Young Writers Society

Most likely this has been posted before, but I'm having trouble beginning a story. I have the characters and conflict, I just can't seem to do a good introduction.

This seems to be a problem everywhere but I might be able to help you. Since you know the characters outline them. Map out their thoughts, feelings, interests etc. Treat them like they are real people. Treat them like robots you're breathing life into. But be careful, you don't want them to seem too controlled, so study the lives of people around you. Paint their movements in your head. Base some of your intro off something that's happened to you or someone else. If you're writing a Fantasy, the same rules apply. Don't push yourself on the intro because you don't want to tire the reader later on. Use descriptions here and there but make sure we know the MC.
Hope I helped,
Angel

A hook! A hook! Give us a hook!

I read somewhere you should start as close to the end as possible, mostly not to waste your reader's time.

A good way to open is...

a) Start in the middle of something; action, a thought, a conversation. They are suddenly there, asking themselves what's going on... and thus they continue to read because they want to know.

b) Something funny. Depending on your characters, this could work. I have a bad habbit of starting my stories with humour, because that's my style and if people liek the first thing they read, they tend to continue.

Hmm. Those are what I find work best. Also, short startements can also work (for your first line, fo course. You follow up with explaining).

ex:

He was screwed.
The sound of the siren was getting closer, forcing him to run faster. If he could just make it to the fence...

^Okay, not brilliant. But maybe when you read the first line you wondered why this guy is in so much trouble. And then you keep reading and wonder why he is being chased, and if he will make it to the fence...

Some people say to tell your readers as much as possible as soon as possible, and that is important. But to me, if the first thing your reader has is a bunch of questions that can only be answered if they keep reading, you have done well.

That's the best advice I can offer since I don't know anything about your plot or characters.

Gook luck!

^_^ Keek!

YAY! I've finally found this.
OK so my problem is I had a opening for my story but I was told that it was way to fast and it asked too many questions at once. My question for you all is how do you slow the opening down but keep it medium paced for the readers to get hooked?

Use short sentences for important, fast-paced, action-packed stuff. Really describe everything like when time seems to completely slow down during a moment of high tension. Employ longer sentences to slow down the reader's eye and so decrease the pace. Yes, even in openings, pacing is important!

Hope this helps.