Novel Beginnings: How To Start Your Book

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Beginnings, they're hard! How do you land a first page? First line? First act? What are some of the common pitfalls in book beginnings, things to watch and avoid?
I'm going over all the things to consider at the start of your book. Many agents, editors, and readers will only give you a page or two before they give up--so you want to make sure you hook them, keep your pacing up, nail that inciting incident, and get them into act two.
Some things I'm covering include first lines (do they matter?), first pages, starting in the right place, inciting incidents, info dumping, exposition issues, character development, plot beats, worldbuilding and more!
TIMESTAMPS
01:38 Starting in the right place
04:41 Exposition pitfalls
07:07 Info dumping & trusting your reader
09:14 Getting readers to care about your character/world
12:24 Inciting incidents
15:57 Examples of inciting incidents
17:31 Decision point/break into two
18:49 First impressions
20:18 Delivering on the promise of your premise/first pages
23:14 First lines (with examples)
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Опубликовано:

9 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 801

@stephaniejohnson229 4 года назад

"Waking up, getting ready-" Me: -Throws away entire novel-

@espy77 4 года назад

Lol me too lol 😂

@animezae 4 года назад

Lmfaooooooo

@Vi12three45 4 года назад

"Waking up, getting ready-" Me: Throws away entire life

@gem9535 4 года назад

YYYYESEEESSS

@coreysimmons2374 4 года назад

I started with a dream, went on to getting ready and finally the drive. Now, I’m just going to think about rewriting, everything

@carole5648 5 лет назад

i also think it's important to remember; yes you do need to nail the beginning, but you don't need to nail it FIRST. the first thing you write does not need to be that perfect beginning. that's the hardest part for me when i'm staring at a blank page. i know the beginning needs to be all of these things but you can go back and correct all of that later, the important part is still, to begin!

@asdfghjkl29908 4 года назад

i love you

@sosom6963 4 года назад

thank you!

@Bobaloo92 4 года назад

Carol E ‘the first thing you write does not need to be perfect... you can go back and correct all of that later.” YESSSSS

@liamina3563 4 года назад

I love this comment 👍

@espy77 4 года назад

Carol E thank you this helped!!!!

@UserName-xi8rm 3 года назад

It’s scary, because I have this whole world, this wonderful story ,and the thought of my reader missing out on that adventure because I failed to intrigued them in the opening is devastating.

@emmajakobsen8265 3 года назад

You can always rewrite the beginning. Write the whole book. Once you return to that first page you're a better writer with fresh eyes :)

@herlizard 2 года назад

You sound like a true writer then

@mello.1483 2 года назад

Rejection is my greatest fear man…

@ryder1658 2 года назад

Your book can't appeal to everyone, and neither can the opener. In reality your book, like all books, is probably only compatible with a percentage of the population. The good news is even 1% of 8 billion is still 80 million. If you read each of what most consider to be the greatest books of all time, I'm sure you would recognize their value, but you probably wouldn't have read them if it weren't for their notoriety. I mean, I still haven't read them all and I recognize their value. Don Quixote's great and all, but I don't think its opener is optimal. Yet, were I to "correct" its opener, another author would find it subpar. If... I don't know, Shakespeare corrected me, Twain wouldn't be satisfied with the change. And so on. Perfect is the enemy of good. Your mission shouldn't be to retain all readers, it should be to dig through all the readers to find YOUR readers. If someone isn't intrigued by your writing, provided it is proper in craft, then they aren't your reader, are they? And hey, they might come around when you're on that list of best books ever written!

@uglystupidloser 2 года назад

i think a good practice might be to try rewriting the beginning and redoing the outlining for books and film, and adjusting the structure to suit your taste. you could also do this for endings. you are less emotionally invested and wont feel overwhelmed by having your guards up and fending off criticism, whether it be by others or even yourself. also, shaelin from the youtube channels shaelinwrites and reedsy is an advocate of short stories because she can edit and redraft a finished work over a dozen times, while doing that to a novel can be incredibly taxing and frustrating. once you get the flow, you can also get a better idea of what other people are saying when they offer their opinions. tyler mowery is a youtube channel about structure for screenwriting, but his ideas of a template can serve novels very well. his focus on the popular idea of story structure makes it easier to step back and look at your story as both a whole and parts, and it can let you zero in on if a certain part, like the beginning, and see how it isnt helping the rest of the story structure flow the way you would prefer. you can learn how to have the beginning serve as the hook that you want it to, and be the springboard for your story and characters and setting that your audience will hopefully be more willing to take the leap of faith off of.

