it a very useful and well-respected method, to begin somewhere in the midst of the story then work back to find a good starting point, but saying you should never start at the beginning is akin to saying some of the best authors in history didn’t know how to write. Maybe think about restating such comments in a more reasonable manner that lack absolute statements.
You think the Illiad is fun to read? 😅 No, but seriously, the Illiad starts exactly how the video: Achilles is having an argument with Agamemnon over a concubine. Only once this conflict is set up do we start listing the names.
@@crowbar_the_rogue I suppose, I mean the same goes for Mahabharata but still, pretty much from the getgo we get an incredible amount of characters. And answering your question, yes, I do think Illiad and ancient poetry like it is fun to read.
Advice that uses "always" and "never" is never good advice. Tolkien would've never published Lord of the Rings if publishers were always as strict as those pieces of "advice". (Not sorry for the always/never unnecessary wordplay)
Dude. My inciting incident happens in the fourth chapter--because the status quo, as established by several big scenes, is grand in scope (it's sci-fi, with several layers to it). I agree on #1 unilaterally in the case of: romances, thrillers, and mysteries. Fantasy and sci-fi often need a buildup, in my opinion, because their status quo is so different from our everyday world. I do agree that the first scene must be gripping and not tra-la-la, everything's fine, normal, and boring--otherwise, the reader will put the book down.
Yes the inciting incident really can fall wherever serves the story best IF you do the work to sustain conflict and engage the reader until you get there.
I hate to tell you this, my man, but I run a writing group, and everyone thinks they're the exception, that their story is just so EPIC so the "rules" don't apply. But the reason people say the inciting incident belongs in the first chapter is because it forces writers not to be so self-indulgent. You're being lazy if you can't find a way to make your world building grow around your plot, if you can't find a way to convey normal life even in the chaos. I write exclusively in fantasy/sci-fi, so don't try to do the whole "oh the SIMPLE genres" thing with me either. It's bs. You're just a bad writer. And I can say that with confidence because I've run into a hundred of you. You know why you're bad? Because you refuse to learn and grow. It's that simple. Stop making excuses, cut your damn exposition chapters, start with your inciting incident, and find a good feedback group that'll make you uncomfortable. If, that is, you ever do want to be good. Best of luck.
@justinfikestorycastle my inciting incident happens in the second chapter . Because the first chapter is showing the characters' normal lives before their lives gets disrupted
@@Sarah27H What a delightfully snappifying agro response! I always consider others' feedback. I know I'm not "special," per se. I revise and edit my stories to within an inch of their lives. But it is true that romance, mystery, and thriller readers require the inciting incident fairly quickly. Movies also require it. What I've seen of "writing advice" is that it must happen within the first 10% of a story. Mine's definitely within that. As I revise, I'll cut a lot of the fat, but hmm...we'll see how far it bumps up the inciting incident. It's difficult to see just how bad the inciting incident is compared to her everyday life [without a bit of build up.] (I'm not describing waking up, putting on slippers, scrubbing the kitchen sink, or sweeping the floor, if that's what you're thinking.)
Also, there was a autor (french i think) that is know for his long description (sometimes about a door, like a whole paragraphe describing a door) and it was successuful, so why can't we describe a lot if it works in the past ? genuine question ^^"
What if your book is going to be part of a series? What should the story question be based on? I am assuming a promise in the current book that will be fulfilled....but assuming is not good😅
Great question! And yes, you’re spot on in that every book in a series still has a primary story question for that narrative arc, and the series itself can develop one or more overarching story questions that sustain reader interest until they are finally paid off at the end of the whole thing. It’s one of the reasons series can become so engrossing!
Yeah I have that problem sometimes too, I do an outline and then I just can’t get started… I don’t really have any suggestions… maybe start with the scenes that you have the best idea of what will happen? Or just sit down and try to start writing, see if you can get into a flow. I often find that once I’ve written some of the story, I can continue somewhen else without too much trouble
Excellant breakdown, Justin! So mutch to consider, but to anyone who may be discouraged, don't sweat it - pick an exciting moment that signals change for your main character and weave these elements into those first few pages. Often, its the first pages authora come back to, time and time again, after writing the many subsequent exploratory pages of the story.
