How to Start a Story Must-Have Tips From 11 Professional Editors

How to Start a Story Must-Have Tips From 11 Professional Editors How to Start a Story: 11 Tips From Our Editors Most writers don’t begin the novel-writing process knowing exactly how to start a story. That comes later, once the narrative arc has taken clearer form.It’s also because the opening lines of a novel carry a lot of responsibility with them. They act as an invitation for someone who’s glanced at the first page of your book to either put it back down or keep reading. It’s like the white rabbit showing up and asking Alice to follow him: the reader has to decide whether to follow despite not knowing what will happen next, and it is the writer’s job to convince them to go down the rabbit hole.Whether you’re just getting started on a novel, or revisiting Page 1 of a first draft, Reedsy Editors are here to help with tips for starting a story with literary examples from a few favorites. We asked our editors: "how would you start a story?" They came up with 9 insightful ways Tip 1. Start with the unexpectedGareth Watkins: Start with the unexpected. Think of the opening to Nineteen Eighty-Four, or Iain Banks’, The Crow Road, â€Å"It was the day my grandmother exploded.† Of course, your opening doesn’t have to be as outrageous as these, but always aim for the unusual. In other words: think of how people will be expecting the book to start, then take the plot  in another direction.If you're in the mood to get some similarly twisty ideas, you can go here to see a list of 70+ plot twist examples.â€Å"At dusk they pour from the sky. They blow across the ramparts, turn cartwheels over rooftops, flutter into the ravines between houses. Entire streets swirl with them, flashing white against the cobbles. Urgent message to the inhabitants of this town, they say. Depart immediately to open country.† - Anthony Doerr, All The Light We Cannot SeeTip 10. Start with your heartDiane Sheya Higgins: Ensure readers that you are not kidding around. You have invested blood, sweat, and tears into this story, and the opening lines should prove that. Compose the first lines of your book as though they were the last lines you will ever write.When readers are transported into your far reaching insights and soulful explorations, they are yours. Every time I read the opening lines of Hugh Howey’s bestselling self-published novel, Wool, I am drawn into the breathtaking depths of his vision and humanity, and I wrench my heart from my chest, and say, â€Å"Here, take it.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The children were playing while Holston climbed to his death; he could hear them squealing as only happy children do. While they thundered about frantically above, Holston took his time, each step methodical and ponderous, as he wound his way around and around the spiral staircase, old boots ringing out on meta l treads.† - Hugh Howey, WoolTip 11. Start by placing a spell on your readerAnne McPeak: You want your reader to be swept up in the story- for its entirety, but especially at the beginning. This is your chance to intoxicate your reader and convince them that they can’t not read on. This doesn’t mean your story needs drama, or fireworks, or shocking material; what your story really needs is close attention to language, tone, and pacing. Dazzle your reader from the start, and they will willingly take your hand for the ride."Like a match struck in a darkened room:Two white girls in flannel nightgowns and red vinyl roller skates with white laces, tracing tentative circles on a cracked blue slate sidewalk at seven o'clock on an evening in July.The girls murmured rhymes, were murmured rhymes, their gauzy, sky-pink hair streaming like it had never once been cut." - Jonathan Lethem, Fortress of SolitudeEstablishing best practices for starting a story can be tricky because, as Reedsy Editor Nathan Connolly says, â€Å"Fiction should, by nature, seek to defy, redefine or expand beyond rules." It should not be an author’s goal to emulate the words or tastes of another person while writing a novel.However, many well-loved novels share a thread of commonality when it comes to their first few lines - such as a question, a brief to-the-point line, or in the middle of action. While there’s no hard rule for what works, these are guidelines you can follow when determining how to hook readers down your story’s path. Struggling with your opening lines? Here are 9 ways to start your story   Writing a book is a monumental task, but very doable once you have momentum and a compliant muse. If you're looking for ways to end  your novel, go here. And when you reach the finishing line of your entire publishing journey, please read our technical article on formatting and making a book ready for publishing.Do you have a favorite opening passage from a novel not mentioned? Or your own tips for writing a great story opener? Let us know in the comments!