@justadexdpup 4 года назад

"If you repeat the same idea, the readers will become frustrated" That on swing scene in Naruto: i'm gonna pretend i didn't see that

@Tinnika12345 3 года назад

bro i was thinking the same

@searchlunasbox 3 года назад

no don’t attack naruto like that ✨

@AGlyn-ep9ic 3 года назад

Believe it!

@emanzahra1249 3 года назад

but it never gets boring. It always HITS

@novemberninth4392 3 года назад

But that one h i t s

@ashahamrick8871 5 лет назад

Beginnings are my least favorite thing to write. I feel like I can never get the timing right. It always moves too fast or too slow. I have the entire story in my mind, but I struggle incessantly with the beginning. However, watching your videos does help a lot. When I’m stuck or feeling discouraged, I watch your videos for that kick in the rear and encouragement I need to keep going. So thank you for that!(:

@shahnaj1772 3 года назад

Same problem here!

@user-jt5ru6mq5q 3 года назад

Ikr! samee

@quill4596 3 года назад

I end up writing everything in like- 10 pages, For me- that's not a good thing. I either make it too short or I can't stop writing it out and dragging it along.

@reach4thestars Год назад

yeah i struggle with info dumping

@crystalgalaxy8940 2 месяца назад

It's also ok not to have a great beginning at first. Write something then move on to the next part. As long as you write down the general idea of what you want you can always go back later and tidy it up.

@emmawagner8915 3 года назад

Another reason katniss waking up worked is because her day was so different from pretty much anyone else’s that no reader is reliving something they do every day already

@christinag2919 4 года назад

Okay here’s where I’m stuck: my villain is so interesting that my main heroine seems boring now. I also feel like I’m so influenced by books I’ve read that my characters will never be original.

@demeta3201 4 года назад

Tbh I love story's where it's hard to root for the heroine and you instead prefere the villain. It makes things kind of tricky and you question how you judge people! I wish I could help you with the "my characters will never feel original" problem, but I have the same one :( But what I like to remember is that no one is original some people have similar character trades and thats okay ! Its what you do with those characters (what they choose to do, what they think and say etc.) Anyways that was just my humble opinion I hope you found a way to make things work (btw sorry if I spelled anything wrong English isn't my first language)

@christinag2919 4 года назад

Gordon Phillips Wow! Thanks for your lengthy comment, really useful advice!

@jaredjohannson7354 4 года назад

It'll never be original, no story is original anymore, so don't think your writing is shit because you find similarities.

@wendellfeliciano6138 4 года назад

No story is ever truly original. It's not your job to come up with original ideas, but to come up with original executions.

@sophiebell4758 3 года назад

@@demeta3201 if you have a problem with Making your Main charakter Original, remember. It doesnt matter. Try to make the charakter in a way that u want to see him grow or u wabt to see him fall. Make a character that u really like (not a mary sue of course) so u want to create a whole World for you

@cathal9596 5 лет назад

OMG!!! I always try to write the start of a book and just give up, but I think this video will help!

@mrscalpouzos 4 года назад

Start somewhere else! You are the omnipresent, omnipotent writer and you can start at whatever exciting middle point you want. Write the beginning later when you feel like it and you know your characters better.

@SlimeforJesus Год назад

Try watching Abbie Emmons, she talks about psychology of writing. I understand what all writers are talking about 5x better, after watching her trilog on three act plot structure.

@gem9535 4 года назад

"Waking up, getting ready-" I did this, yep. I did this, and as soon as I found out how much this was used, I died on the inside. I am going to YEET that beginning, still keep the foreshadowing, and instead introduce a very important aspect of my character. I am going to have him painting! This book is very art inspired, so why not nail that head until it goes THROUGH the coffin?

@poppy6635 2 года назад

Starting with painting sounds like a great beginning !

@kevywilliams3304 Год назад

Maybe you can start with that. But set a mood . Example .. you got woken up early again today.. and why are his dam socks on the floor again. Or .. wow . I’m never been woken up by such a sunny sunny day !!!