After this video i would like to ask you abou my specific case. My charakter is a destitute Rogue in a human city. He cant really do more then to survive, then like random an elven Mage finds that he has magical potential and bring him to a big school of magic. I get a lot of trouble there becouse in this school are mostly elven and they dont think alot about human expacialy poeple like him. To show them that he is worth it to be there he decides to use black magic and when it came out they throw him out of the school. in which point of his life i need to start the book?
Interesting question! The only way to answer it is to know what your story is really about, and therefore what the inciting incident is that begins the story proper. Is your story about your characters journey to become a wizard? Then perhaps the inciting incident is the moment the elven mage discovers him, so you should open the story either in that scene, or else a bit before it in a moment of high conflict for your character that introduces him and his world. Or, is your story about events that take place later in his life as he uses his magic for something? In that case, the inciting incident will be something different, and the info you shared in your question would then be back story that you can gradually reveal as your story unfolds to reveal more about your character. Hope that helps!
The shelf in the background is throwing me off a bit. You have at least two first entries in a series without their follow ups next to them. I choose to believe this is a display for the video and not that you read the Eye of the World, for example, liked it enough to put it where it's visible in your video, then never continued the series.
Haha yeah fair question. I’ve read all of the series but for space sake I didn’t put all of them out since I only had two shelves that fit into the frame.
This was one of the best story writing tips I found on youtube, I really want to start working on story writing - but honestly, don't know how to start and super nervous. common and cliche - I know thanks for doing this
I just kind of started writing by thinking of story ideas and scenes and writing them. I have like a whole document of those, even though I only have like 2 stories that I’m currently working on (and both of them are only like 1 chapter so far lol). I like to get an outline of the plot and then start writing, but you can do whatever. Ummmmm, remember that you’ll get better as you practice, and I recommend sharing your ideas/stories with other people, like your friends, for feedback. :D
Why on EARTH would you do that? Never delete work, that's what second draft is for! Just mark it as unused and start another scene. You might want that material later.
you know point 1 and 2 contradict each other. you are telling the reader to start at the inciting incident but also find something interesting about the character which means start in a different place. Because I don't think you understand the information you have been given at oxford.
I don't see how point 1 and 2 contradict each other. 1 - Start close to the inciting incident or something that creates change for the protagonist. 2- Don't make you protagonist cliched, find something interesting or different about them from the cliche. You can certainly do 2 while writing a scene that draws them out of their normal world.
You'll note I actually didn't say you have to start off with the inciting incident right on the first page. There are many successful stories that don't. But you definitely SHOULD open with a scene built around an interesting character pursuing a goal or dealing with an obstacle, rather than just doing "stuff" for a few pages until things pick up.
One of the best writing advice I've gotten is from a filmmaker in a workshop on making 5-minute films: something has to change. Whether it's a character reaching their goal or not, their mood, the tone, something in the environment, our perception of the situation, or any other number of things -- something must change.
What are the BIGGEST mistakes for RUclips headlines (Avoid THESE Cliches!) Here is WHY!!
"The last one is super funny! Don't miss it!" 😂😂😂
Alas, we are all slaves to the algorithm.
@@JhadeSagrav luring, baiting titles have nothing to do with the algorithm, but the horrible direction modern life has taken.
You clicked and so did I…
@@writing8727 I didn't even watch half of it. Not good content. You don't need conflict in your story to hook readers. You can make a huge cast and make it easy for reader to follow and thats for starters what is wrong with this video.
Tips for a Great Opening: Imagery, without being too descriptive, sprinkle some words that help the reader paint a mental picture. Action, some kind of action makes that image memorable. Evoke emotion, that is what glues those images and actions into your psyche, the feelings they evoke. The emotions can be good, bad, or both, but remember that you are also setting the tone here, so make sure it is consistent with the tone you want your story to take.
Great stuff. I like the idea of the story question at the beginning; 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' 'It was a pleasure to burn.' 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.' And we can't ignore 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.' All the great stories start off with a great line and/or the story question.
Hey, I've just discovered your channel, and it really resonated with me. I'm just finished with the 3rd draft of my book and feel that the start is much weaker than the end. Right time, right place, I guess.
