Ask the Editor 13: Beginnings...
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How to begin? That innocuous little question can be rather troubling. The beginning of a book in particular feels critical; this is where you get the chance to capture the reader's attention but, equally, it is the most likely place to lose them. In this article I will look at some simple strategies for opening a book. These are principles rather than rules and by no means set in stone; good writers tend to test the rules and boundaries of a genre as a matter of creative course. But they may save you a good deal of futile agonising at a crucial juncture in your writing journey.
In classical literature, beginnings tend to the rhetorical; think of the marvellous opening to Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Or they offer a proverbial statement that characterises the narrative; the opening of Anna Karenina is a perfect example. Or they introduce you to the principal character: ‘Call me Ishmael' is perhaps the most famous one-liner in this tradition. In contemporary literature, things are not so simple, however.
The profusion of genres and styles, and the influence of film and television, has altered the reader's perception of how a novel begins. Modern novels tend to open in medias res, to coin the classical term; action and dialogue give the reader the impression they have walked in on a story that is already in full flow. This works well in a majority of circumstances and, unless you have a strong reason or motivation for doing otherwise, it serves as a decent guiding principle.
But wait; what about the prologue? In some genres - thrillers, fantasy novels and sci-fi in particular - a prologue has become a convention, if not a cliché. The prologue allows the writer to set the scene, provide background, or hint at future developments. It's often set before the time of the main narrative, offering a driver or trigger for the main events; or it tells the reader a little about the setting in which the story takes place. It can also be a slice of later narrative, an invitation to the reader to read towards the salient point.
I think of the prologue as an addition to the narrative rather than the start of it. It may whet the reader's appetite or present them with a witty, quirky or downright surreal passage of action; but it isn't the beginning, by definition. Your book starts on the opening page, in the opening paragraph of the opening chapter. This may sound dogmatic but it is logical and, as far as research on the subject shows, it is also how the reader sees things.
So that first paragraph is vital. It sets the tone for the whole book - not just in terms of action but also of style, mood and emotional register. A good opening paragraph distils the style of the book and encapsulates the type of action that drives the narrative. So, having given the opening such importance, my first piece of advice may strike you as rather odd.
Don't try too hard! A surprisingly large proportion of the manuscripts that cross my desk (or perhaps not so surprising when one thinks about it) have opening passages that are overwritten, occasionally heroically so. The tone is artificially elevated and the emotional register is in the red zone; and nothing has happened yet. I suspect that many such writers have attempted to write the opening before they have written anything else, feeling an obligation to front-load the book with their best shot. This is a risky tactic and it regularly fails.
Another approach that regularly fails is the deliberately quirky opening. Writing something humorous or witty is a skill that not all writers acquire; if it's not part of your make-up, it's probably best not to try it. Equally, if you have a decent plot and you know how the narrative works, inserting an eccentric opening can skew the reader's view of the impending action.
What unites both these approaches, and undermines them, is self-conscious writing. It smacks of showing off or, more sadly, desperation. And unless you intend to write a hundred thousand words of emotionally wrought, elevated ‘literature', it stands out from the main narrative style and distorts the tone of the book. I strongly recommend you avoid this kind of quixotic literary quest; it is exceptionally difficult to do well and in most cases it has very little to do with the shape or intention of the book as a whole.
I think it is better to write the opening quite quickly and consider it as simply the first bit of the action. Say what's happening, or have a character say what's happening, and move on; avoid rhetorical flourishes and grand declarations. That is to say, don't be afraid to understate your opening, at least on first draft. Let the story do the work; that's what it's there for.
Then, when you have got into the swing of it and the words are flowing, return to the opening and see if you can improve it. This may take several attempts. You may discover, as you progress, that the tone of the narrative changes; it may be some time before you are sure of the style that epitomises the book as a whole. And you may well discover that the understated, practical opening works just fine as it is.
Important as it is, the opening is not the whole book in a nutshell; it's more a signpost at the entrance. A great opening is a bonus of course, for both writer and reader, but it is not compulsory; nor does a book's success depend on it. You don't want the reader to pause, entranced, at the first paragraph (though a nod of approval never goes amiss); you want them to want to keep going, to find out what happens. What matters first and most is the story and how you deliver it.
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When he isn't editing, Noel Rooney writes a regular column for Fortean Times magazine, and wilfully obscure poetry. He lives in South London with his family and rather too many animals.
Ask the Editor 1: What genre is my book?
Ask the Editor 2: the submission letter
Ask the Editor 3: Writing a synopsis
Ask the Editor 4: Why do I need you?
Ask the Editor 5: Non-fiction submissions
Ask the Editor 6: Writing non-fiction
Ask the Editor 7: Researching for a book
Ask the Editor 8: How I assess a manuscript
Ask the Editor 9: Why do I need a report?
Ask the Editor 10: Writing your blurb or cover copy
Ask the Editor 11: English Language Editing
Ask the Editor 12: The limitations of editing software