@amandaknight1406 4 года назад

I definitely have blank page phobia. I used to stare at a blank sheet of paper for hours just stressing out over what I should write first. Now, whenever I start writing out a new idea I begin with, "First sentences suck and this one won't be any better, but on to the story!", just so there will be something on the page to take the place of the perfect beautiful sentence that I'm never going to figure out on the first try.

@Growndweller 3 года назад

That's a great idea! The first sentence is, after all, only the first sentence. I've never had a problem with first sentences because all I want to do is just start the story and you have to start somewhere!

@taylorbillet4318 5 лет назад

Could you possibly do a video on how to write dialogue? It has always been a struggle for me when writing

@kb470 5 лет назад

Lol, my dialogue got better later on, but it started like a couple t800s "YES. HELLO. I AM A HUMAN WHO IS SPEAKING."

@scarlet8078 5 лет назад

Try using a voice recorder to "act out" your dialogue. Whether you use it to write the dialogue or just to revise it, I think you'll find it really helps.

@lizzychrome7630 5 лет назад

There is only on rule for writing dialogue: If you spend a paragraph describing a murder victim's throat slit wide opened, with torrents of blood soaking her gown, don't immediately follow with someone saying, "...She's bleeding!"

@heynae2016 4 года назад

@@kb470 same here

@MOTHHMAN 4 года назад

@@lizzychrome7630 Okay but that would actually be hilarious

@mayaobrien754 4 года назад

I don't really plan books. I'll just be sitting there and my brain will suddenly read to me this scene and then I have to base a book of of it...

@Redditaurus 3 года назад

I have great dialogue in my head, so I start writing. Then I forget the dialogue in 30 secs

@thiyaradesilva26 2 года назад

Same! What I do is write as much of that scene/dialogue as I can manage in a random doc or book so I have them in case I decide to write it or add it to whatever I'm already writing:)

@potatosack7492 2 года назад

Same, this is how I write

@erikperhs_ 2 года назад

SAME!! Right now, I have an amazing scene where the character sees the love interest for the first time and I'm trying to create a romance book around these two

@nineteeneightyfour374 2 года назад

you're a pantser then.. like grrm

@booksvsmovies 5 лет назад

One of my Favorite first lines I've read recently was from The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. "Let's start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things." I love this line because looking back on the novel the book literally does just that. Before starting this book I was so nervous the story would be filled with overwrought prose and confusing worldbuilding but this great line reassured me that this book would be a fun ride.

@madeline2282 4 года назад

I actually think it's more interesting when authors leave some things open ended in the beginning of the novel, especially between characters, and it makes you curious to read more

@vikingtje._511 4 года назад

the first line of a book I love the most was in The Seven Sisters series where each book started with the same quote. "I will always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard my my father had died."

@AlexaDonne 5 лет назад

Eyeshadow is from the Tina Yong Run Wild palette by BH Cosmetics :) TIMESTAMPS 01:38 Starting in the right place 04:41 Exposition pitfalls 07:07 Info dumping & trusting your reader 09:14 Getting readers to care about your character/world 12:24 Inciting incidents 15:57 Examples of inciting incidents 17:31 Decision point/break into two 18:49 First impressions 20:18 Delivering on the promise of your premise/first pages 23:14 First lines (with examples)

@ummukatheer247 5 лет назад

I like how you answered the question about the eyeshadow before the info about the timestamps!! I was feeling the eyeshadow before you opened up your mouth and gave us the gems! Thank you for the look and the video! This has been extremely helpful to me in writing as I'm writing my memoir even! Taking pertinent notes as you speak. Thanks again!

@uslee19 5 лет назад

But the lipstick is fabulous! What kind?

@AlexaDonne 5 лет назад

@@uslee19 It's a weird combination of Paparazzi and Dream Big from Colourpop. I put on the first one and it was a bit too coral so I added the second to balance it out a bit.

@nbb2553 4 года назад

Thank you. The timestamps are really helpful. Wish more youtubers do this

@AlexaDonne 4 года назад

@@nbb2553 np! I know I'm super long winded, so timestamps are the least I can do!

@WinterWind 5 лет назад

This is where I think fanfic writers have to take different notes. A lot of the time the reader doesn't need much if any world building or character description to understand exactly what is happening and why.

