We can all agree that your opening scenes are your only chance to capture your reader's attention. It's what hooks them into the story.
Your first scene and several scenes that follow are your story's setup.
The setup is essential to master. You have to be concise, deliberate, and selective with what you reveal and withhold. You don't want to give too much away too soon.
Your beginning scenes must accomplish several things simultaneously. And in this episode, I'm boiling it down to 4 essentials.
Episode Web Page with Show Notes
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#137: The Inciting Incident: How To Launch Your Story's Action
#136: Present Tense Vs. Past Tense: The Pros and Cons
#135: The Secret To Mastering Your Story's Point Of View
#134: A 5-Step Framework For Writing A Clear Compelling Story
#133: Should You Write A Prologue?
#132: Do's and Don'ts Of Writing Flashback
#131: 3 Easy Ways To Write Better Dialogue
#130: Drilling Down To Your Story's Central Dramatic Question
#129: 5 First Chapter Mistakes You Can Avoid
#128: 3 Mindset Shifts To Make Your Writing Dream A Reality
#127: Remix: Big Writing Takeaways From 6 Writer Unleashed Episodes
#126: Writing Memoir: 5 Tips To Avoid Getting Sued
#125: How To Write Conflict Into Every Scene
#124: How To Hook Readers In Your Opening Paragraph
#123: A 2-Step Process To Start, Write, And Develop Your Story
#122: How To Stick To Your Writing Goals
#121: 3 Varieties of First-Person Narration
#120: Writing In First Person: 5 Challenges And How To Conquer Them
#119: Your 6-Step Story Outline
#118: Before You Outline: 3 Core Foundations To Build First
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