I've always found the mirror description to be unrealistic because EVERY ASPECT of the main character's appearance is described as if they're trying to tell someone else what they look like. Which, I understand is the point but, I've never looked into a mirror and thought: "I have small brown eyes, and shoulder length hair." My thought process is usually more like: "... Ew. ... ew. ... ew."
"i have poop brown eyes and even though i chopped my hair off below my ears i still have wicked dead ends wtf. i can't go any shorter because it'll make my jaw look square, even though my bff says i have a heart shaped face. but i know she lies to make me feel better about myself" realistic mirror description that gives you the necessities and also lets you know protag is insecure 😂👍
I find mirror/character descriptions work better depending on the genre. Like a detective/spy story might need to do it because it makes the main character seem really observant and able to pick up on little things someone else might not.
I've consumed lots of anime and manga, and none of them started like that. The "I'm late for school" thing always happens after an interesting prologue or a _frustratingly_ confusing in media res. Seriously, why do they do this? I'm already watching. Just begin the story.
I think #9 can actually be a great opening scene if the morning routine IS relevant to the plot. Actually, watching this just reminded me of a graphic novel I read when I was 12 that used this trope brilliantly. It starts with a girl waking up on her birthday, but she stays in bed and pretends to sleep because her parents wake her up by singing "happy birthday" every year. It's a cute little tradition and she wants to keep humouring them even though she feels too old for it. Except this time, no one shows up. She leaves her room, a little disappointed, and is confused by the layout of the house. She doesn't recognise the woman who claims to be her mother. Her birthday is mentioned off-handedly, but no one has prepared gifts or sings her a song. The protagonist has woken up in the body of someone who looks exactly like her but every aspect of her life is different. Looking back, I wasn't familiar with the isekai genre back then, and body switching is in no way an original concept, but I still love the way the story built up tension with small, realistic details that slowly progress into the main conflict.
True. And sometimes the routine itself is relevant. Like if the story is psychological, perhaps small changes can hint to an imposter (like a pod person/body snatcher)
@@mossquire aaa I wish I could remember but it's been 11 years and googling "fantasy graphic novel about body switching twins" isn't giving any results 😭 Maybe they're still at the local library, I'll investigate next time I visit my family. In the meantime, does this sound familiar to anyone else? I'm pretty sure one of the protagonists is named Veronica, she and her twin were separated at birth in two parallel dimensions, and there's a border between the worlds made of living shadow that pulls in anyone who comes too close with its really creepy looking vines/tentacles. I think this series and the Coraline graphic novel were the start of my life-long love for creepy and supernatural stuff lmao
@@maria.skorik maybe if you google something more detailed?? like "twins from parallel dimensions" or something. thanks anyway, maybe one day i'll casually find it
I typically don't like mirror openings because the characters DON'T assess their appearance like you did, they just list them. There's a big difference between "I looked in the mirror and saw my hair was brown." Vs. "I looked in the mirror and checked my brown hair for any fly-aways."
Except it's still a bit unrealistic for them to note the color of their hair *at all.* I don't remember ever using mirrors to describe characters, ever. I just describe their physical appearance as they're introduced into the story.
@@HOLDENPOPE Yeah, that's always been my preferred method, too. The narrator's already talking to the reader, it's no more unrealistic to just say, "my/their name is _______, I look like (description)" with no mirror required.
@@elizabethshaw7472 But doing it like that only makes me think of bad fanficion. I honestly prefer no description that that. Like, "My name is Ebony D'arkness Dementia Raven Way, and I have black hair with red tips and purple streaks, and blue eyes like limpid tears, and today I was wearing black fishnets and a black skirt from hot topic etc.etc." is not fun to read.
I don’t like mirror openings unless they serve a purpose or effectively tell you something about the characters physical appearance. Like let’s say the protagonist looks in the mirror after a restless night and says “the dark smudges under her eyes after another sleepless night made her normally rich olive toned skin appear sallow, almost sickly.” Or something like that. Now I know she is tired and have some idea of what she looks like and if she is grumbling and looking for coffee a few pages later, it makes sense. Otherwise, like you pointed out, it just reads like a list of facial features and seems more like a police report than a novel.
It can also work if that particular scene happens after a traumatic event in their life that will get revealed later (or has already been shown in the prologue) and it's the character trying to keep their normalcy. Obviously this event has to be important to the inciting incident later in the chapter but it's a good way of showing how the other characters react to the MC acting off and will pay off once they start acting more like themselves later on
When she was talking about the morning routine thing, an idea popped into my head. So, I have a character (That currently isn't being used) who has reality bending powers that work by the logic of *dreams.* So pretty much anything can happen, in any way, at any time. Also he has next to no control over it and everything weird that happens is just the normal everyday for him. So if I start off his story with a morning routine, it's just... *_chaos_* O-O
The mirror opening works really well if something has happened to the character recently like an accident, or if they are going through changes and are unhappy with them. Although the mirror opening for the first Divergent book kind of worked for me because it also had some worldbuilding in that it explained she doesn't get to see herself much.
I also think it works really well if an important part about the character is how they feel about their appearance, especially if it's negative. For example, if the character is trans and can't be themself, a mirror opening works very well.
I have a mirror opening in one of the short stories I'm writing that's part of a series that all takes place within the walls of a private club. But the entire focus is on the character's personality and mannerisms. That it allows the reader to get an idea of the character's appearance is a bonus.
I've heard that it works well if the character is showing they their current appearance is different than normal as a signpost to the current time being monentous, unusual, stressful, etc
My character is transgender and recently started testosterone and every day they look in the mirror and observe their body for changes. I think it might work in that scenario?
Thank you for mentioning the Dream sequence Cop Out, Jenna. It always infuriates me when the opening turns out to be a daydream that the character had, and it's barely has any relevance on the actual plot. One of the "The Summer I Turned Pretty" books opened that exact same way, and it annoyed me to no end!
But what if it Does have something to do with the plot? Like, they're dreaming of a past traumatic event (like Jenna said) and it IS relevant to the plot, because it motivates them? or it reveals the kinds of things that can happen in this world? or it hints at why that person was singled out for such treatment? Or they are having an anxiety-dream, in which the villain's evil scheme comes to fruition. That would be relevant to the plot. Would that still be bad writing?
@@Mecharnie_Dobbs That's how one of my stories opens. A PTSD induced nightmare reliving that day in perfect clarity. She then goes to the mirror but hopefully it get a pass because she's searching for the person she used to be in the face of who she is now (dismally fails)
One story that did the mirror description right was about a person who had lost all his memories, so he was essentially seeing himself for the first time.
I remember doing that too. It was a Sci-Fi setting with a guy recently "cyborgized" who couldn't remember his own name, looking at a mirror fully nude and asking himself "who the hell am I and WHAT the hell am I..?"
Timestamps 2:52 Start of the video 3:06 All Tell, No show 4:23 Backstory 5:21 World building 6:10 Mirror description 7:10 Perceptive/Bait & Switch 8:23 Information Overload 9:35 Lazy Hook 10:40 Try Hard Opening 11:37 Monotony/Morning routine 12:47 Beginning after the insisting incident
Lifesaver! Jenna's openings are *so damn long* it's crazy. Edit: The fact that I can guess what she's going to day just from this list is also a lifesaver. And a timesaver.
"Yes, it's important to open with a bang, but..." After being told not to start out with a sex scene, this one made me laugh. Apparently, I am eight years old.
It’s not a book, but I can think of one case where the “dream” opening worked super well. Spoilers for Madoka Magica. We start with what appears to be an in media res sequence fighting the final boss only for Madoka to wake up and wonder at her dream. It sort of feels like it’s just an audience teaser, maybe a little unnecessary but otherwise harmless. Eventually it’s reveled that it wasn’t a dream at all, but rather the previous time loop and Madoka was waking up from Homura resetting it once more. It feels like such a cool reframing of that moment.
I've always described to clients that the inciting event and the inciting incident are easy to identify if you know how to identify them The inciting event is the event that sets up the inciting incident for with which it couldn't never have taken place to begin with. The set up to The Reaping in The Humger Games is such an event. The lead up to the reaping and discussion of its randomness prepares us for what is soon to come. We could argue the organization of the hunger games themselves is also an event, but this event is more specific to district 9 at this point in time to these characters. The inciting incident is the Doorway of "adventure" to which the protagonists either chooses or is forced through where upon there is no going back and set a vehicle of mechanisms into motion. A choice that is made or an event that happens. In The Hunger Games again, this is when Katniss volunteers as tribute instead of her sister, Prim. That choice is what throws her into the adventure and cannot be undone. In know this is probably late and you're probably well on your way with your WIP, but I thought it was worth pointing out. Hope this helps or is at least insightful.