@DavidBennettPiano 2 года назад

I’ve been writing a novel for 6 years now and am struggling to tell the story in a way I an happy with. With this video, it was like you had read my book and were telling me how to fix it! Thanks so much for this super helpful content 😃😃

@Ashestoashesjc 2 года назад

Right? She makes incredibly informative and knowledgeable videos. Something you two have in common!

@ajfalcone7917 6 месяцев назад

Did you finish the book

@skyforquer9327 3 года назад

"Describing the weather is another cliche" LOL literally my first line is that it's a hot fucking day

@ApricotStone 5 лет назад

Ha within the first five minutes I already figured out how to rewrite the first chapter! Thanks for another great video!!

@twichingsparrow2052 2 года назад

My novel starts right AFTER the "inciting incident" (her punching a senior in the hallway), where the main character is waiting to get picked up from school. We basically learn about the incident AS we learn about her relationship with the people she lives with. Everyones reaction is a pretty solid representatin of how they see and treat her, which is a HUGE thing throughout the book because she *hates* how a lot of the people around her see her. Hunter, who is like a brotherly father figure, is mad because it got her in trouble and she has anger issues, Tim is upset because shes a girl and shouldnt be fighting, and so on and so forth

@izzyrod.6502 4 года назад

I'm 13 and I'm really hoping to start a book right now but I've been thinking about the beginning and I had a lot of trouble, thanks for the help.

@yusufHaffejee-ql9oj 2 года назад

Same as a 14 year old. My problem is that i throw myself and book straight into action and it gets more boring as i go in

@thatonefriend4862 2 года назад

Same

@lifeonmars3147 2 года назад

13 here too! What type of book are you writing?? :)

@droptherapy2085 Год назад

I'm 18 and I'm much more of a lyricist than a writer, but I've attempted writing in the past and hopefully this attempt will work out

@geckyoskitz Год назад

bro what are your playlists

@thescaredy-cat860 5 лет назад

I needed this I just shelved a book, and now it's time to start over

@kb470 5 лет назад

Aw, don't be such a scaredy cat 🤣

@Paige-wo3uk 4 года назад

You and Jenna Moreci are my favorite writer RU-vidrs. You’re advice is so hard cut and honest. You give realistic expectations and don’t sugar coat things

@sillylilgoose08 3 года назад

I know her videos are amazing!

@Redditaurus 3 года назад

No disrespect, but your*

@valeriaq1810 5 лет назад

You look BEAUTIFUL, Alexa! I legit gasped. Thank you so much for the video, I kinda needed it

@gracelingaccountant 3 года назад

I love when stories have the first chapter telling you how the story is going to end and then spending the rest of the book showing how the mc got where they ended up

@theatheistpaladin 5 лет назад

Middles are easy for me. I choose the emotion and the thing the whole story pivots on. Making beginnings that are not slow are clique is my problem.

@josephcourtright8071 4 года назад

I'm with you. The only trick to the middle is just to keep the story moving.

@k-0316 5 лет назад

My band and English teacher always said the beginnings and endings are what influence an audience's opinion the most. We carefully chose the order of songs for concerts so the audience left satisfied. My English teacher heavily stressed openers and hooks in writing and would have us rewrite our beginnings if she didnt like them.

@BentleyHouseMinis 5 лет назад

I read Brightly Burning this summer and I LOVED IT! So excited to continue on in my own writing with your advice. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!

@saydeewalton5536 4 года назад

Don't start the story too early. Don't start the story too late. Don't start it with them waking up, but it works sometimes. Don't repeat too much. Something about backstories? I want to learn. This is so hard and confusing.

@PrettyAndOrOdd 3 года назад

If you have a library near you, visit and select 5 books from the ‘most popular’ section (or from the genre you want to write). Read the first couple of pages of each and think about what you liked, disliked etc. This might help you work out where you want your own story to start :)

@whoami4534 3 года назад

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." THE most iconic first line that almost no Potterhead could forget. Also, I'd like to thank you for the great content! I am planning on writing a story and your video just gave me the spark! I have my beginning, so now I'll have to write it before my train of thought leaves the station.

