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Guide on how to start a novel to make things work

how to start a novel

The importance of initial book words

Knowing how to start a novel is never easy, as one has to come up with an exemplary formula with all the essential elements included. You have to understand your writing objectives and realize that things won’t come out perfectly as you outline things. Even if you have certain ideas or a story map that cannot wait to appear on paper, it’s essential to structure and explore what you have to say. Knowing how to start off a book is not only about those great ideas in your mind! In a certain sense, it’s the foundation of your novel where you have to see the difference between plotting and the actual writing part.

You must ask yourself questions and work on the structure because there must be sufficient space for creativity. If you try to create a novel in a day and have it all complete in your mind or the first draft, it would only be partially correct as you limit yourself. As you estimate how to start a book correctly, the initial words in a book have to be poignant and clear! As every novel editor will tell you, your writing has to reflect proper research and the depth of your thoughts. It’s why writers often take time to finish things and work on their initial section again to adjust the beginning to the rest of what’s still to come!

How to arrive like a storm?

Pass some writing a book for beginners course and try something on your own! Well, not really! The trick here is to inspire your readers by sharing a life-changing moment or something that will instantly keep things unique. You have to keep your target audience amazed straight with the first lines. If your novel talks about a particular character (think Tom Sawyer’s adventures by Mark Twain or the description of Hercules Poirot by Agatha Christie), create a special intrigue to motivate your readers to explore what comes next.

Learning how to start writing a book, you can look at titles you like or talk to our specialists about ghostwritten books they have done. It will help you take more time and see how well you can see the author’s style or what feelings the content evokes. Is it the setting that motivates you or the character traits of some fictional individual? While no universal solution would instantly work for all cases and subjects, you should do your best to keep the initial part dynamic! Doing things this way will help keep even the busiest readers attached to your novel.

8 Helpful tips for writing your novel’s beginning

Starting with your writing, you have to relax and realize there is no absolute wrong or totally right method to get things started. Many writers try to determine how to start a novel by opening a book they like. However, they will automatically compare their efforts to what they like and try to maintain the style of their literary heroes. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a natural process of novel composition where one has to stay inspired. Before you decide to hire a book writer and get things started another way, these helpful writing and planning tips are worth checking:

  • Designate your central theme! This is where you have to clearly describe your subject and provide readers with an example, something practical and meaningful. Now, while talking to a ghostwriter, it’s always good to provide an example of a good novel where you can see something that resonates with your inner being! A good example of a strong novel’s beginning is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or Animal Farm by George Orwell, where you must continue reading to understand what it’s all about!
  • Hook sentence or unusual detail trick! Starting a book, your main purpose is to attract the attention of your target audience with a good hook It can also be some strange detail that will make things sound unusual. The good examples here include Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, who maintains an unusual style and a sense of mystery all the time. Also consider Emma by Jane Austen, where the mixture of classic and romantic tones keeps things unique.
  • Introduce your main character! If you are writing about a single character or wish to provide a dynamic start for your novel, consider introducing someone in practice. An excellent example of a powerful introduction can be seen in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, where we can see Tom’s aunt looking for him as he tries to escape from the basement. As you talk to a trained writing specialist and explain your thoughts, it’s a good example to consider even for adult-themed novels.
  • Introduce your novel with the narrator’s voice! Among the ways to start a book, it’s a great way to describe and introduce it. A great novel starter example of the author’s voice use can be found in every novel by Edgar Allan Poe. It helps to create a powerful setting and keep the readers on their toes as they cannot wait to continue reading!
  • Make an intrigue! This is where you can either come up with some mystery or confuse the reader in a good way right from the start. If there is the best way to start a book, intrigue is what will always work for the novel’s initial part! Some examples of such beginnings can be found in The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. A more classic title would be Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes.
  • Convey the right mood! While every novel will have a certain mood to inspire and enchant the reader, you must be truly careful with it, as the rest of your book must go in the same vein. Good and successful book examples with a strong mood include Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling or Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson.
  • Set your reader’s expectations in the first scene! Before you claim that it’s hardly possible when starting a novel, you should think about the books by Agatha Christie, where you instantly know that it’s a mystery, and crime is to occur. If you wish to describe some case or an event in the first chapter, it’s the way to go!
  • Novels with an accent on conflicts! If you wish to describe some conflict, it can be a good idea for the novel’s start. Some good examples include The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Kite Runner by the Afghan-American Khaled Hosseini. It’s one of those books where you instantly see the conflict, just like in the classic Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Every idea is suitable as long as you do some research. Now, if you are learning how to become a ghostwriter and brainstorm all the possible solutions, you must look into the book examples and learn to differentiate the style, tone, and reflection as you keep reading.