My WIP starts after several important events, but I've decided to put off worrying about that until I finish writing it and the prequel I belatedly realized I needed because all the flashbacks were dragging it to a grinding halt lol
My book starts with a prologue about a relative of the protagonist finding her as a newborn next to her dying mother. This relative is really important to the series so I thought starting with him was a good way to hint at the main conflict of the series. Chapter one does do the morning routine/mirror description but said mirror description goes into her feelings about herself and certain people in her life while the morning routine is a sort of farewell ritual to her favorite hobby-gardening. I also introduce her adopted brother and her feelings about leaving him behind when she and her love interest leave on their journey the next morning. It's her birthday, the day she is finally of age, and wants to spend it with her loved ones before she leaves.
I still think there are ways you can improve your first chapter by maybe dropping what she thinks about herself at different times rather than just dropping it all during her morning routine like maybe she looks in the mirror and judges her physical appearance but then at breakfast maybe a family member says something and she spirals into thoughts about her personality and starts to doubt herself while also being propelled forward and forward within your first chapter
The prologue about the relative finding the protagonist as a baby might work. But unless something dramatic or highly emotional happens on her birthday, it might be better to start on the day she leaves: Her feelings about leaving behind loved ones or abandoning her favorite hobby can easily be conveyed while she is saying her goodbyes and taking one last look back at the garden. Just from the way you describe it here, your first chapter sounds as if it might be very boring and mundane. You check multiple of the bad start checkboxes: Prologue from different character's POV (might be OK if it's brief), boring morning routine, mundane activities, info dump about main character's life and loved ones without anything interesting happening. A detached inner monologue about how a character feels about themselves also isn't usually the best way to start a story, such musings should be connected to plot events. Because frankly, at the point where all the main character has accomplished is getting out of bed and brushing her teeth, I don't care how this boring Jane Doe feels about herself. Show me something that makes me care about the character first, then I'll be interested in her feelings.
@@TSFitzpatrick It's still the first draft so some things might change. The series and the world it takes place in has been in development since I was in middle school.
Starting with the main character’s dilemma is great, but sometimes it can be a bit difficult to really define or pinpoint the dilemma of the mc. Then I recommend taking the specific everyday situation which gets interrupted by the inciting incident. Works in cases where your character does something and then a wizard stops by to take them on a journey. Might need a bit rewriting afterwards but to just generally get started, it’s quite good.
A video by Filmento on the movie "Underwater" covers this well. Essentially, the movie starts right when the action happens, and a scientist lets a few people die to save the rest of the facility. This has no impact. Is this a pragmatist making the right call? Is this a stupid decision long term? Is this a psycho showing her true colors? Who knws, who cares. They are dead.
My grandmother wrote and traditionally published over 24 books over her lifetime while working as a second grade teacher, she loves a good joke so I’m getting her Shut Up And Write The Book as a gag gift for Christmas
THANK YOU!! These all bother me a lot, I see books start out with detailed descriptions about the characters and their situation and it’s so overwhelming!
Preach, it's usually a jumble trying to get your head around each character and their respective personality quirks, and only mostly works of you've only just started the series.
The "Bait and Switch" is really common in the 2 main genres I have been reading for the last couple of years. Dungeon Core and LitRPG/GameLit. Essentially, they start with whoever is responsible for making the "core" and then in chapter 2 or 3 the Core awakens. I think it really should be in the prolog, not chapter 1 or 2. One even started with the delivery man appearing as the MC for the first chapter with great background info, never to be seen again.
@@bloop6111 That is the genre, "Dungeon Core". The easiest way I can describe it is somehow a person passes on, their soul/memories go into a computer, a crystal, a magical orb, and then are reborn. They are able to create dungeons where people explore, sometimes even able to create their own monsters. There is typically an emphasis on mana/mp/resource management, defenses, survival, and shaping the environment. It would be similar to if you were playing a Sims or Dungeon Keeper game. That is the quick and easy, there are variations of course. More video game-like, high fantasy, sci-fi, some become academies to teach heros/villians.
Not sure how much of a bait and switch it is if it’s technically the same character. It would be more of a bait and switch if the first chapter follows a character that’s trying to summon a demon, he does it and then the rest of the book follows either the demon or the hero.
@@RoseKindred bruh you just describe my type of show I watch nowadays lol. I love the one whos a normal office man been transported into the game hes been playing for years and is forced to play the final boss role.
I generally hate dreams in books because too often I miss the fact that it was a dream and get confused or I just start remembering the dream as part of the plot. That might just be my poor reading comprehension but it drives me crazy.
I've used dreams in a few of my books, as well as flashbacks. My general rule is to italicize everything that isn't actually happening right now in the story (except thoughts, which are put in regular text in an inversion of the normal format). That way the reader knows something is up and isn't blindsided when reality resumes.
@@emilyrln Thanks for that tip! I've been trying to figure out how I could make it slightly more obvious that a scene in my writing is a dream sequence, but that should do the trick!✨
That worldbuilding tip is good, for sure. Only ever tried to read LOTR one singular time and I was falling asleep mid reading - those info dumps were a lot, even if they show how excited he was about his work.
@@tetrapharmakos8868 I believe it's a combo of that (I've never read so much dense text for pages and pages just describing a town like goodness) and then the constant argument about whether or not his views on race were questionable when you examine the book. Idk, didn't grow up with it so I have no attachments
@@tetrapharmakos8868 how is LOTR "so unpopular?" I get nowadays it could be a lot, but it has HUGE popularity still these days. I mean, most modern fantasy writers are inspired by Tolkien's works.
I knew you were going to include how I started my current WIP. And that’s okay. I know the “wake up” opening is usually boring and clique. I don’t usually use this as an opening. But it’s a big, important day for my MC who lives in a fantasy realm. I use the opportunity to introduce hints of the struggles she’s going through, her unique animal companion, and the intrigue of what this big, important event actually means for the MC in particular. I’d like for it to hit on a similar level to Hunger Games, but as I’m still in the drafting phase I know I may need to change it down the road. For now though, I love my beginning and will leave the editing to future me.
I'm doing the same thing for my sci-fi story! I feel if done correctly that opening can really work with the story and we shouldn't just leave it as a boring trope lol
If you've put thought into your choice of opening, that's a good sign that it's the right way to go. The danger of clichés is when you use them without noticing or interrogating your decision.
My protagonist's love interest is a ghost who died five years before the story begins. I started off with a prologue showing the death from her perspective. She gets a glimpse at the killer but at this point, the reader doesn't know who it is.
That sounds so interesting! Are you writing it on a particular platform, or just in general? If it is on a platform please let me know, because I would love to read it!
@@kelly_seastar Like Wattpad, (that's the only example I know lol) and websites like that; there are a lot of free, (and non-free) platforms where people will write books, short stories, fanfiction, etc. on... Wattpad can have some... well... interesting stuff on it lol, but it honestly has a lot of enjoyable books too.
This video is perfect timing! And I have been struggling with one of the callouts on this list! I'm introducing WAY too many characters right up front! THANK YOU! Your suggestions gave me a great idea on how to fix it.
I'm with you about the mirrors: if they exist it's to be used. But yes, it's a cliché, especially in crime fiction when it was already getting old a hundred years ago. Thank you for mentioning prologue. I started my novel with a really good protagonist introduction, with a few nice character defining moments, but was told by my editor and beta readers that the villain doesn't come as threatening enough. All the bad things the antagonist was doing were either told, or came up a bit late in the plot. So I'm working on a prologue where he's going to be featured doing something really nasty.
Backstory, All a Dream, and Inciting Incident (maybe a bit of Try-Hard) were all openers I was considering for my comic/novel. These past few weeks I've been trying to figure out how to start the story (I know the plot, but the opening was always a challenge for me), and I scrapped all these ideas before I stumbled upon your video. I did in fact change it to have my story take place a little before the Inciting Incident, so this was a good video that helped me check my work and know I'm progressing, and I'm sure many others feel the same! Thank you and keep up the good work!
girl i love you for this, you make these type of informative videos not feel like a hassle to watch just for some good advice cuz ur funny asf. you literally give the best advice.
I feel this lol! My original first chapter was a slow burn with zero context where we slowly pieced together what was going on alongside the POV. I decided to make that chapter two and start with a scene from another POV who got to make interesting decisions, explaining through her actions and thoughts that the other POV was in serious danger. Now the reader gets to worry while POV 2 is dazedly wondering what happened and also why is she chained to the wall.
The idea that if you have an infodump in the beginning you are starting in the wrong time is a beautiful piece of advice that I will be telling people from now on. Thanks Jenna!
I have been listening to you for 2 years and you are getting more professional but still the same inspiring Jenna. And I love your microphone. Thanks! You're the best.❤
Ah! The hard openers! So many times I've read a book synopsis which sounds great, then I read the first page of the book and think, " Well someone definitely had a word a day calendar." My favorite way to open a story (because it's my favorite kind of opening to read) is to just drop the reader in to the middle of something. It can be a bit confusing but exciting, and I feel it doesn't insult the intelligence of the reader. And what doesn't make sense now will eventually. If possible I like to subtly give away the ending but in an not obvious way that you may not notice until maybe a second reading. I just try to keep in mind what would I like to read?
Jenna, I've been watching you for years and I just could not be more proud of you and how hard you've worked to get where you are today. Kudoes and thanks!
