How To Create A Strong Opening For Your Novel
Beware! If you get the opening of your novel wrong all your hard work work creative writing could be for nothing.
The opening of a story is the most critical part, you must get it right.
Keep reading to find out how.
How to hook your reader from the opening page of your novel?
Every element of your story is valuable. But beware if you don’t hook the reader in those first precious few lines, then they might not go on to read any further. They might not get to see the rest of the story. While it may only be a few lines, your opening possesses a lot of power. Let’s jump in and find out how to make those early words count.
The beginning acts as an invitation to the reader to carry on reading. To see what happens next — enticing them to read on, not wanting to miss out on something astounding. The most critical function of the opening is to fascinate the reader. It should act as a hook.
What exactly is a hook in a novel opening?
A narrative hook is there to entice, allure, to captivate the reader. In other words, its purpose is to reel the reader in and get them fixated on your story. It should be a ‘hook’ for the rest of the story and keep your reader, reading! It’s how you engage them in the tale you are telling.
What should you aim for in your novel opening?
The answer is simple, but the execution is hard! Your task is to make the reader feel like they have no other choice but to keep reading.
You aim to excite the reader and write something compelling. It should be something that piques their curiosity. It must make them desperate to know what’s going to happen next.
It doesn’t have to be something huge or explosive. Something that drops a few hints can be intriguing. Being suggestive in your writing can be useful. The hook shows your reader why your book is worth reading.
Focus on grabbing the reader’s attention within those first few lines. Don't leave it too long to give them that initial hook. If you do, you run the risk of losing their attention completely.
Creating a strong opening for your novel can be the most challenging part. However, there are some methods and techniques you can use to ensure a sense of curiosity within your reader. There are a variety of ways you can create a compelling opening. Much like with creative writing in general, there is no one right way. Your opening might introduce immediate drama or drop the reader into a scene of dialogue. Whichever method you try, set yourself the goal of creating interest, and an air of intrigue.
Creating a hook can be a challenge. But you can also have a lot of fun with it by experimenting with different methods.
Stephen King is rumoured to have spent years perfecting his opening lines, and some say Charles Dickens was the king of a strong novel opening.
Here are a few suggestions you could try:
4 Tried and Tested Tips For Writing A Strong Novel Opening
1. Action or Danger
This method lets you give the reader the chance to dive straight into a frantic moment of the story. Or, a tense situation for your character.
For example - The noise of a phone ringing had never made her feel this way before. It had never made her shake. Nor make the hairs on her arms stand on edge. Or her shoulders tense…
Here you want to question who is on the phone, and why is she reacting in that way? Sometimes a more subtle approach to this can be useful, as you drag it out, and build the tension slower.
2. A Dramatic Statement:
Start your story with a bang. Share a short, sharp, unexpected statement or short line of description or dialogue.
For example - I have nowhere left to run.
In this instance, there is a sense of drama and suspense straight away. What has happened? Who is the character, and what have they done? The statement creates questions in itself. Introducing the reader immediately into some drama is often valuable. It grabs their attention and starts a multitude of questions. They might even become invested with the character in an instant. They have a strong emotional pull to keep reading.
3. Non-linear Time
This technique is particularly suitable for showcasing drama or highlighting an emotional environment with your story.
For example - These walls aren’t the walls of my home anymore. Betty has been dead for six months now. And still, I can’t understand how my life has come to this.
The idea here is to draw the reader in with the emotion of the situation. But it also tells the story from a point where the character Betty is still alive. The reader is encouraged to go on the journey to discover what’s happened and how it got to that point.
4. Overpowering Emotion
At their heart, stories are about emotion. Starting your novel with a powerful feeling pulls your reader into the story faster than lines of description ever could.
For example - Diary, I’m telling you this because I don’t know what else to do. I never knew it was possible to feel like this. So devoid of meaning. I don’t know why I’m even here anymore…
Here we immediately get a sense of an emotionally charged situation. This opening creates a question about what has happened to the protagonist. An emotive moment can not only evoke a response in the reader, such as sympathy, but it’s a perfect way to make them want to know more. Will they recover? Will they end up happy? These questions lead the reader to like to learn more.
You don’t have to start at the beginning
You may find that some of these ideas work well for you, or you might discover something different along the way. Either way, have fun with it and let your imagination run wild. The more you write, the more confident you will become in writing strong openings.
One final thing to point out is that because it’s the beginning of your story, it doesn’t mean it has to be the first thing you write. If you’re struggling, come back to it later. There is no obligation to do things in a particular order.
While it can be difficult trying to construct an opening, hopefully, these ideas can help you recognise what you want your first lines to do.
Embrace the recurring theme of creative writing and experiment. Remember, you’re not restricted in what you can do. The possibilities are endless. When you have got something you feel happy with, trust in yourself and your judgement. And most importantly, enjoy the freedom that comes with writing. It can take you anywhere.
What is one opening you have used in your writing? We would love to know. Please write and tell us.
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