Welcome! Sounds like you’re in the right place 😊. I’d love to know if there are any other aspects of writing craft or process you’d like to see videos on in the future.
Some of the best books I have ever read make these mistakes.
As a reader thinking over my own reading experience, I'm not sure about #1. It's really tricky: a moment of significant change or conflict hits harder and I care more about it if I first have a sense of what's normal for the character(s) or their world. But, as noted, taking time at the beginning to establish that "normal" can risk losing the reader.
As with many things in writing it's definitely a balancing act. I find it doesn't take much information to give readers a reason to care about a character, at least within the context of those first few scenes. If you build them around high conflict or compelling action then you earn yourself time to expand out into showing more and more of the normal world as you move through Act 1.
Just discovered your channel and feels like I found hidden treasure.
I watch a lot of these videos that gives writing advice, and yours are one of the bests. I can tell these are all well thought out and you give the impression that you really know your stuff. Also you even give examples so it is easier to understand for a non English native speaker like me
I hope you stay motivated doing this and gain more subs! This quality deserves at least 100k+
Thank you so much! I’ve been on a break this past month due to some real life challenges but I’m excited to dive back into regular releases again. Please let me know if there are any topics or specific issues you’d like to see some videos on.
I agree with not wasting time and showing off your skills in the first chapter to instantly hook readers, but I also agree with taking your time. A lot of times a quick-to-the-point story is amazing, but those that take their time to get there usually reward you greatly. Take Quentin Tarantino for example. A lot of his writing and directing is slow as hell, taking his sweet ass time. And his stories become so memorable, so unforgettable, turning into fan faves. He breaks a lot of rules when it comes to writing stories. And it works.
That’s a good point! But pacing is kind of a separate issue. You’ll notice that even when Tarantino moves slowly with unfolding the primary plot points his characters are always in interesting or high conflict situations, especially in the opening scenes.
I strongly disagree with Quentin Tarantino as an example of what you're trying to say. Take a look at Reservoir Dogs: opens with scene of a car careening through the street with someone in a suit bleeding profusely in the back seat. Pulp Fiction: opens with a scene of two people chatting at a table in a Diner before jumping up on the table pointing a gun at everybody in the restaurant and screaming that they're robbing them and "if anybody moves I'll kill every last one of you mother fuckers!"
After the opening, sure, he slows down, but he definitely tries to hook the viewer asap.
So glad I found your channel! It feels like there’s a ton of ways to mess up telling a great story. I’m definitely going to rifle through all your videos!
Welcome! I’d love to hear if there are any issues or topics you’d like to see videos on in the future.
Good advice all the way through! I saved this to watch a second time (or more). I do believe in hooking the reader immediately. I agree, over-describing is one of the worst mistakes new writers make.
Great to hear! I’m glad you found it helpful
I think this was a good video. I am really sceptical of author tube. It's so often an echo chamber. But you list some good points and do a good job of summarising them. Framing the story question is an important one. You have but to trawl through reddit's writing subs to see threads like, 'My first 3 chapters are devoted to world building, how do I...?' Important to remember to 'Get this f--king show on the road!' from the very first sentence.
I know that having a farmboy going on an adventure and becoming the hero is a boring and far too often used trope. But the story I’m currently working on is set in northern Germany (Germania) during the 2nd century a.d. and the biggest villages were rarely over 300 people. More like 200. So starting anywhere not remote and farmboy-like is literally not possible. Does that still count into the farmboy cliche or not?
This is an excellent list. I wasn't expecting your capstone item, so well done. :)
One of my favorite openings is to the first Indiana Jones movie, when we get a mini-adventure with the protagonist, that encapsulates for the viewer what the larger story is going to be about.
It's an idea I incorporate into all my opening chapters now. What is this story about, in miniature? While we're at it, who is the protagonist? (Don't waste time with something that happened a thousand years ago. Who is your protagonist, right now?) What's the magic system like? (Let's see it in action and get the general flavor of it.) Etc. Don't give away everything, and give only as much exposition as is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for your reader to follow along with the scene. You can get into greater detail later, when you've earned the privilege of doing so.
I've just completed two first chapters for two wildly different projects, and I've found once you get this technique down, it just works.