I used to only tell. Especially when I started writing in English. Since it's not my native language. I also used to switch povs multiple times a chapter. But that I should only introduce a couple characters, those of importance, that's what I already did on my own because I easily lose grip of who is who. Thanks again for the help. Your direct and blunt way of doing this really helps. I like your attitude.
I agree with everything in this video except for the "bait and switch" point. There are several books I can think of where the story starts with another character's POV: Watchmen by Alan Moore (detectives investigating the death of The Comedian) The Stand by Stephen King (Sally LaVon as she and her family escape the lab) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Vernon Dursley) Several Discworld books. The Colour of magic, Equal Rites, Sourcerer, Eric, and The Truth come to mind. (usually starting with the character of Death, but not always) Timeline by Michael Crichton (Dan Baker as he and his wife drive through the desert) And the list goes on. Starting from another character's POV in the first chapter can be used for several reasons, such as: setting the mood for the story, driving suspense or mystery, or starting the plot if the MC is not present for what kicks off the oncoming inciting incident. What it comes down to, is advice like Jenna's "bait and switch" advice insinuates that the audience isn't smart enough to follow what's happening. Writers, trust your audience, they're smarter than you think.
A much better way to do the mirror description would be to have a "get ready with me" montage. Have the character go to an important event, particularly one where a matching outfit, styled hair, and makeup is a necessity. Have them um and ah about which outfit to wear, what shirt goes with which. This could also be jam packed with character building, because HOW a character chooses outfits is a massive insight into their character. (I.e. if they're confident that one of 2 fancy dresses is ideal, but just picking out which one is more eye-catching tonight, they're used to this. They love glam, and they are going to be I their element. Expect them to know just what to say. On the other hand, if they're scrambling to work out what evem counts as "formal" they are NOT comfortable with this situation, and they'll probably muck up simple introductions. If they look up details online, and follow a tutorial, they're probably the scientific, logical sort, and they're doing things systematically.)
Exposition wise, I like to look at the movie Interstellar for inspiration. It requires world building for it to make sense but you find out that information via seeing a regular day in that world instead of a monologue explaining everything.
good list, definitely agree with them all. and thankfully i can check them all off as not having done them in my current work (well, technically a different character not my mc who opens the book, but it's in a prologue as was advised because that character is dead in chapter one, so i'm still in the clear) 😂 every time i watch a jenna video i'm always like oh man, am i gonna get roasted today? lmao i would say that the starting off the day (number 9) opener _could_ work really well IF your character's morning routine is incredibly unique and their routine will introduce readers to the character's out of the ordinary job or very much non-monotonous way of life. like if your character is a spy or a mobster/thief or a super hero/villain, so their morning routine is waking up, brushing their teeth, and then prepping their weapons or plotting the escape route for a bank robbery or something lmao. that's probably the only way it would hook a reader, by flipping the cliché on its head.
I counter the last one with Rick Riordan's habit of making the beginning of his story be the main character(s) talking to the reader after the events of the book have already taken place.
I adore the opening of the lightning theif. It makes you wonder what happened to make Percy think that way, and gets you hooked. The opening sentence intrigued me when I first read it.
The "mundane" routine in my opinion can be both a good and a bad thing. I personally tend to like "boring morning scenes" as there's a lot of potential actually. Trough the morning routine you can tell about your main character, what kind of person they are, do they have a routine, what do they think about and etc. Also can serve slightly to the world building if your character for example has a morning routine at school, or hospital, or heck - a castle! Maybe that's just personal, but I prefer that more to just straight up action scene from chapter 1 and onward. Maybe that's why I loved Hunger Games (I won't spoil anything by the way), so much, the plot progresses pretty naturally and realistically, and the Hunger Games in the title only start in the half-is of the story, which I actually enjoyed unironically. Anyway, thank you for coming to my ted-talk.
I like it when it isn’t filler and tells you something about the world. So let’s say you have a teen in a ya, who wakes up and her mundane issues involve rushing to get ready, getting her drunk parent off the couch, making breakfast and then getting their younger siblings to the bus stop. Yes it’s mundane, but we learn so much about the life the mc is living day to day.
In my experience, writing advice videos really just tell you how to write stories that the person making the video likes. Which would be fine, if they didn't pretend to be general all-purpose advice for everyone.
@@ZeroKitsune I agree and with no disrespect to Jenna, she is awesome and talented, vid’s like this sometimes are about what certain writers aren’t great at. Meaning, some can expertly do the mirror description, or the morning mundane routine and some are expert world builders or write master class fight scenes. Even with all of these “awful” tropes, if it’s engaging, people will read and love and come back for more.
Thanks for another great video! I just wanted to tell you, I have absolutely no desire to write a book, but I love listening to your videos because they are so cool. Also, as a reader, it is always interesting to hear ideas about writing from a writer. You are in my weekly playlist along with all my nerdy d&d and comics vids! I thought you might like to know that a non-writer is an avid fan of your channel. Also, I just got The Savior's Champion, and I am excited about diving in!
Some of these are why I chose to write in the Close 3rd person rather than first. This way I can describe things as my MC would see them, and describe him to the readers as he seems or feels he sees himself. It starts in a club where he feels out of place, I express the sights, smells, and sounds he experiences as the reasons he feels out of place. I think I did well. The problem is, I struggle to keep pace after the first chapter. haha. I'm getting there though. Thanks, Jenna.
Me, mentally checking the list with my first chapter: aight okay, this checks out, sounds like I’m good. Jenna: mirror scenes are a cliche. Me: … well drat
Okay, addressing the last point. My book is about a girl who is half witch half fair folk. Her mother tells her when she becomes of age (according to the culture of witches in my story, this is 16) and then we kind of jump forward six months, where MC is in the land of the Fair Folk. Then she’s ordered by the king to go do this thing, she doesn’t want to yada yada yada, she ends up doing it. Is the inciting incident her learning of magic or is the inciting incident she having to do the thing? Also this really boils down the plot, I swear it’s not as cliche as it sounds, this is just the bare bones 😅
I love these lists. You have such interesting insights. Thanks. Not a writer, but am a big reader. I do like and agree with most of these. I think a lot of crime drama books start with the villain doing something so you are brought into the story and learn something about what the good guy will be facing…rather than joining the action with the detective and pathologist as they stand over the body at the scene. John Sandford comes to mind.
This may sound ridiculous, but thank you for making your book affordable 😊 🙏 I am really really looking forward to using the heck out of it and I love all your advice...money well spent!!! ❤️
One of my favorite openers is in The Secret History. “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.” It's so intriguing, and it actually got me to want to read the book by the first line on it's own.
Can we buy the workbook?! I bought “Shut up and write the book” and I love it! I got the paperback! It’s very helpful! I’m just starting out so this is really awesome! You are very appreciated! Thank u for doing all u do! 💗😊 much love to u and Butters!
I think morning routines are great for sci fi and fantasy settings. But even when it’s an ordinary world, I think instances where morning routines work is when you have an ensemble cast that are very different from each other. The first chapter cuts between each person as they go about their individual morning routine-displaying their habits, the cleanliness of their room, whether they are late or on time etc. Some good parallels could be created. For example if there’s a homeless person on the street, Character A scowls at them in disgust, then later Character B addresses the homeless guy by name and gives them their morning sandwich. This shows two things, it shows what kind of people the two main protagonists are, and more simply, it shows they’re walking in the same direction. Maybe they don’t know each other but they go to the same school have the same job, or go to the same coffee place in the morning sitting on opposite ends of the café with a book or laptop in front of them not noticing each other till later.
11:46 I've been half tempted to subvert this trope by making the first paragraph start with something that looks a morning routine, but then having something way too exciting happen. i.e. - staring out the window our protagonist struggles to make out exactly what's going on just outside the city walls. the cannonball coming through and the wall and destroying their still unmade bed provided a the best hint that this was not going to be a normal day.
4:43 reading a few of C.S lewis’ books were sooo difficult as a kid and made me want to not read them due to the boring beginnings. After a bit of the start, the actual books are SOOO good and I totally recommend them! Just.. the starts 😭😭
The mirror description trope always reminds me of Wattpad stories where they not only tell you what the person looks like, but they go through a long and oddly specific description of every detail of their clothes, face, hair, etc. Like when the narrator says something like, "I looked in the mirror, staring into my coffee brown orbs, my small nose with some freckles sprinkled all over, and my moderately thin and brown eyebrows. My hair is thin, brown, and straight, with a pink streak on my hair, and it is medium length, reaching just below my small yet angular shoulders, and I have side bangs sweeping into the left side of my forehead. I had my hair tied into a ponytail with a green scrunchy. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing my favorite black My Chemical Romance t-shirt, blue jeans, and white socks for my feet that were size 8." I get why they do it, but I don't think it's necessary to bombard the reader with every detail of their appearance all at once in the beginning like that, unless it's relevant and important to the story at that moment.
It's interesting in my case because the book is essentially a play within a play, having two slates of characters. The structure has been inverted so that the main story is the inner one. With the outer cast collectively narrarating the story through a guided group discussion on the events of the inner story. Like a history class bringing the text to life.