@kak4191 4 года назад

Out of all my WIPs, I have four favorite openings. 1) Main character wakes up and lays in bed checking his phone for like five minutes while texting his boss before getting up to change. And it’s a lot of just him being who he is. I love it because it shows that he’s just like everyone else, which would help make the reveal and reaction more effective. 2) A long paragraph or two describing this character’s appearance in that moment. Dress porn. Makeup porn. Whole nine yards. It’s a dream outfit for a dream wedding. And it ends with: “She hated it all.” It’s also revealed that the main character (not the described one) is actually dead and has been. 3) Learning about the main character through a character profile in a computer program. You read through it, and watch as someone tries to log in a couple times. The computer gets hacked and you meet the main character for the first time and realize the profile doesn’t give you a full version of her. 4) Retelling of Eve and the Apple and the snake who is not actually the Devil learning how to be a snake because he’s never done it before. He even gets surprised when he hisses.

@novemberninth4392 3 года назад

Number 2 is really cool and I'd LOVE to read it

@exoticcats6119 3 года назад

Number 2 is super cool! How would you go about introducing or including the dead main character?

@autumnrenee8894 2 года назад

WAIT IS NUMBER 2 UH.. WHATS IT CALLED, THE ONE MYSTERY BOOK ABOUT THE SIBLINGS WHO PLAY INSTRUMENTS AND THE FREAKY HOTEL

@autumnrenee8894 2 года назад

@@novemberninth4392 I think, THINK, 2 is Bellwether Rhapsody, and I highly recommend it it was so good

@autumnrenee8894 2 года назад

@@exoticcats6119 I think it's called Bellwether Rhapsody and I love love love it, absolutely recommend it it's one of my favorites

@jonathanmarks5720 2 года назад

The first line of the book I'm working on was actually handed to me by my dad. I knew what I wanted to kick the book off with- the protagonist having to switch schools because he got expelled after YET ANOTHER fight- but I wasn't sure about the first sentence. The first line my dad handed me was, "It was his last day at this school, but Joshua Davies didn't know it until he stood staring at his bloodied knuckles and the even bloodier face of Malcolm Butthead." I changed Butthead to Lewis and rolled with it.

@gomiho91 4 года назад

So spot on. For me the most iconic first line/page is from Haunting of Hill House.

@natasham4184 4 года назад

I agree!

@pokelover02 2 года назад

“In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three.” First line from the best book of all time

@ShadowWolf1307 5 лет назад

I already knew all of this BUT it helped me to hear it from you to finally start writing the scray, scary beginning of my sequel! YAY!! I had like nearly all of it plotted out and really knew where and how to start, but... somehow i just couldnt for half a year... but now i just felt like i could! AND I DID! I'm so happy!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!

@grimmdanny 4 года назад

I start off simple: "Today is an important day. A *really* important day."

@cassidy9607 3 года назад

And on this important day something important is going to happen. To an important character 😜

@jourdana9740 4 года назад

I’ve been on a kick of watching your videos recently and even though this is a little old, I wanted to share: I absolutely love dropping the reader in at the end of a small conflict. I feel like it draws them in more and it certainly draws me in when an author lets me know that something just happened that isn’t big to the plot but that conflict is no stranger to our character. I feel like it sets up a good action heavy book

@amy-suewisniewski6451 5 лет назад

I didn't realize dress porn in books was a thing until you said it, and then I realized I love dress porn XD

@jakeaurod 5 лет назад

I just realized my WIP is full of dress porn.

@authoralysmarchand4737 5 лет назад

As a gown designer, it is hard for me to know what is too much since I usually deal with details you can't even imagine. So, to me, what I write isn't much, but may be too much.

@Tilian-Tine 4 года назад

I'm about to plan my novel with a gridded Moleskine journal I just bought. I feel anxious for some reason. I have an English degree with a concentration in creative writing. I don't have a laptop... yet, so I will have to start by hand which excites me. Wish me luck... I write everyday in my journal, but it's not the same as fiction writing. It's writing nonetheless, so it helps me in the sense that I'm confidant to... write. Haha. Oh, man. Not to mention, I've technically been homeless since I graduated from college over 2 years ago.... I'm also unemployed... It's a lot... Haha

@annequinn4208 3 года назад

Good luck Cesar! Well done for being so determined. How have you been getting on?

@ender4344 3 года назад

I wish you luck, Cesar!! I hope things get better! How's everything going so far?

@Growndweller 3 года назад

Bravo, don't let life get in the way.

