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 Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 9:19 am
My problem with the plot is always finding a good beginning. It's an introduction to my whole book, and I want something that will matter. I think a good beginning should always be somewhat tied in with the rest of the book.
And that's where I fail. Any general ideas for a beginning?
Basic: 12 yr old kid in America, his uncle from Mexico wants him to come visit/live with him.
Answer: 'Why?' and 'How does he get the message across?'
One thing: A fighting scene doesn't interest me for the paticular book I'm working on.
Also, I'd be happy to help anyone else with the same problem.
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:29 am
Beginnings of stories are always the hardest I think. For my own recent one I was humming and harring over how to begin it but I made my way through eventually haha.
So you want a general idea of a beginning for that plot/story? Hmmm...perhaps...
- An argument with his parents/guardians
- The opening of the letter of invitation but the reader is left in suspense on what it says for a while?
- Or something totally out of the ordinary? Like...his uncle arrives at his school field in a helicopter? Or perhaps it's a family reunion set up by his uncle, which his parents have not exactly gotten on with. With this you can describe all his horrible and nice relatives and weave funny stories.
Sorry if these didn't help!
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:50 am
I'm thrilled with two of your suggestions:
The family reunion- there are other relatives that my character needs to meet somewhere along the way.
And the helicopter is fantastic! The uncle is exceptionally wealthy, and it would be just his style to show off his money! Thank you thank you!
I'm going to be mulling over those for a little while, tweaking them to fit my story just right. smile
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 11:46 am
Glad to be of help! smile
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 11:58 am
Absolutely! Since I last posted, I've decided to go with a family reunion, and I even decided why they're getting together. Now I've got that warm, bubbly feeling I get whenever I finally figure out the hard parts of my story.
Only a few more kinks to work out. Yay!
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 12:45 pm
Haha yes, that warm bubbly feeling is a wonderful feeling biggrin Well, anymore troubles and niggly bits, be sure to post them smile Two or more minds are better than one as the saying goes.
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:50 am
I think we should revive this thread. I always have so much trouble with my beginnings. gonk
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:47 pm
Ugh, beginnings. I'm pretty sure my last project ended up generating almost zero text solely because I couldn't figure out what the first scene should be. If a character is going to magical college, should we start with them at school, or going to school, or visiting the school with their parents, or at the mandatory announcement where they get told that it's really magic college and not just regular college? Luckily, I had an obvious answer for the next thing I started working on, and I swear, if it gets written, that'll be why.
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Distinct Conversationalist
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Psychotic Maniacal Sanity Crew
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:52 pm
God, tell me about it. I'm currently thinking a lot about my next big project, and I have no idea where to start it. I have about six possible options, and those are only the ones I've thought of; there are probably more better ideas that I've missed. sweatdrop
Although, I guess the magic school question is always interesting because you have to ask "What was X's life like before magic school?" Harry Potter starts where it does because his muggle life sucks. X3 If life is good, and school is harder, starting with the conflict there works better.
*sigh* So many options. XD
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:27 am
I tend to ditch the computer and pick up a good pen and pad to start. Free-writing has always helped me begin. I come up with a couple of possible starting points. Even if I'm 40,000 words in and I don't like my beginning I won't change it until I'm finished. That's what's editing for. Beginnings are the first big step but they don't need to be that much of a worry smile
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:54 pm
I hate beginnings. ):
Every time I come up with what I think could be a good beginning for one of the stories I'm working on, I look back on it a few days (or even a few hours) later and go "...no, that's not going to work."
I can't count the number of times I've tried to write out the beginning of this story, just to realize that it doesn't "feel" right. Sometimes it's at all, and so I've scrapped a few beginnings entirely, while keeping some of the information possibly for later. Once or twice, I've realized that I want to keep the scene, but it's not "the beginning". There's more story to tell before I get there...But then I'm back to where I started, because it's still not "right".
Another story, my main one...The entire beginning was fine for ages, until one day I looked back on it and realized how boring some parts were and how most of the other parts needed to be changed because characters' personalities and abilities have changed by the current point in the story (and not in the 'it can evolve gradually' sort of way that would let me keep what I've already written). >.> I still haven't rewritten this beginning. I can't bring myself to touch it yet. Maybe I'll just wait until the rest of the story is written...
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