@@LaFlor718 ok so there are 2 ways to describe the story. 1 post sci-fi fantasy. 2 LOTR if it was written Jules Verne in the 1920s. Something like ''20000 leagues across the realms'' or ''To the moon and back again''.
The more of the "How to start your novel" advice I hear recently the more I'm leaning into the belief that the disappearance of the back cover blurb lead to this ridiculous situation where the beginning of the novel is meant to be this desperate grasp for the reader's attention... When the reader already picked up the book and most often paid of it. Probably, because they have read a good review or reccomendation, or the premise interested them. So, they're not allowed to just immerse themselves in the story and the world, but are pushed from image to image, as fast as possible. All the editorial advice nowadays centres around quick, easy, empty "content" meant to be fed on and moved on from. "Start from the most interesting place" No, start from the place where your story begins. Even if it's the dreaded Morning Routine - it's only tedious when badly framed.
I do feel like some people underestimate a typical reader's attention span. The last time I dropped a book early, it was because the back cover promised me a fantasy book with political intrigue, and what I got for the first 45 pages(out of 300 total) was sexual innuendos, sex, sexual innuendos, weirdly fetichism description of the fantasy elves of the story, and sexual innuendos in the backstory where the pov character was still a child. ...So my point is that a lot has to go wrong for me to give up on a story before 100 pages.
The only example of the backstory I can think of is from The Eye of the World, which I personally think was a great hook. It was definitely showing rather than telling, and it wasn’t insanely brief but it was intense and interesting enough to have me wondering how it tied in as the story progressed.
I think a bait and switch can work later though. In the next arc or book introduce no name characters and have them killed later by a foreshadowed villain that your hero’s are unaware of and inevitably have to deal with.
I completely agree with the backstory problem. I know I'm gonna get a lot of pushback, but I was listening to the first LOTR audiobook and there was so much backstory dump abt the hobbits that I didn't finish the book. I'll probably go back and finish it eventually, but it was really hard to sit through the info dump
Funniest thing is my first book that I was going to publish started with the backstory. After I had an editor and she convinced me that I should make it the first book. I'm glad I took her advice because it opened up I feel the world of my characters a lot deeper. It is from looking at how the backstory became its own and the original book for the Uncivil Truth. I might not have sold a single copy, but I'm still damn proud of the story and I'm glad I listen to my editor and made it the first book.
I knew dreams would be on this list. That's what I have, but I'm glad you said there's an exception if dreams are a recurring theme in the story, which they very much are in mine. Didn't consider the thing about morning routines though, because that's what naturally happens after waking up. So that'll be a challenge to make it not boring or to find something else without overhauling the first few scenes of my book.
I really like that the 'too many characters' was something I noticed some readers being critical of, in the Audible reviews of The Sister's Savior. However, I actually disagreed with those critiques, specifically because you *didn't* name them all, so it was easy to process by focusing whoever had a bigger speaking role. I was wondering how people missed that fact, and if it would come up in a video at some point. That's actually helped a lot with my own work. Since I write mostly romance, from a 3rd person perspective, it's easier to just focus the two main characters, rather than the whole entourage.
Me, using a window in one of my stories: Ahahahaha, loophole! Though it was less "describe his appearance" and more "he's metaphorically not seeing himself in this uniform, but someone else." XP
5:00 I honestly just recently encountered this, and realized the problem after finishing over 70k words.... Now I'm 2 (atleast) novels behind that one. Almost done the first one, but there is atleast 1 more whole book inbetween the current one I'm working on, and my initial piece. It has been a wild exercise in world building, which has resulted in a multi hundred year time span, with detailed theology, lore, and biological reasoning. I describe it as "Post-Apocalyptic Science-Fantasy"
10:14 I actually HAVE had premonition dreams several times in my life, they used to be merely semi uncommon when I was younger. But you usually dont know if its a premonition dream before the thing actually plays out in the nearest future, and it was something you did not expect or have experienced many times before (if even at all). For me almost all dreams are surreal with magical elements of some sort
I watched this video on a dark and stormy November night. Never in my life had the rain been wetter! Every drop was filled with water to it's quivering rim! Suddenly the lightning bolt that had been lurking behind the Midnight Blue cloud all the night, attacked me with a thundering boing and behold, I understood!
I never wanted my world to become a book, but I'm trying to write somewhat of an introduction to the beginning of my story. I have somewhat of a personal love towards the mirror trope and it does start with a dream, but I found myself taking notes of these moments and doing my best to present them in an interesting way. Dreams? Yes, they have their place in the worldbuilding, let them affect character's smallest move and twist their smile just a little. Mirror? Let it reflect one's soul! Let there be two characters at once, having fun of their life, instead of giving the description. Tropes are not bad! Mostly everything we write about is a trope, but we make them interesting through the right presentation that goes well with the story and it's characters (I personally have a really slow story pace, but I try to make it up with all the different small, but nice and cute details that make the world. It also gives me time to rewrite anything I want, even if I have planned something for years)
I like these points, but I was waiting for a few more counterexamples of when these rules have been successfully broken by good writers. And while I TOTALLY understand referring to your own work for examples (it's a legit time to plug your work AND you can confidently speak to the author's intent) it would have been cool to get a few examples from other fiction, too.
I have a mirror scene in my book. It comes in the second half of the book, and it's just the character analyzing his appeal. Or lack thereof. It's more for his perspective on himself, versus reality.
I've been watching your vids for over a year. Your advice is super helpful and appreciated...though I suspect the mastermind behind it all is Buttercup.
In one of your cost to self-publish videos, I think you said that you've used a developmental editor in the past. But I don't believe you've done a specific video about them. If not, I'd love to hear 1) how they've helped you in the past and 2) whether you think they'll be an ongoing part of your publishing process. I know what they do at a high level, but there seems to be a considerable difference in opinion regarding whether or not they're worth the cost and whether or not every self-publishing author should use one. I'd be very interested in your opinion and experience.
I begin my novel with a morning routine 😣I justified it as it provides insight into his slightly disorganised life, rushing around to be on time and sets the scene of where he is and why he's there. I've tried to rethink this and am kinda attached to this opening :/
I've always found the mirror description to be unrealistic because EVERY ASPECT of the main character's appearance is described as if they're trying to tell someone else what they look like. Which, I understand is the point but, I've never looked into a mirror and thought: "I have small brown eyes, and shoulder length hair." My thought process is usually more like: "... Ew. ... ew. ... ew."
"i have poop brown eyes and even though i chopped my hair off below my ears i still have wicked dead ends wtf. i can't go any shorter because it'll make my jaw look square, even though my bff says i have a heart shaped face. but i know she lies to make me feel better about myself"
realistic mirror description that gives you the necessities and also lets you know protag is insecure 😂👍
You need to work on your self esteem fr fr. When I look into the mirror, I'm hot as fuck and ready to slap the world on the booty.
what a good way to tell that your character has low self-esteem and to make a joke out of that way to start a book
I find mirror/character descriptions work better depending on the genre. Like a detective/spy story might need to do it because it makes the main character seem really observant and able to pick up on little things someone else might not.
It might work if the character doing it would be a writer making fun of that trope.
Jenna: morning routines are boring, don’t start your story off this way
Anime/manga creators: well shit
I mean, that and the constant monologueing are the main reasons it’s so hard for me to get into anime
Works great for slice of life stories so most animes are doing it right.
I've consumed lots of anime and manga, and none of them started like that. The "I'm late for school" thing always happens after an interesting prologue or a _frustratingly_ confusing in media res. Seriously, why do they do this? I'm already watching. Just begin the story.
In fairness, anime is a *very* different medium from plain text.
a book uses narration to help the reader visualize but anime/Manga uses both illustration and narration
I think #9 can actually be a great opening scene if the morning routine IS relevant to the plot. Actually, watching this just reminded me of a graphic novel I read when I was 12 that used this trope brilliantly.
It starts with a girl waking up on her birthday, but she stays in bed and pretends to sleep because her parents wake her up by singing "happy birthday" every year. It's a cute little tradition and she wants to keep humouring them even though she feels too old for it. Except this time, no one shows up. She leaves her room, a little disappointed, and is confused by the layout of the house. She doesn't recognise the woman who claims to be her mother. Her birthday is mentioned off-handedly, but no one has prepared gifts or sings her a song. The protagonist has woken up in the body of someone who looks exactly like her but every aspect of her life is different.
Looking back, I wasn't familiar with the isekai genre back then, and body switching is in no way an original concept, but I still love the way the story built up tension with small, realistic details that slowly progress into the main conflict.
Sounds interesting, name?