@rhinosaur9636 Год назад

I know this is an old comment (which could double as an extra dose of motivation), but I’ve written an entire first draft on a phone before

@livelifelovingly9983 3 года назад

Honestly, thank you very much for going out of your way to do this. Great content & even greater help to the writing community. The beginning middle & end of this video had me captivated so good job my dear ✊✊

@theallergynaturopath60 2 года назад

I have only recently found Alexa Donne, I am writing my first story, and Alexa I can't tell you how grateful I am for everything that you teach us, I am not traditionally trained, it is clear that you are, and sometimes it feels you have shared the wisdom gained from years of study in just a few minutes, I think about mistakes I am making and want to fix and I watch your videos and you confirm what I am thinking, I am beyond grateful that you share your knowledge with us.

@LauraWrites 5 лет назад

Uggghhhh. I have been low key thinking my opening image beat was not going to work, but this video just confirmed it! Thanks for the confirmation!

@tytaylor8525 2 года назад

Your posts are absolutely beautiful to watch... Everything from the excellent lighting and contast to the background of books to the beautiful color of your hair... All of that coupled with the fact that you are extremely articulate clear and concise, keeps me coming back day after day... I literally can't get enough! Thank you for the OBVIOUS WORK you put into these invaluable post!!! Your work and attention to detail is not going unnoticed!!! SUBSCRIBED!!!

@natalie25431 3 месяца назад

I'm 60. It's always been a heavy want in my life to write. What you've said is exactly the thing I needed to hear. It was delivered well. Thanks. You may be the straw that collapsed my procrastination

@marinas.7862 5 лет назад

Oh, how I needed this video. I made this account literally just to focus on the writing of my new project and a video about beginnings was basically a need, because soon I'll start to write the book and don't know exactly how to begin. Thanks Alexa!

@jkwonsmiff 5 лет назад

Always love to see an Alexa Donne video in my sub box! You always come off so professional and genuinely interested in helping to teach aspiring writers. Thank you! As for my beginnings, I usually plow through them, then go back and re-write them either halfway through a draft or after I've finished (if I manage to finish).

@jaydingiesler5280 3 года назад

Me sitting here taking notes as I’m gearing up to start Draft 3 of my story. Freaking love all the advice. Thank you!!!

@RafaelRodrigues-rx9ry 4 года назад

"Ready Player One" missed ALL these points. To this day I couldn't go through the third page.

@Natalie.164 4 года назад

Thank you Alexa for this and the other videos. You really are able to say concisely and clearly what we new writers need to hear. So glad I found you!

@shinigamiyuu 3 года назад

I'm so full of ideas that i can't put on paper, i can picture them in my head, but if i write it's either a mess, stupid or just come out wrong.

@Growndweller 3 года назад

Exactly me! And what I often end up doing is watering certain things down because I'm afraid people will think I'm crazy.

@zechester6346 3 года назад

Just get something down friend. You can go back and edit it later. Maybe figure out the main events of the book and the direction of the characters. And then just write.

@MultiTaylorswift1234 4 года назад

Loved this video Alexa, thanks for the reminders of what a good book beginning needs. Strong declarative sentences are my favored way to go.

@cenedra20 4 года назад

I finally went ahead and read your book, Brightly Burning, and I can safely say WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE. Can't wait for your next one!

@DistinctlyMeFilms 4 года назад

For some reason listening to you just flipped a switch in my head and I knew exactly how I had to restructure my beginning. Thank you!!

@nveletkoslin33771 4 года назад

yas PLEASE give us more on firsts! 👁👄👁

@vuyiswa-fumba 3 года назад

Working on my first book and this video is so unbelievably helpful, it gave me so much clarity and direction for my beginning.

@Skittles.x 2 года назад

I am starting my first ever novel, i’m literally trying something out here. And you have just confirmed that what i had in mind for my first line AND first act all together where going to be perfect. (Havent started writing the actual book yet, 🤪 but my excuse here is that i watch your videos) You give a bunch a bullets for when comes the time, to sit and just friggin write 🙌🥰 thank you for all your help!

@JaniceSeagraves 5 лет назад

Inciting incident: If nothing changes then nothing happens. Excellent point. The save the cat moment sounds like the pet the dog moment that I've heard about before.

@lorettroest3810 2 года назад

I am in the process of writing a book, based on a true story but will be published as a novel. This really helps and actually gave me confidence and confirmation that I am on the right path. Thank you!