Yes! That scene is a perfect example of many of the techniques in the video. Thanks!
Fantastic video. It refreshing to watch some genuinely fresh advice; I really resonated with number 7
Right, so... In this video the focus has been almost exclusively on the introduction, and how to grab the reader's attention. In all but one point in this video - namely the one about technical errors - I disagree. Let me start with the first point.
Beginning the story "in medias res" as it were, can work no doubt, but not all stories benefit from this approach (i.e. setting-driven stories); Most stories I would argue, benefits from laying the proverbial foundation before anything else, establishing a baseline from which understanding can be built and in many cases removing the very idea of later plot contrivances or Deus ex Machina type scenarios.
While clichés are ubiquitous in every genre, working within them rather than against them can very often be to the author and reader's benefit; The author can weave in subtle yet potent threads of nuance which is impossible if one starts the story in an odd or unusual place, the reader is also greeted in a nice and pleasant manner without the need to pay attention to every last detail of the story from second one.
Conflict or tension can be excellent motivators for driving the plot or narrative, however, if there is no resolution or time for the characters to breathe it can be exhausting; It is vital to every character based story to have both highs AND lows, pitting the character against an obstacle is reasonable and expected, but after the obstacle is overcome the character/world needs to have a new baseline established before new obstacles can be faced. (Personal Note: I believe the notion of constant tension to be "moviefication" of books, and utterly unnecessary in the medium of litterray storytelling.)
Introduction of a lot of characters and concepts might not be the right fit for single POV stories, but in stories with a large cast or setting-based stories it can work if done with care; Letting the reader know there are many elements in the story, only to zoom in bit by bit to all the mentioned elements, and while the balance can be hard to hit, it is a useful part of a storyteller's toolkit.
(This is perhaps where I disagree the heaviest, and is most personal.) Keeping description relevant is of course essential to any story, but discarding every bit of detail not directly tied to tension is reductive to the concept of "Mood" or "atmosphere", it is here the writer can stretch the creative muscles and express something more than just action; (Personal) I believe this mentality of cutting to the core of everything is stifling for the art of storytelling, especially as someone who loves it when authors wax poetic or lyrical on one or other thing in a story, and doubly so as I enjoy writing so called "purple prose" with flowery and vivid descriptions.
The point about Reader Psychology can be brought into a wider discussion, but pertinent to my disagreement here is this: What readers want is subjective beyond belief, and both subsequent points can be rolled into a single point from before; The introduction of a book is not a "trailer" for the story, as it is not a Movie, and if we are to keep up with this comparison; Not every movie is an action one, some can be documentaries, others short art films, others still can be quiet philosophical pieces. Audiences are not monolithic in their wants, and the publishing industry really has to stop forcing all but a narrow subset of literature out of the limelight.
Hope this serves as an understandable critique on the points made in this video. I am as both reader and writer glad to provide my thoughts.
This is excellent content. Underrated channel. You have a new subscribers, sir.
Thanks! Welcome to the story castle 😊
My story starts after the first inciting incident. I want to take the approach where what lead to the situation the character is in is revealed later in the story after it gets some setup. The focus of my story is magic. The premise is basically "Harry Potter but set in another realm". More specifically, my character is sent to another realm to learn magic.
The story starts on Earth as my MC waits at what is basically the Kingscross Station of my story. This chapter is meant to be juxtaposed with the following chapter when she enters the otherworld-- the setting jumps from a cold winter night to a sunny spring morning. This is meant to reflect my characters mindset and how this is a new chapter for her.
Since my story is about magic, i want to introduce it in some way in this opening chapter, i just haven't decided how yet. I'm also worried there won't be enough of a hook introduced here.
I like that my novel starts out in a specific house, and that house incorporates a lot of elements which are brought up more often, including emotional conflict. The house is present in the subsequent two parts as well. By being forced to leave the house, my first book's MC is invested instead in understanding her mother's complicated journey and also being put into that same space.
I did finish my first novel called the devil's dairy part 1 and I showed it to some of my family members. My dad was the last one, but he wanted to go to the documents to see what was written, and one of them was the prologue. he did say i did a good job writing the story, but it needs more historical information like the range war and so on and so forth. he was giving me some tips on how the publishing company works and most of it is more so business stuff, because if you send out the manuscript, chances are neither one of the people will say that it doesn't have more info. Right now, I'm going back to finish up adding information so on and so forth.