True. And sometimes the routine itself is relevant. Like if the story is psychological, perhaps small changes can hint to an imposter (like a pod person/body snatcher)
@@mossquire aaa I wish I could remember but it's been 11 years and googling "fantasy graphic novel about body switching twins" isn't giving any results 😭
Maybe they're still at the local library, I'll investigate next time I visit my family. In the meantime, does this sound familiar to anyone else? I'm pretty sure one of the protagonists is named Veronica, she and her twin were separated at birth in two parallel dimensions, and there's a border between the worlds made of living shadow that pulls in anyone who comes too close with its really creepy looking vines/tentacles. I think this series and the Coraline graphic novel were the start of my life-long love for creepy and supernatural stuff lmao
@@maria.skorik maybe if you google something more detailed?? like "twins from parallel dimensions" or something. thanks anyway, maybe one day i'll casually find it
I am instantly heartbroken and invested lmao
I typically don't like mirror openings because the characters DON'T assess their appearance like you did, they just list them. There's a big difference between "I looked in the mirror and saw my hair was brown." Vs. "I looked in the mirror and checked my brown hair for any fly-aways."
Except it's still a bit unrealistic for them to note the color of their hair *at all.*
I don't remember ever using mirrors to describe characters, ever. I just describe their physical appearance as they're introduced into the story.
@@HOLDENPOPE Yeah, that's always been my preferred method, too. The narrator's already talking to the reader, it's no more unrealistic to just say, "my/their name is _______, I look like (description)" with no mirror required.
@@elizabethshaw7472 But doing it like that only makes me think of bad fanficion. I honestly prefer no description that that.
Like, "My name is Ebony D'arkness Dementia Raven Way, and I have black hair with red tips and purple streaks, and blue eyes like limpid tears, and today I was wearing black fishnets and a black skirt from hot topic etc.etc." is not fun to read.
I don’t like mirror openings unless they serve a purpose or effectively tell you something about the characters physical appearance. Like let’s say the protagonist looks in the mirror after a restless night and says “the dark smudges under her eyes after another sleepless night made her normally rich olive toned skin appear sallow, almost sickly.” Or something like that. Now I know she is tired and have some idea of what she looks like and if she is grumbling and looking for coffee a few pages later, it makes sense. Otherwise, like you pointed out, it just reads like a list of facial features and seems more like a police report than a novel.
@@HOLDENPOPE i kinda look into the mirror and look at my features every day just to hate in them, lol
In a fantasy/sci-fi setting, waking up into their normalcy is a good opportunity to slide in what's NOT normal (if it's an everyday thing)
True enough, otherwise everything can feel strange. You have to have some grounding in normalcy to see the strange.
Like Corben Dallas in "The Fifth Element"?
There is no doubt in my mind that you are right
It can also work if that particular scene happens after a traumatic event in their life that will get revealed later (or has already been shown in the prologue) and it's the character trying to keep their normalcy. Obviously this event has to be important to the inciting incident later in the chapter but it's a good way of showing how the other characters react to the MC acting off and will pay off once they start acting more like themselves later on
When she was talking about the morning routine thing, an idea popped into my head. So, I have a character (That currently isn't being used) who has reality bending powers that work by the logic of *dreams.* So pretty much anything can happen, in any way, at any time. Also he has next to no control over it and everything weird that happens is just the normal everyday for him. So if I start off his story with a morning routine, it's just... *_chaos_* O-O
The mirror opening works really well if something has happened to the character recently like an accident, or if they are going through changes and are unhappy with them. Although the mirror opening for the first Divergent book kind of worked for me because it also had some worldbuilding in that it explained she doesn't get to see herself much.
I also think it works really well if an important part about the character is how they feel about their appearance, especially if it's negative. For example, if the character is trans and can't be themself, a mirror opening works very well.
I have a mirror opening in one of the short stories I'm writing that's part of a series that all takes place within the walls of a private club.
But the entire focus is on the character's personality and mannerisms. That it allows the reader to get an idea of the character's appearance is a bonus.
I've heard that it works well if the character is showing they their current appearance is different than normal as a signpost to the current time being monentous, unusual, stressful, etc
My character is transgender and recently started testosterone and every day they look in the mirror and observe their body for changes.
I think it might work in that scenario?
@@isabelaatenska yes, it does work beautifully in this scenario.
Thank you for mentioning the Dream sequence Cop Out, Jenna. It always infuriates me when the opening turns out to be a daydream that the character had, and it's barely has any relevance on the actual plot. One of the "The Summer I Turned Pretty" books opened that exact same way, and it annoyed me to no end!
But what if it Does have something to do with the plot? Like, they're dreaming of a past traumatic event (like Jenna said) and it IS relevant to the plot, because it motivates them? or it reveals the kinds of things that can happen in this world? or it hints at why that person was singled out for such treatment?
Or they are having an anxiety-dream, in which the villain's evil scheme comes to fruition. That would be relevant to the plot.
Would that still be bad writing?
@@Mecharnie_Dobbs That's how one of my stories opens. A PTSD induced nightmare reliving that day in perfect clarity. She then goes to the mirror but hopefully it get a pass because she's searching for the person she used to be in the face of who she is now (dismally fails)
@Heavyarms150 careful now! I live and die for FFX lol
@@Mecharnie_Dobbs anime writing
One story that did the mirror description right was about a person who had lost all his memories, so he was essentially seeing himself for the first time.
I remember doing that too. It was a Sci-Fi setting with a guy recently "cyborgized" who couldn't remember his own name, looking at a mirror fully nude and asking himself "who the hell am I and WHAT the hell am I..?"
my story might have that
Timestamps
2:52 Start of the video
3:06 All Tell, No show
4:23 Backstory
5:21 World building
6:10 Mirror description
7:10 Perceptive/Bait & Switch
8:23 Information Overload
9:35 Lazy Hook
10:40 Try Hard Opening
11:37 Monotony/Morning routine
12:47 Beginning after the insisting incident
Careful he's a hero
THANK YOU!!
No problem :)
Lifesaver! Jenna's openings are *so damn long* it's crazy.
Edit: The fact that I can guess what she's going to day just from this list is also a lifesaver. And a timesaver.
Thank you so much
"Yes, it's important to open with a bang, but..."
After being told not to start out with a sex scene, this one made me laugh. Apparently, I am eight years old.
All good writers have a little 8 years old in us.
Open with a bang, not some banging.
It’s not a book, but I can think of one case where the “dream” opening worked super well. Spoilers for Madoka Magica.
We start with what appears to be an in media res sequence fighting the final boss only for Madoka to wake up and wonder at her dream. It sort of feels like it’s just an audience teaser, maybe a little unnecessary but otherwise harmless. Eventually it’s reveled that it wasn’t a dream at all, but rather the previous time loop and Madoka was waking up from Homura resetting it once more. It feels like such a cool reframing of that moment.
OH MY GOD I LOVE THAT SHOW TOOOO
OMG, Jenna, I just realized the problem I'm having with my current WIP is that I'm starting after the inciting incident. Thank you so much! 💛💛💛
I've always described to clients that the inciting event and the inciting incident are easy to identify if you know how to identify them
The inciting event is the event that sets up the inciting incident for with which it couldn't never have taken place to begin with. The set up to The Reaping in The Humger Games is such an event. The lead up to the reaping and discussion of its randomness prepares us for what is soon to come. We could argue the organization of the hunger games themselves is also an event, but this event is more specific to district 9 at this point in time to these characters.
The inciting incident is the Doorway of "adventure" to which the protagonists either chooses or is forced through where upon there is no going back and set a vehicle of mechanisms into motion. A choice that is made or an event that happens. In The Hunger Games again, this is when Katniss volunteers as tribute instead of her sister, Prim. That choice is what throws her into the adventure and cannot be undone.
In know this is probably late and you're probably well on your way with your WIP, but I thought it was worth pointing out. Hope this helps or is at least insightful.
My WIP starts after several important events, but I've decided to put off worrying about that until I finish writing it and the prequel I belatedly realized I needed because all the flashbacks were dragging it to a grinding halt lol
@@AngelLozadaBlindNun why district 9?
@@moonl1314 I apologize. I meant district 11 and was thinking of the sci-fi movie "district 9"
My book starts with a prologue about a relative of the protagonist finding her as a newborn next to her dying mother. This relative is really important to the series so I thought starting with him was a good way to hint at the main conflict of the series.
Chapter one does do the morning routine/mirror description but said mirror description goes into her feelings about herself and certain people in her life while the morning routine is a sort of farewell ritual to her favorite hobby-gardening. I also introduce her adopted brother and her feelings about leaving him behind when she and her love interest leave on their journey the next morning. It's her birthday, the day she is finally of age, and wants to spend it with her loved ones before she leaves.
This book is finished?
I still think there are ways you can improve your first chapter by maybe dropping what she thinks about herself at different times rather than just dropping it all during her morning routine like maybe she looks in the mirror and judges her physical appearance but then at breakfast maybe a family member says something and she spirals into thoughts about her personality and starts to doubt herself while also being propelled forward and forward within your first chapter
The prologue about the relative finding the protagonist as a baby might work. But unless something dramatic or highly emotional happens on her birthday, it might be better to start on the day she leaves: Her feelings about leaving behind loved ones or abandoning her favorite hobby can easily be conveyed while she is saying her goodbyes and taking one last look back at the garden. Just from the way you describe it here, your first chapter sounds as if it might be very boring and mundane. You check multiple of the bad start checkboxes: Prologue from different character's POV (might be OK if it's brief), boring morning routine, mundane activities, info dump about main character's life and loved ones without anything interesting happening. A detached inner monologue about how a character feels about themselves also isn't usually the best way to start a story, such musings should be connected to plot events. Because frankly, at the point where all the main character has accomplished is getting out of bed and brushing her teeth, I don't care how this boring Jane Doe feels about herself. Show me something that makes me care about the character first, then I'll be interested in her feelings.
