A classic piece of writing advice is to hook the reader with the first sentence.
While what makes a great sentence is so subjective that such advice is near impossible to achieve, it’s the sentiment that is sound. You want to grab the reader with your opening so that they’ll want to pick up and finish your book. The good news is that you have the whole first chapter to do that, and these tips to help you.
How To Create A Read-Worthy Opening Chapter
Star Intros
Barring exceptions of prologues, instances where you need to start with the killer to set up a murder, or opening your story with a flashback or flash-forward, if you can make the first character your reader meets your Main Character or the set of characters that you want them to like, do that.
It’s Jan again with another post about including metaphysical elements in fiction stories. Today’s topic is Tarot and/or Oracle cards.
Courtesy Canva
There is a multitude of ways these divination cards could be used to enhance fiction storytelling. Did you know that writers such as John Steinbeck and Stephen King have used tarot cards for inspiration? It’s not unusual at all.
Perhaps the most common use of tarot in a fiction story lies in creating a character arc. A character (whether it be a main or side character) who consults the cards for direction or inspiration says a lot about the character without having to tell the reader about that aspect of their makeup and/or beliefs.
Right away, you know the character is open to and tuned into elements beyond the physical realm.
Consulting the cards to deepen your character is extremely effective…
In honor of both St. Patrick and St. Gertrude (the patron saint of cats whose day is also today), here is a Caturday edition of St. Patrick’s Day pictures.
I am on a book reading high at the moment. Some great books have come my way and I thought would do a book related post in celebration.
Here are some things book lovers can relate to:
When someone asks you to pick out your favourite book from your entire book collection and they are still waiting for you to answer an hour later.
At a social gathering someone wants you to tell them about the book you are reading. Little do they know you are LOVING the book you’re reading. An hour later, you’re still talking about this book and they have wandered off to talk to someone else.
The pain of struggling with a book for 300 pages and then being rewarded with a terrible ending.
When someone questions whether you can read a book in a day…
People who borrow your books and return them dog eared…
Greetings, Story Empire mavens! Today’s post starts a two-parter on the nuances of choosing effective verbs to enhance description. Sure, it sounds simple, but you might be impressed with the possibilities. Per my pattern, this post starts with the basics so Part 2 next month will let us explore, play, experiment, brainstorm, innovate—pick some cool verbs and we’ll do ‘em. Smash that comment button and let me know what’s working or not with my posts. Remember to share and spread the word about Story Empire and this fine group of authors working to help you put out your best possible stories!
Story Verbing
Choosing expressive verbs is the most powerful technique for enhancing the vividness of your narrative descriptions. Setting your prose apart from mundane writing, it more effectively paints the imagery of your scenes. It can manipulate readers’ emotions and infuse your story with personality reflecting your point-of-view character(s)…
It’s time for Read An eBook Week! This holiday is held during the first full week of March and is meant to encourage the use of eBook platforms for publishing. It’s a great way to support indie authors, as well.
If you’re looking for some fun, lighthearted Fantasy to enjoy and/or share, why not try my Adventures in Sorcery series? Both books are available as ebooks (and who knows, there may eventually be more books in the series).
When the nephew of a prominent nobleman goes missing, mercenary sorceress Marissa “Riss” Cobalt is hired to find him. The seemingly normal job quickly turns complicated for the solitary young sorceress, however, as she first ends up unexpectedly teaming up with a handsome swordsman, then finds herself the subject of an ancient prophecy. With a Demon hunting them, the young mage and her friend search for a lost relic of great power mentioned in the prophecy. Can Riss survive her various adventures and fulfill her destiny to save the world from the dark god, Yangul? Or will the infamous young sorceress fall to evil?
Available as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more. Find links to it on my website.
Chronicles of Riss (Book Two of Adventures in Sorcery) (A prequel to Kismet and Tell)
Confronting evil sorcerers. Fighting monsters. Dueling metal golems. Searching for a sea monster. Hunting lost treasure. Finding a missing show dog. Competing in talent contests. Helping lost children. These are just some of the widely varied exploits that the young mercenary sorceress Marissa “Riss” Cobalt shares in this second Adventures in Sorcery book. Riss reveals how she ended up as a mercenary and chronicles some of the many adventures, ranging from fun to serious, that she’s had prior to the events of Kismet and Tell.
There’s so much to keep on top of when writing a book that it’s easy to forget the little details, like what your characters are wearing or what movie they saw on the first date with their love interest.
While you might think such things aren’t super special to know, or that you wouldn’t let them slip past you, it’s the little details that fill in your book world. Keeping track of them is important, especially when you’re on draft eleventy and have read the story so many times that everything has blurred together.
Luckily, there is a way you can make sure you don’t leave out the little-yet-important details, and it’s with the help of this checklist!
The Little Details Checklist
To get the full benefit of this checklist, your manuscript should be at the final draft or close to it. Have it in front of you, either…
Hello, thanks for taking the time to read my blog.
If you are getting ready to write a first draft please check out my list of things to expect along the way:
The food inside your fridge will become very appetising the second you start to write. Be prepared to spend a large amount of your writing time with your head stuck in your fridge.
Don’t expect your characters to keep their names you gave them in the planning stage. You will either come to detest them by 20k words or you will forget what they were supposed to be called and refer to them as something totally different by the end.
Plot holes are to be expected. Let them appear. In subsequent drafts you will fix them. There is nothing more satisfying than finding a fix for a gaping plot hole.
Jeanne Owens, author 