Ok... he says.. do not start with events in the past? Did anyone warned Brandon Sanderson so he can re writ Stormlight Archives?
Seriously.. I read fantasy like a maniac, and I never liked books that in the first chapter throw you in the main question..that is childish imho. Some of the best fantasy writters do not even present the main topic until a good 15% into the book.
The keyword here is "trust." It's not the best idea to compare the works of established authors to a debut novel. Sanderson has already earned your trust and you know he will deliver. If you pick up a random book, will you give the author as much time?
@@mauricebrand1823 I always finish a book that I start, so yes I do give the author a whole book on any of his series at least. Gods Steve Erikson first book have 3 plotlines presented in the first chapter and some 9 character.. and 3 senties species several nations and gods... and if I had dropped it.. I would have dropped the best fantasy series ever.
The first thing I thought of when he said no back story is the classic novel The Shining. The first half is in good part flash backs of Jack and Wandy's relationship before he went to get the job at the hotel. The Stand is another one filled with flash backs.
Is your comment based on experience reading books from published authors or do you have experience reading books from aspiring writers?
I think this analogy is suitable:
For experienced «jump rope athletes», there is no hard rule for how long their rope is. They jump and tricks and simply choose the length at leisure. But when starting out, even if this goes against what all the pros does, all new jump rope athletes are recommended a LONGER length of rope. This is to ensure the new people learn the principles of the motion first.
Your comment, perhaps because I dont understands it, is as if telling a new person to cut the rope like pros.
Happy to hear if I have misunderstood you.
@@kinenoona1702 I read a lot of semi obscure authors, with 1 or at most 2 books published as well. MY POV is based on a simple concept that is valid in all professions... (as a entrepeneour myself I can attest).. you should not shoot for the moon at the start, but if you shot for the same pool where everyoen else is.. you are doomed to mediocrity. You will NEVER find your public. Zero risk approach is a sure path for being lost in the ocean of competing authors, companies, artists, etc...
As I brought as an example.. Steven Erikson FIRST ever book.. Has some 12 characters, has a first scene 12 year in the past, breaks almost every single rule. It ended up being the first book of one of is not the greatest fantasy series ever. On other hand some of the worst fantasy novels I ever read were ones that forced the "show into the road"in the first chapter (Victor Milán books).
A much better title for this vid would have been "Seven Deadly sins of book openings"
Oooh that is good
FACTS.
It's just funny how people be like:"owh yeah , first 100 pages is quite boring and slow , but in 2nd book it really starting cool action , and final plot twist in the 9th book is stunning "...
Your first point is a falsw dichotomy you state two things one to do instead yet both are normaly done together in basicly every fantasy novel thats ever suceeded
They not oposites they nit pushed apart
Writing is hard. There are things you shouldn’t do, but can still work if you know how to.
But, there are also good things you should limit.
For example, grammar. It’s good to have good spelling and coherent dialogue. However… too much of it makes your characters look like robots.
How annoying, right?
Begining/Ending - they fit.
Great tips, thank you and best wishes! :)
Actually, here's a good advice am sure most writers and wannabe writers know but - never start in the beginning, always work from the middle towards the beginning
Edit: Point 4 counterargument - literally the Illiad and any ancient epic poem
I think on some level i already knew this since this was how i started the project I've made the most actual progress on, but i keep trying to start my stories completely chronologically and then getting frustrated they aren't turning out right. Maybe i should revisit those failed projects from the middle lol
Any statement that contains “never” or “always” should be viewed with skepticism. Is it a very useful and well-respected method, to begin somewhere in the midst of the story then work back to find a good starting point, but saying you should never start at the beginning is akin to saying some of the best authors in history didn’t know how to write. Maybe think about restating such comments in a more reasonable manner that lack absolute statements.
You think the Illiad is fun to read? 😅
No, but seriously, the Illiad starts exactly how the video: Achilles is having an argument with Agamemnon over a concubine. Only once this conflict is set up do we start listing the names.
