PART 1: Starting your novel with confliction/a problem

I recently posted a video on my Facebook page, encouraging people to write their stories, because it can be helpful to someone. I was asked a question that motivated me to write this blog. The question was, “Where do I start?”

The answer to that question is different for each type of book, and even for one type of book, there are various ways to start it. Nevertheless, the “starting” of the book is vital, because it sets the tone for the rest of the book. It also gives you a clear path to take while writing.

In this blog, I will start with novels, and specifically focus on one method, as to not make the blog too long. The next blog will carry on with the next method for novels. When I am done with novels, I will continue with other types of books. So, subscribe to receive an email notification when I post my next blogs, so that you can be in the loop.

Novels are usually fiction, or fiction based on a true story. There are so many ways to start a novel to make it captivating. I have heard some readers say that if they read the first page and it is not interesting, then they close the book. We don’t want that. When someone reads that first line, they must be excited or at least interested to read the next line. Let’s dig in.

Start with a conflicting situation. If you begin your novel with a problem, then your reader will be interested to know how your characters will solve the problem. When a reader’s problem-solving part of the brain switches on, then it ignites a sense of unity with the book. Your reader might try to help solve the problem in their minds. An example of this is an argument, waking up from a bad dream only to find it wasn’t a dream, being abducted by aliens, a physical fight, a moral dilemma, someone trying to stop a plane or train from crashing; the list is endless. Literally. IF your character is a superhero, then you can have plenty of these challenges throughout your book.

Don’t give too much away. If you plan to start with a problem or conflict, don’t tell too much. Rather show the reader the problem. You can do this by demonstrating it through character actions and interactions. For example, instead of saying that your character is battling with an emotional dilemma, you can demonstrate how unhappy or upset your character is, by having them bang on the table or the wall, shouting, holding their heads in their hands, crying, walking up and down the in the room etc. This gives your reader a visual idea of what is going on, yet also making the reader wonder what the problem is. This makes your reader eager to turn to the next page. If you say too much too soon, then you are removing the mystery and anticipation from your novel.

Remember, when starting with a problem or conflicting situation, you may use your imagination as far as it is able to reach, whether it is a difficult decision, personal struggle, societal issue or a physical challenge. Doing this could ignite a variety of emotions in your reader depending on their own personal lives or imagination.

For now, those are the two most important tips for starting your novel with confliction. If you can get those two things right, then you are already on the right track with writing a novel. In my next blog, I will focus on how you can “sell” your main character, to set the tone of your novel.

In the meantime, practice writing a few introductions to novels using confliction. Let me help you by giving you some sentence starters. Write a paragraph of about five sentences that will make your reader eager to read the next paragraph, pages, and chapters to come.

• After reading the text, he sighed with frustration, and threw his phone onto the coffee table.
• “Shut your mouth!” her husband yelled at her while pushing her up against wall, grasping onto her petite neck with his large, rough hands.
• The killer saw her. She had witnessed the murder, and now her own life was at risk.
• She waited, knowing very well that the second pink line on the test will soon arrive, impacting her life forever, but not for the better.
• Heart racing, palms sweating, moving as fast as I possibly can, all I know is that I need to get back home, safe from this dark figure following me.

Happy writing, until next time.