@theslothmaster1663 4 года назад

This video was a fantastic help! Thank you so much for all you do for the writing community! :)

@amandarandomtube4793 2 года назад

I completely changed my beginning after watching this for the first time and it f&*king rocks now! AND changing it also caused me to solve a major character issue I had. So basically I love you, you're the Rori to my Stella 💜

@SolveForX 5 лет назад

I’m just here to leave a positive and supportive comment. Thanks for posting your videos on writing, I enjoy listening to writers talk about writing. :)

@philosophicsblog Год назад

Thanks for sharing your experience. I discovered you among several others earlier this week and have watched a few by now. Besides the information and topic choices, your enthusiastic delivery is appropriate with just the right amount of snark.

@Fig_Faerie Год назад

I have been trying to figure out how to start my project's first chapter for months- this video had me inspired within the first fifteen minutes. Thank you ❤

@ravenw.2699 3 года назад

This is one of the the only channel that actually helps

@BundaBear 4 года назад

I’d love to see that video about analysing first pages! Your videos are so informative, the way you explain things makes it really easy to follow and understand

@StrayBats 4 года назад

After years of redoing the beginning of my WIP, I finally have one I am happy with. I rewatched this video to see how well I did, and thanks to your advice I can happily say that it is a very promising beginning. Now to chug through the rest of Act I so I can deal with my very rough middle...

@lizzychrome7630 5 лет назад

I can't tell you how helpful this was. I went into this thinking "meh, maybe there'll be something helpful." You made me realize there's a good 55% chance that I've been trying to start my book at the absolute wrong scene all this time. For me, the main problem is one you addressed here; too much information at once. To answer your last question, the thing I hate most about writing beginnings is trying to weave important visual information into the narration, without textwall descriptions. When it's a movie or a comic, the entire environment can be conveyed perfectly clearly with no words at all, right away, in the very first panel or opening moments. But when all you have to work with is written words? I'm tearing my hair out trying to describe, even in the vaguest sense, what my fantasy world looks like to the reader. (It's a combination of vastly different historical eras. Sort of 1950s steampunk.) To answer the former question, openings I hate seeing in other people's books: the dream fake-out. The exception is when the author tells you right away that it's a dream. In fact, I would say dreams in general are usually far better when the author tells you right away that it's a dream, instead of trying to make it a surprise. When you're told right away, you know exactly what kind of a feeling to imagine, and it comes off feeling far more like a real dream, than the corny fake-out "surprise" dream twists. In any case, it's a pisser to think you're seeing the start of a cool story, wondering where this will lead, only to be told, "Kidding! It's a dream. This ain't going anywhere!" The only opening I hate worse than the fake-out dream is the prophecy. Blech. Both are of course exceptions if the work is a parody.

@Anonymouse2699 3 года назад

Thank you so much!! I usually write short stories but there’s a story I want to read that hasn’t been written yet so I’m trying to write a book. This advice helps soooo much

@saiyuriinuzuka6400 5 лет назад

Ur makeup looks so good!! Ur videos always coincide with what I'm struggling with or actively thinking about. Lol

@elisa4620 4 года назад

This was very interesting. Thank you! I liked that you used examples to illustrate what you said. I would love a "sequel" video with several more examples of first lines and first acts and inciting incidents, from various genres, and your analysis of it.

@JayJayJackson 2 года назад

Rewriting my beginning now. Thank you! This is both helpful and inspiring.

@barbaroi_9 2 года назад

Definitely an eye opening video in regards to how important beginnings are. Thanks a ton for the videos

@xvictoriawrites 3 года назад

This is so incredibly helpful! I love your makeup (pink is my favorite color for eyeshadow too) and how all the information in your video is delivered in a clear, succinct way. I'm definitely going to be reading The Ivies once it's released. The premise sounds too good to miss out on!

@tylorkovac4323 4 года назад

This was fantastic. I loved how detailed you got into this.

@paperclippriest Год назад

I love all of your videos so much! (: They have helped me become such a better writer!

@innazabanova3618 4 года назад

It was an amazing video! Thank you for it and I would totally watch more in-depth analysis like this one on other writing problems

@elizabeths.8063 3 года назад

I loved this! I'm already incorporating some of your suggestions into my draft.