@@crowbar_the_rogue I suppose, I mean the same goes for Mahabharata but still, pretty much from the getgo we get an incredible amount of characters.
And answering your question, yes, I do think Illiad and ancient poetry like it is fun to read.
Advice that uses "always" and "never" is never good advice. Tolkien would've never published Lord of the Rings if publishers were always as strict as those pieces of "advice".
(Not sorry for the always/never unnecessary wordplay)
Dude. My inciting incident happens in the fourth chapter--because the status quo, as established by several big scenes, is grand in scope (it's sci-fi, with several layers to it). I agree on #1 unilaterally in the case of: romances, thrillers, and mysteries. Fantasy and sci-fi often need a buildup, in my opinion, because their status quo is so different from our everyday world. I do agree that the first scene must be gripping and not tra-la-la, everything's fine, normal, and boring--otherwise, the reader will put the book down.
Yes the inciting incident really can fall wherever serves the story best IF you do the work to sustain conflict and engage the reader until you get there.
I hate to tell you this, my man, but I run a writing group, and everyone thinks they're the exception, that their story is just so EPIC so the "rules" don't apply. But the reason people say the inciting incident belongs in the first chapter is because it forces writers not to be so self-indulgent. You're being lazy if you can't find a way to make your world building grow around your plot, if you can't find a way to convey normal life even in the chaos. I write exclusively in fantasy/sci-fi, so don't try to do the whole "oh the SIMPLE genres" thing with me either. It's bs. You're just a bad writer. And I can say that with confidence because I've run into a hundred of you. You know why you're bad? Because you refuse to learn and grow. It's that simple. Stop making excuses, cut your damn exposition chapters, start with your inciting incident, and find a good feedback group that'll make you uncomfortable. If, that is, you ever do want to be good. Best of luck.
@justinfikestorycastle my inciting incident happens in the second chapter .
Because the first chapter is showing the characters' normal lives before their lives gets disrupted
@@Sarah27H What a delightfully snappifying agro response! I always consider others' feedback. I know I'm not "special," per se. I revise and edit my stories to within an inch of their lives. But it is true that romance, mystery, and thriller readers require the inciting incident fairly quickly. Movies also require it. What I've seen of "writing advice" is that it must happen within the first 10% of a story. Mine's definitely within that. As I revise, I'll cut a lot of the fat, but hmm...we'll see how far it bumps up the inciting incident. It's difficult to see just how bad the inciting incident is compared to her everyday life [without a bit of build up.] (I'm not describing waking up, putting on slippers, scrubbing the kitchen sink, or sweeping the floor, if that's what you're thinking.)
@@godstenrules Establishing the status quo is essential, or else the inciting incident means nothing.
Also, there was a autor (french i think) that is know for his long description (sometimes about a door, like a whole paragraphe describing a door) and it was successuful, so why can't we describe a lot if it works in the past ? genuine question ^^"
But there's a lot of real good books begining with a past event description. It never bothered me, cause it was good. So is it always a mistake ?
Thank you for this video.
My pleasure!
It feels like you are shouting in my face. I have no idea what your studio looks like but can we get twelve more inches of space?
Bro what??
Amazing content!
Thanks!
What if your book is going to be part of a series? What should the story question be based on? I am assuming a promise in the current book that will be fulfilled....but assuming is not good😅
Great question! And yes, you’re spot on in that every book in a series still has a primary story question for that narrative arc, and the series itself can develop one or more overarching story questions that sustain reader interest until they are finally paid off at the end of the whole thing. It’s one of the reasons series can become so engrossing!
I would love you to give some kind of exemple sometimes. :)
but my prologue is a past event that is also as gripping as my chapter 1 hook. who doesnt like a double hook
That's one of the best uses for a prologue 👍
Thank you!
Objection! Argumentative
My question is there a way to just get started? I always get stuck on that part. I'll do the outline and then it feels like I already wrote the book.
Just write. Rewrite later.
Yeah I have that problem sometimes too, I do an outline and then I just can’t get started…
I don’t really have any suggestions… maybe start with the scenes that you have the best idea of what will happen?