Have you given people a reason to care about your character?
@@TSFitzpatrick It's still the first draft so some things might change.
The series and the world it takes place in has been in development since I was in middle school.
Starting with the main character’s dilemma is great, but sometimes it can be a bit difficult to really define or pinpoint the dilemma of the mc. Then I recommend taking the specific everyday situation which gets interrupted by the inciting incident. Works in cases where your character does something and then a wizard stops by to take them on a journey. Might need a bit rewriting afterwards but to just generally get started, it’s quite good.
You have me wondering if this is why I felt the story had come full circle when Arthur Dent finally got to have the cup of tea delayed by the Vogunns.
A video by Filmento on the movie "Underwater" covers this well. Essentially, the movie starts right when the action happens, and a scientist lets a few people die to save the rest of the facility.
This has no impact. Is this a pragmatist making the right call? Is this a stupid decision long term? Is this a psycho showing her true colors? Who knws, who cares. They are dead.
Hitchhiker's Guide is an example of how it's possible to nail a "morning routine" intro if done in an interesting enough way.
My grandmother wrote and traditionally published over 24 books over her lifetime while working as a second grade teacher, she loves a good joke so I’m getting her Shut Up And Write The Book as a gag gift for Christmas
How did she take it?
@@lightcycle87 it's been three weeks man, we don't know 😭
THANK YOU!! These all bother me a lot, I see books start out with detailed descriptions about the characters and their situation and it’s so overwhelming!
Preach, it's usually a jumble trying to get your head around each character and their respective personality quirks, and only mostly works of you've only just started the series.
The "Bait and Switch" is really common in the 2 main genres I have been reading for the last couple of years. Dungeon Core and LitRPG/GameLit. Essentially, they start with whoever is responsible for making the "core" and then in chapter 2 or 3 the Core awakens. I think it really should be in the prolog, not chapter 1 or 2.
One even started with the delivery man appearing as the MC for the first chapter with great background info, never to be seen again.
Can you explain what you mean by core?
@@bloop6111 That is the genre, "Dungeon Core". The easiest way I can describe it is somehow a person passes on, their soul/memories go into a computer, a crystal, a magical orb, and then are reborn. They are able to create dungeons where people explore, sometimes even able to create their own monsters. There is typically an emphasis on mana/mp/resource management, defenses, survival, and shaping the environment.
It would be similar to if you were playing a Sims or Dungeon Keeper game.
That is the quick and easy, there are variations of course. More video game-like, high fantasy, sci-fi, some become academies to teach heros/villians.
Not sure how much of a bait and switch it is if it’s technically the same character. It would be more of a bait and switch if the first chapter follows a character that’s trying to summon a demon, he does it and then the rest of the book follows either the demon or the hero.
@@RoseKindred bruh you just describe my type of show I watch nowadays lol. I love the one whos a normal office man been transported into the game hes been playing for years and is forced to play the final boss role.
@@kevincairo8917 Wait, as in he is the Final Boss? What show, is it Overlord? That sounds like a good change-up.
I generally hate dreams in books because too often I miss the fact that it was a dream and get confused or I just start remembering the dream as part of the plot. That might just be my poor reading comprehension but it drives me crazy.
I've used dreams in a few of my books, as well as flashbacks. My general rule is to italicize everything that isn't actually happening right now in the story (except thoughts, which are put in regular text in an inversion of the normal format). That way the reader knows something is up and isn't blindsided when reality resumes.
@@emilyrln Thanks for that tip! I've been trying to figure out how I could make it slightly more obvious that a scene in my writing is a dream sequence, but that should do the trick!✨
@@CJFrostthorn You're welcome! I hope it works well for you :)
That worldbuilding tip is good, for sure. Only ever tried to read LOTR one singular time and I was falling asleep mid reading - those info dumps were a lot, even if they show how excited he was about his work.
@@tetrapharmakos8868 I believe it's a combo of that (I've never read so much dense text for pages and pages just describing a town like goodness) and then the constant argument about whether or not his views on race were questionable when you examine the book. Idk, didn't grow up with it so I have no attachments
Writers who aren't as talented as him emulate him.
Don't think you are Tolkien,you will never be Tolkien...
@@tetrapharmakos8868 how is LOTR "so unpopular?" I get nowadays it could be a lot, but it has HUGE popularity still these days. I mean, most modern fantasy writers are inspired by Tolkien's works.
@@tetrapharmakos8868 Understandable. My bad!
I knew you were going to include how I started my current WIP. And that’s okay. I know the “wake up” opening is usually boring and clique. I don’t usually use this as an opening. But it’s a big, important day for my MC who lives in a fantasy realm. I use the opportunity to introduce hints of the struggles she’s going through, her unique animal companion, and the intrigue of what this big, important event actually means for the MC in particular. I’d like for it to hit on a similar level to Hunger Games, but as I’m still in the drafting phase I know I may need to change it down the road. For now though, I love my beginning and will leave the editing to future me.
I'm doing the same thing for my sci-fi story! I feel if done correctly that opening can really work with the story and we shouldn't just leave it as a boring trope lol
If you've put thought into your choice of opening, that's a good sign that it's the right way to go. The danger of clichés is when you use them without noticing or interrogating your decision.
My protagonist's love interest is a ghost who died five years before the story begins. I started off with a prologue showing the death from her perspective. She gets a glimpse at the killer but at this point, the reader doesn't know who it is.
That's sick, my ghost are annoying
That sounds so interesting! Are you writing it on a particular platform, or just in general? If it is on a platform please let me know, because I would love to read it!
@@warriorqueen61ad70 What do you mean by platform?
@@kelly_seastar Like Wattpad, (that's the only example I know lol) and websites like that; there are a lot of free, (and non-free) platforms where people will write books, short stories, fanfiction, etc. on... Wattpad can have some... well... interesting stuff on it lol, but it honestly has a lot of enjoyable books too.
@@warriorqueen61ad70 Oh no. I haven't posted it anywhere. Though, I do hope to publish it one day.
This video is perfect timing! And I have been struggling with one of the callouts on this list! I'm introducing WAY too many characters right up front! THANK YOU! Your suggestions gave me a great idea on how to fix it.
I'm with you about the mirrors: if they exist it's to be used. But yes, it's a cliché, especially in crime fiction when it was already getting old a hundred years ago. Thank you for mentioning prologue. I started my novel with a really good protagonist introduction, with a few nice character defining moments, but was told by my editor and beta readers that the villain doesn't come as threatening enough. All the bad things the antagonist was doing were either told, or came up a bit late in the plot. So I'm working on a prologue where he's going to be featured doing something really nasty.
Backstory, All a Dream, and Inciting Incident (maybe a bit of Try-Hard) were all openers I was considering for my comic/novel. These past few weeks I've been trying to figure out how to start the story (I know the plot, but the opening was always a challenge for me), and I scrapped all these ideas before I stumbled upon your video. I did in fact change it to have my story take place a little before the Inciting Incident, so this was a good video that helped me check my work and know I'm progressing, and I'm sure many others feel the same! Thank you and keep up the good work!
girl i love you for this, you make these type of informative videos not feel like a hassle to watch just for some good advice cuz ur funny asf. you literally give the best advice.
Jenna: "I will show you how to write first chapter."
Me who's still redoing my first chapter: "What chapter?"
The one you're currently working on? Sounds like this is exactly what you need.
I feel this lol! My original first chapter was a slow burn with zero context where we slowly pieced together what was going on alongside the POV. I decided to make that chapter two and start with a scene from another POV who got to make interesting decisions, explaining through her actions and thoughts that the other POV was in serious danger. Now the reader gets to worry while POV 2 is dazedly wondering what happened and also why is she chained to the wall.
The idea that if you have an infodump in the beginning you are starting in the wrong time is a beautiful piece of advice that I will be telling people from now on.
Thanks Jenna!
I’ve always appreciated the wake up start because you get introduced to the main character and there valies
I have been listening to you for 2 years and you are getting more professional but still the same inspiring Jenna. And I love your microphone. Thanks! You're the best.❤
Ah! The hard openers! So many times I've read a book synopsis which sounds great, then I read the first page of the book and think, " Well someone definitely had a word a day calendar."
My favorite way to open a story (because it's my favorite kind of opening to read) is to just drop the reader in to the middle of something. It can be a bit confusing but exciting, and I feel it doesn't insult the intelligence of the reader. And what doesn't make sense now will eventually. If possible I like to subtly give away the ending but in an not obvious way that you may not notice until maybe a second reading. I just try to keep in mind what would I like to read?