@melsh4470 4 года назад

you're a lifesaver, I really needed this.

@roses_are_rosies-g4h Год назад

I got really excited to see this video after watching your list of what amateurs writers do. Because trying to begin my story is always the most difficult part in writing for me, it's always confusing me in where to begin first because my topic tends to be all over the place since my ideas, topics and thoughts of the story that I'm about to write because I'm still brainstorming so this was really helpful.

@lostinabookcase3796 5 лет назад

Hahaha I love writing the middle! It's the beginning I struggle with :))

@gemmalev 4 года назад

lost in a booKCase same!! I have the best inciting incident and idea for the middle but I can’t seem to have that hook for the first chapter :(

@inspiredrelm3395 Год назад

This was really well put, and it really helped a lot!

@FanfluxDiary Год назад

Thank you. I've watched a lot of your videos and as a young writer they really help me.

@ros9378 4 года назад

Oh my god, thank you! I needed this *SO* badly.

@sage6238 2 года назад

your videos are so helpful and inspirational

@VioletEmerald 3 года назад

You are amazing. This analysis helps me understand books so much better and makes me feel like it's more possible for me to maybe write a novel one day.

@iammiky1331 3 года назад

This will really be a big help for me since I am currently having trouble writing down my beginnings. Thanks a lot for this video! By the way, you just got one subscriber today, ma'am!

@annequinn4208 3 года назад

Great advice and tips! Thank you so much. I have just downloaded Scrivener and am so excited to import my word document and to get going. Lots and lots of work to do!

@DreamsOfFire 2 года назад

Your videos are always so helpful! I really needed this advice! Thank you!

@hortensialei5216 5 лет назад

Thank you! I really needed this atm. In rhetoric (which is what I have a degree in), we always have to set the situation (kairos) first. I like to incorporate this in my writing, but the problem is of course how much should be told/where is the best place to start. Keep up the good work, Alexa!

@phanboy8059 5 лет назад

When I write a story most of the time I have to work towards the beginning and reach it through trial and error since I create the stories based around different concepts or ideas that stand as the story's backbone. I'm working on a first chapter right now and and it starts out focusing on the main female lead, about how nervous and out of place she feels as she is about to take part in her first mission as part of a highly ranked unit, how she ends up meeting with the main male lead and ends with a events that puts the main plot into motion.

@michellekyle1880 5 месяцев назад

The 15 minutes before the change happens helped a lot. Thanks.

@mrs.psstories1764 3 года назад

Nothing like having to redo your whole first chapter! Thanks for the advice!

@plague2179 4 года назад

You just said inciting incident and immediately I realized I needed one so I immediately came up with one, thank you

@zalakraljsersa6610 Год назад

your videos are actually so helpful, thank you for this!!

@Ouvii 3 года назад

I want to see a fantasy novel where the hard magic system is driven by waking up in the morning and getting ready for the day

@tessa3474 5 лет назад

I don't have a middle ground for first lines. Either it's there, crystal clear, or I agonize over it for a bit. I try to stay away of the cliches you mentioned just because I, personally, get driven a little mad about it. Like...is the weather important or??? Another beginning trope I've seen a few times is you just get an entire page of the MC being bitchy about their entire life. Which can be done in a funny way, I'm sure, but I haven't seen many of those yet LOL. I enjoy these breakdowns and how you use examples from books you know. It's actually extremely helpful that way !

@feistyfrog6949 5 лет назад

You really inspire me with your videos! I've been searching high and low and in every crevice of RU-vid, but only you have actually helped me shut off my damn phone and sit my butt down and write! New Sub ❤️

@gailasprey7787 Год назад

My personal experience is I changed my chapter 4 to chapter 1. It seemed more intriguing than my character waking up in the morning to have the story open up with how the mentor character turns into a fox. I think that was essential information that would get the reader guessing and I think it makes more sense than what I had before. Btw, I’m trying to make my characters fleshed out but I’m not really able to put their dreams and wants into the story very well. Can you make a video about how to flesh out your characters discretely? And maybe a video on writing disabilities?

@aboundsstoermer4329 3 года назад

Happened upon your RU-vid video by mistake... I found you such a fasinating presenter, I subscribed, watched a couple more and now, I'm hooked. I started writing my first book using your advice. I'll let you know how it comes out. Thanks a bunch, GG Storm