Or just sit down and try to start writing, see if you can get into a flow. I often find that once I’ve written some of the story, I can continue somewhen else without too much trouble
I'll add one that really makes me put down a book. It's akin to your #4. It's when the author throws 10 or more proper names at you in the first page.
Yep, that can get overwhelming pretty fast
Hmm, good points
Excellant breakdown, Justin! So mutch to consider, but to anyone who may be discouraged, don't sweat it - pick an exciting moment that signals change for your main character and weave these elements into those first few pages. Often, its the first pages authora come back to, time and time again, after writing the many subsequent exploratory pages of the story.
“An exciting moment that signals change” is a PERFECT way to summarize my suggestions for the opening scenes. Thanks!
After this video i would like to ask you abou my specific case.
My charakter is a destitute Rogue in a human city. He cant really do more then to survive, then like random an elven Mage finds that he has magical potential and bring him to a big school of magic. I get a lot of trouble there becouse in this school are mostly elven and they dont think alot about human expacialy poeple like him. To show them that he is worth it to be there he decides to use black magic and when it came out they throw him out of the school.
in which point of his life i need to start the book?
Interesting question! The only way to answer it is to know what your story is really about, and therefore what the inciting incident is that begins the story proper. Is your story about your characters journey to become a wizard? Then perhaps the inciting incident is the moment the elven mage discovers him, so you should open the story either in that scene, or else a bit before it in a moment of high conflict for your character that introduces him and his world. Or, is your story about events that take place later in his life as he uses his magic for something? In that case, the inciting incident will be something different, and the info you shared in your question would then be back story that you can gradually reveal as your story unfolds to reveal more about your character. Hope that helps!
I must be the greatest writer that ever existed because all of this was obvious
Nar you need to overload your reader, like how I was when I read Garden of the moon
The shelf in the background is throwing me off a bit. You have at least two first entries in a series without their follow ups next to them. I choose to believe this is a display for the video and not that you read the Eye of the World, for example, liked it enough to put it where it's visible in your video, then never continued the series.
Haha yeah fair question. I’ve read all of the series but for space sake I didn’t put all of them out since I only had two shelves that fit into the frame.
Oxford owes you a refund, hardly critical sdvice, barely a few jelpful tidbits. And overall jist tediously and repetitively explained
Intelligent.
Cheers!
👍🏻
This was one of the best story writing tips I found on youtube, I really want to start working on story writing - but honestly, don't know how to start and super nervous. common and cliche - I know thanks for doing this
I just kind of started writing by thinking of story ideas and scenes and writing them. I have like a whole document of those, even though I only have like 2 stories that I’m currently working on (and both of them are only like 1 chapter so far lol). I like to get an outline of the plot and then start writing, but you can do whatever. Ummmmm, remember that you’ll get better as you practice, and I recommend sharing your ideas/stories with other people, like your friends, for feedback.
:D
The most important part is the sales :P
Literally just deleted yesterday's work on a chapter 1 of a new story I'm working on after watching this video. Thanks for the tips!
Why on EARTH would you do that? Never delete work, that's what second draft is for! Just mark it as unused and start another scene. You might want that material later.
@@impishrebel5969 yeah it's moved to a dump file. Good background material:)
Oh geez I’m not sure if that’s good or not 😂 I’m glad the video helped you refine your approach though
@@justinfikestorycastle all good:) what doesn’t fit can be refined into dialogues for more appropriate settings
@@nahuakangokay good 😅
Awesome content. New subscriber here.
That’s awesome! Welcome to the Storycastle 😊
you know point 1 and 2 contradict each other. you are telling the reader to start at the inciting incident but also find something interesting about the character which means start in a different place.
Because I don't think you understand the information you have been given at oxford.
I don't see how point 1 and 2 contradict each other. 1 - Start close to the inciting incident or something that creates change for the protagonist. 2- Don't make you protagonist cliched, find something interesting or different about them from the cliche. You can certainly do 2 while writing a scene that draws them out of their normal world.
You'll note I actually didn't say you have to start off with the inciting incident right on the first page. There are many successful stories that don't. But you definitely SHOULD open with a scene built around an interesting character pursuing a goal or dealing with an obstacle, rather than just doing "stuff" for a few pages until things pick up.
Why do you get so many haters? Like damn