Jenna, I've been watching you for years and I just could not be more proud of you and how hard you've worked to get where you are today. Kudoes and thanks!
OMGoodness, Jenna! It’s been so long since you popped up in my recommended feed! It’s almost like meeting an old friend!
I am officially becoming an author! I am working on a comic franchise! Guess who kept me wanting to write!
I used to only tell. Especially when I started writing in English. Since it's not my native language. I also used to switch povs multiple times a chapter.
But that I should only introduce a couple characters, those of importance, that's what I already did on my own because I easily lose grip of who is who.
Thanks again for the help. Your direct and blunt way of doing this really helps. I like your attitude.
I agree with everything in this video except for the "bait and switch" point.
There are several books I can think of where the story starts with another character's POV:
Watchmen by Alan Moore (detectives investigating the death of The Comedian)
The Stand by Stephen King (Sally LaVon as she and her family escape the lab)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Vernon Dursley)
Several Discworld books. The Colour of magic, Equal Rites, Sourcerer, Eric, and The Truth come to mind. (usually starting with the character of Death, but not always)
Timeline by Michael Crichton (Dan Baker as he and his wife drive through the desert)
And the list goes on.
Starting from another character's POV in the first chapter can be used for several reasons, such as: setting the mood for the story, driving suspense or mystery, or starting the plot if the MC is not present for what kicks off the oncoming inciting incident.
What it comes down to, is advice like Jenna's "bait and switch" advice insinuates that the audience isn't smart enough to follow what's happening. Writers, trust your audience, they're smarter than you think.
Jenna snapping at everyone to shut and write a book is like free therapy for her
A much better way to do the mirror description would be to have a "get ready with me" montage. Have the character go to an important event, particularly one where a matching outfit, styled hair, and makeup is a necessity. Have them um and ah about which outfit to wear, what shirt goes with which. This could also be jam packed with character building, because HOW a character chooses outfits is a massive insight into their character. (I.e. if they're confident that one of 2 fancy dresses is ideal, but just picking out which one is more eye-catching tonight, they're used to this. They love glam, and they are going to be I their element. Expect them to know just what to say. On the other hand, if they're scrambling to work out what evem counts as "formal" they are NOT comfortable with this situation, and they'll probably muck up simple introductions. If they look up details online, and follow a tutorial, they're probably the scientific, logical sort, and they're doing things systematically.)
Exposition wise, I like to look at the movie Interstellar for inspiration. It requires world building for it to make sense but you find out that information via seeing a regular day in that world instead of a monologue explaining everything.
I mainly write fanfiction, but I love these videos! Also your puppy is adorable!
good list, definitely agree with them all. and thankfully i can check them all off as not having done them in my current work (well, technically a different character not my mc who opens the book, but it's in a prologue as was advised because that character is dead in chapter one, so i'm still in the clear) 😂 every time i watch a jenna video i'm always like oh man, am i gonna get roasted today? lmao
i would say that the starting off the day (number 9) opener _could_ work really well IF your character's morning routine is incredibly unique and their routine will introduce readers to the character's out of the ordinary job or very much non-monotonous way of life. like if your character is a spy or a mobster/thief or a super hero/villain, so their morning routine is waking up, brushing their teeth, and then prepping their weapons or plotting the escape route for a bank robbery or something lmao. that's probably the only way it would hook a reader, by flipping the cliché on its head.
I counter the last one with Rick Riordan's habit of making the beginning of his story be the main character(s) talking to the reader after the events of the book have already taken place.
I adore the opening of the lightning theif. It makes you wonder what happened to make Percy think that way, and gets you hooked. The opening sentence intrigued me when I first read it.
@@mikimorgz exactly! There's still a mystery to uncover!
Am I the only one who likes the “mundane” routines? Makes the characters feel more like people than an immediate wild scene.
Jenna is often described as a plot person than a character person.
The "mundane" routine in my opinion can be both a good and a bad thing. I personally tend to like "boring morning scenes" as there's a lot of potential actually. Trough the morning routine you can tell about your main character, what kind of person they are, do they have a routine, what do they think about and etc. Also can serve slightly to the world building if your character for example has a morning routine at school, or hospital, or heck - a castle! Maybe that's just personal, but I prefer that more to just straight up action scene from chapter 1 and onward. Maybe that's why I loved Hunger Games (I won't spoil anything by the way), so much, the plot progresses pretty naturally and realistically, and the Hunger Games in the title only start in the half-is of the story, which I actually enjoyed unironically. Anyway, thank you for coming to my ted-talk.
I like it when it isn’t filler and tells you something about the world. So let’s say you have a teen in a ya, who wakes up and her mundane issues involve rushing to get ready, getting her drunk parent off the couch, making breakfast and then getting their younger siblings to the bus stop. Yes it’s mundane, but we learn so much about the life the mc is living day to day.
In my experience, writing advice videos really just tell you how to write stories that the person making the video likes. Which would be fine, if they didn't pretend to be general all-purpose advice for everyone.
@@ZeroKitsune I agree and with no disrespect to Jenna, she is awesome and talented, vid’s like this sometimes are about what certain writers aren’t great at. Meaning, some can expertly do the mirror description, or the morning mundane routine and some are expert world builders or write master class fight scenes. Even with all of these “awful” tropes, if it’s engaging, people will read and love and come back for more.
Thank you for still bein around!
helps me alot
Watching this actually helped me a lot with what I want to write, especially the prologue tip, thanks for that one.
You are so entertaining in your videos. I'm looking forward to reading your books.
Thanks for another great video! I just wanted to tell you, I have absolutely no desire to write a book, but I love listening to your videos because they are so cool. Also, as a reader, it is always interesting to hear ideas about writing from a writer. You are in my weekly playlist along with all my nerdy d&d and comics vids! I thought you might like to know that a non-writer is an avid fan of your channel. Also, I just got The Savior's Champion, and I am excited about diving in!
Some of these are why I chose to write in the Close 3rd person rather than first. This way I can describe things as my MC would see them, and describe him to the readers as he seems or feels he sees himself. It starts in a club where he feels out of place, I express the sights, smells, and sounds he experiences as the reasons he feels out of place. I think I did well. The problem is, I struggle to keep pace after the first chapter. haha. I'm getting there though. Thanks, Jenna.
This video made me write a once upon a time story. It is in the prologue. But still. I don’t like being told what to do.
Me, mentally checking the list with my first chapter: aight okay, this checks out, sounds like I’m good.
Jenna: mirror scenes are a cliche.
Me: … well drat
Thanks for this Jenna. I really like your no nonsense approach. Just finished typing up my notes to this presentation which is a great help.
Okay, addressing the last point. My book is about a girl who is half witch half fair folk. Her mother tells her when she becomes of age (according to the culture of witches in my story, this is 16) and then we kind of jump forward six months, where MC is in the land of the Fair Folk. Then she’s ordered by the king to go do this thing, she doesn’t want to yada yada yada, she ends up doing it. Is the inciting incident her learning of magic or is the inciting incident she having to do the thing? Also this really boils down the plot, I swear it’s not as cliche as it sounds, this is just the bare bones 😅
I love you. I needed your humor with the day I’m having today.
I love these lists. You have such interesting insights. Thanks. Not a writer, but am a big reader.
I do like and agree with most of these. I think a lot of crime drama books start with the villain doing something so you are brought into the story and learn something about what the good guy will be facing…rather than joining the action with the detective and pathologist as they stand over the body at the scene. John Sandford comes to mind.
The workbook looks really good. 😊 thank you
This may sound ridiculous, but thank you for making your book affordable 😊 🙏 I am really really looking forward to using the heck out of it and I love all your advice...money well spent!!! ❤️
Thanks so much for this advise I learn so much from you Jenna you are angel and so sweet ❤
One of my favorite openers is in The Secret History.
“The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.”
It's so intriguing, and it actually got me to want to read the book by the first line on it's own.
*Writes these down for the Bulwer-Lytton Competition*
Great advice as always
Can we buy the workbook?! I bought “Shut up and write the book” and I love it! I got the paperback! It’s very helpful! I’m just starting out so this is really awesome! You are very appreciated! Thank u for doing all u do! 💗😊 much love to u and Butters!
I think morning routines are great for sci fi and fantasy settings.
But even when it’s an ordinary world, I think instances where morning routines work is when you have an ensemble cast that are very different from each other. The first chapter cuts between each person as they go about their individual morning routine-displaying their habits, the cleanliness of their room, whether they are late or on time etc.
Some good parallels could be created.
For example if there’s a homeless person on the street, Character A scowls at them in disgust, then later Character B addresses the homeless guy by name and gives them their morning sandwich.
This shows two things, it shows what kind of people the two main protagonists are, and more simply, it shows they’re walking in the same direction.
Maybe they don’t know each other but they go to the same school have the same job, or go to the same coffee place in the morning sitting on opposite ends of the café with a book or laptop in front of them not noticing each other till later.
