Grab the Reader

When starting Act one of your script or novel, the first scene/chapter should be brilliant. Establish your character and his or her conflict in the first few minutes of your novel or script. Make sure the words are good enough to grab the reader and hold him or her.

The first scene/chapter of your script or novel would determine whether the reader goes to read more or trash your work.

This is no joke! Such things actually do happen. Many years ago on the blog Authors’ Curtilage, an author contacted me to interview her for her novel and to promote the book on the blog. By the time I read the first chapter and managed to read the second, I was totally put off. The book was poorly written, and I’m not talking about the concept of a book that is fresh and not resonating with the reader. I mean, the storyline didn’t connect. The characters were confusing. The writer was just all over the place. So, I turned down spotlighting the book on the blog.

I had a similar experience with a scriptwriter and an author working on his debut novel, and if I wasn’t reading their work to provide them note for subsequent development, I would have put aside their manuscripts.

A competition judge said this about one of my film scripts: 

“The story is an intriguing crime drama that keeps the reader guessing as the story unfolds. Rife with action and suspense, the piece is dark and original.”

 

This is the feedback I got when one of my novels got critiqued: 

“The overall idea of the book is very interesting. I liked the parallel stories and how they overlapped and developed. I also enjoyed much about your style of writing. You use many vivid descriptions and really paint a clear picture of some of the places and people. I liked the varied characters and your poetic and almost lyrical style of writing. I think if you continue working on this project, it can be a great novel!” 

~ Leti Del Mar, 4 Feb 2014.

Even when the grammatical accuracy of your story is not yet on point, you should create a credible, memorable and thought-provoking story that grabs the reader's attention.

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