11:46 I've been half tempted to subvert this trope by making the first paragraph start with something that looks a morning routine, but then having something way too exciting happen. i.e. - staring out the window our protagonist struggles to make out exactly what's going on just outside the city walls. the cannonball coming through and the wall and destroying their still unmade bed provided a the best hint that this was not going to be a normal day.
Hahahaha. "Your first line compares the sun to cat vomit".... oh I lost it. You're brilliantly entertaining. 🤣
Just preordered your book. Can't wait to read it :)
4:43 reading a few of C.S lewis’ books were sooo difficult as a kid and made me want to not read them due to the boring beginnings. After a bit of the start, the actual books are SOOO good and I totally recommend them! Just.. the starts 😭😭
The mirror description trope always reminds me of Wattpad stories where they not only tell you what the person looks like, but they go through a long and oddly specific description of every detail of their clothes, face, hair, etc. Like when the narrator says something like, "I looked in the mirror, staring into my coffee brown orbs, my small nose with some freckles sprinkled all over, and my moderately thin and brown eyebrows. My hair is thin, brown, and straight, with a pink streak on my hair, and it is medium length, reaching just below my small yet angular shoulders, and I have side bangs sweeping into the left side of my forehead. I had my hair tied into a ponytail with a green scrunchy. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing my favorite black My Chemical Romance t-shirt, blue jeans, and white socks for my feet that were size 8." I get why they do it, but I don't think it's necessary to bombard the reader with every detail of their appearance all at once in the beginning like that, unless it's relevant and important to the story at that moment.
Just pre-ordered my copy! Thank you for doing what you do!
It's interesting in my case because the book is essentially a play within a play, having two slates of characters. The structure has been inverted so that the main story is the inner one. With the outer cast collectively narrarating the story through a guided group discussion on the events of the inner story. Like a history class bringing the text to life.
This sounds super interesting!
@@LaFlor718 ok so there are 2 ways to describe the story. 1 post sci-fi fantasy. 2 LOTR if it was written Jules Verne in the 1920s. Something like ''20000 leagues across the realms'' or ''To the moon and back again''.
Thank you Jenna!
Thanks for sharing your writing goddess knowlage!!!📚
The more of the "How to start your novel" advice I hear recently the more I'm leaning into the belief that the disappearance of the back cover blurb lead to this ridiculous situation where the beginning of the novel is meant to be this desperate grasp for the reader's attention... When the reader already picked up the book and most often paid of it. Probably, because they have read a good review or reccomendation, or the premise interested them. So, they're not allowed to just immerse themselves in the story and the world, but are pushed from image to image, as fast as possible.
All the editorial advice nowadays centres around quick, easy, empty "content" meant to be fed on and moved on from.
"Start from the most interesting place" No, start from the place where your story begins. Even if it's the dreaded Morning Routine - it's only tedious when badly framed.
I do feel like some people underestimate a typical reader's attention span.
The last time I dropped a book early, it was because the back cover promised me a fantasy book with political intrigue, and what I got for the first 45 pages(out of 300 total) was sexual innuendos, sex, sexual innuendos, weirdly fetichism description of the fantasy elves of the story, and sexual innuendos in the backstory where the pov character was still a child.
...So my point is that a lot has to go wrong for me to give up on a story before 100 pages.
I was just struggling thinking about some ways to make the beginning of my novel good and this video appears... coincidence? I think not😂❤️
You don’t need to come after me like that with that last part 😭
In all seriousness though, thanks for the video it was helpful!
The only example of the backstory I can think of is from The Eye of the World, which I personally think was a great hook. It was definitely showing rather than telling, and it wasn’t insanely brief but it was intense and interesting enough to have me wondering how it tied in as the story progressed.
YOUR THE BEST JENNA! ❤
Number 4! Who looks into a mirror and assesses their appearance? TEENAGERS!
Oh good, I only did the mirror description thing. I might consider changing that, but it's such a convenient trope!
I think a bait and switch can work later though. In the next arc or book introduce no name characters and have them killed later by a foreshadowed villain that your hero’s are unaware of and inevitably have to deal with.
Im just glad to know that my story DIDE isn't ruined by my reoccurring dream scenes in the early chapters of my book.
I completely agree with the backstory problem. I know I'm gonna get a lot of pushback, but I was listening to the first
LOTR audiobook and there was so much backstory dump abt the hobbits that I didn't finish the book.
I'll probably go back and finish it eventually, but it was really hard to sit through the info dump
This is why I wrote my opening like, 6 times and will probably rewrite it when I'm done.
Funniest thing is my first book that I was going to publish started with the backstory. After I had an editor and she convinced me that I should make it the first book. I'm glad I took her advice because it opened up I feel the world of my characters a lot deeper. It is from looking at how the backstory became its own and the original book for the Uncivil Truth. I might not have sold a single copy, but I'm still damn proud of the story and I'm glad I listen to my editor and made it the first book.
I'm in a similar position, but it was beta readers who convinced me my flashbacks should be fleshed out into a prequel.
Aww butters is SO ADORABLE 😊
I knew dreams would be on this list. That's what I have, but I'm glad you said there's an exception if dreams are a recurring theme in the story, which they very much are in mine. Didn't consider the thing about morning routines though, because that's what naturally happens after waking up. So that'll be a challenge to make it not boring or to find something else without overhauling the first few scenes of my book.
Why did I only find your channel the week after I submitted my first book 😂 back to the drawing board 😜
I bought your book. It was a great guide for new authors. Nice job.
I really like that the 'too many characters' was something I noticed some readers being critical of, in the Audible reviews of The Sister's Savior. However, I actually disagreed with those critiques, specifically because you *didn't* name them all, so it was easy to process by focusing whoever had a bigger speaking role. I was wondering how people missed that fact, and if it would come up in a video at some point.
That's actually helped a lot with my own work. Since I write mostly romance, from a 3rd person perspective, it's easier to just focus the two main characters, rather than the whole entourage.
Me, using a window in one of my stories: Ahahahaha, loophole!
Though it was less "describe his appearance" and more "he's metaphorically not seeing himself in this uniform, but someone else." XP
5:00 I honestly just recently encountered this, and realized the problem after finishing over 70k words.... Now I'm 2 (atleast) novels behind that one. Almost done the first one, but there is atleast 1 more whole book inbetween the current one I'm working on, and my initial piece. It has been a wild exercise in world building, which has resulted in a multi hundred year time span, with detailed theology, lore, and biological reasoning. I describe it as "Post-Apocalyptic Science-Fantasy"
10:14 I actually HAVE had premonition dreams several times in my life, they used to be merely semi uncommon when I was younger. But you usually dont know if its a premonition dream before the thing actually plays out in the nearest future, and it was something you did not expect or have experienced many times before (if even at all). For me almost all dreams are surreal with magical elements of some sort
I watched this video on a dark and stormy November night. Never in my life had the rain been wetter! Every drop was filled with water to it's quivering rim! Suddenly the lightning bolt that had been lurking behind the Midnight Blue cloud all the night, attacked me with a thundering boing and behold, I understood!
I never wanted my world to become a book, but I'm trying to write somewhat of an introduction to the beginning of my story.
I have somewhat of a personal love towards the mirror trope and it does start with a dream, but I found myself taking notes of these moments and doing my best to present them in an interesting way. Dreams? Yes, they have their place in the worldbuilding, let them affect character's smallest move and twist their smile just a little. Mirror? Let it reflect one's soul! Let there be two characters at once, having fun of their life, instead of giving the description.
Tropes are not bad! Mostly everything we write about is a trope, but we make them interesting through the right presentation that goes well with the story and it's characters
(I personally have a really slow story pace, but I try to make it up with all the different small, but nice and cute details that make the world. It also gives me time to rewrite anything I want, even if I have planned something for years)
I like these points, but I was waiting for a few more counterexamples of when these rules have been successfully broken by good writers. And while I TOTALLY understand referring to your own work for examples (it's a legit time to plug your work AND you can confidently speak to the author's intent) it would have been cool to get a few examples from other fiction, too.
One of the most 'realest' questions, other than all the awesome tips is, "What are words?"
Phew.... dodged these bullets. I was a bit worried by using a prologue centered on the villain and backstory.
I have a mirror scene in my book. It comes in the second half of the book, and it's just the character analyzing his appeal. Or lack thereof. It's more for his perspective on himself, versus reality.
I've been watching your vids for over a year. Your advice is super helpful and appreciated...though I suspect the mastermind behind it all is Buttercup.
In one of your cost to self-publish videos, I think you said that you've used a developmental editor in the past. But I don't believe you've done a specific video about them. If not, I'd love to hear 1) how they've helped you in the past and 2) whether you think they'll be an ongoing part of your publishing process. I know what they do at a high level, but there seems to be a considerable difference in opinion regarding whether or not they're worth the cost and whether or not every self-publishing author should use one. I'd be very interested in your opinion and experience.
I begin my novel with a morning routine 😣I justified it as it provides insight into his slightly disorganised life, rushing around to be on time and sets the scene of where he is and why he's there. I've tried to rethink this and am kinda attached to this opening :/