7 Things to avoid in your novel’s beginning

As we learn how to compose the first sentence of a book and check things twice, some aspects must be avoided when you start writing and outline all the bright ideas. Here are the most important ones:

  • Do not start with the description of all characters. A far better method is to introduce your character(s), especially as you start with a dialogue or turn to the conflict that is being resolved. Using a certain setting or a powerful description is often a better way to make things work!
  • Avoid making a list of your characters right in the beginning. An only exception would be a children’s novel meaning to keep the youngsters focused as they learn who is who. As you learn how to start your novel correctly, remember that listing your characters is only done in special cases when you have to keep track of the narration.
  • Do not try to tell vital information or the back story in the opening line. A better strategy is to tell the story and add an element of mystery. It will help to keep your readers inspired and always have something to keep them engaged. If it sounds too challenging and you do not know what parts and ideas are good for the beginning, you can hire a book writer. Thus, you can discuss how to distribute your thoughts evenly by making your novel’s introduction stand out!
  • Providing a summary of your book right at the beginning is not a good idea. Among all the possible ways to start a novel, always remember to introduce, not summarize, what you already have in mind! You have to talk about the main idea you have in a puzzling way as you have to make an introduction first!
  • Try your best not to change the person as you write. If you are writing in the first person, continue this way. Unless you make a change and talk on behalf of some characters as you examine how to hook readers, keep things the same way. Using the third person might be more challenging, yet it helps to reflect more as an author.
  • Don’t start your novel in the present time unless it’s absolutely necessary!  You need to maintain a consistent timeline to help your readers understand the sequence of events. Before writing, create an outline that extends beyond the present tense. Continually ask yourself questions about how to start your book, and take notes about what happens and why! Most writers often fail to check this aspect twice, which is why approaching a book proofreader is essential. At long last, it’s the most common type of correction they have to do!
  • Avoid starting your novel from the dialogue. You can do it unless you plan to introduce your characters immediately as you describe who is talking. It will always depend on the type of your novel. If you are dealing with a mystery novel or science fiction, the dialogue might help keep things inspiring. Once again, as you start a book, make it clear who is talking, where, and why!

For the most part, the important thing is to avoid being in a hurry as you have to evaluate things and develop a clear plan. Admittedly, this is where your book-writing process begins. Take your time, list questions, think about how you would describe your book in the opening lines, and think about what can make it a powerful piece of writing! If you choose help from our novel ghostwriting experts or wonder how to find ghostwriters that will work for you, keeping yourself prepared is one of the vital things you must address!

Final points to consider before you actually start a novel!

Once all the required elements have been studied, it’s essential to continue with the checklist. It will help to double-check yourself and guarantee that everything is correct and within the writing standards. There are three major checklist tips for starting a book to consider:

  • The tone of your opening paragraphs. It has to be the same throughout your book to make things professional and up to the genre’s standards.
  • Accurate and precise background information. If an opening scene starts in 1930s England, it should not suddenly become American in the 1980s unless the talk is about a time machine!
  • Consistent use of characters. This aspect has often been described in writing a novel for dummies series, yet the use of your characters correctly should always come first. You can take notes to remember the part if it’s a skinny young girl or a bearded guy!

Writing location is also essential, as you must write in a peaceful environment to ensure your brain is not overfilled or plagued by stress and additional pressure. A good book is like a good wine ─ it always takes time. While there is no perfect place where to start writing a book, you must consider some location that just feels right!

Writing an excellent novel!

If all the objectives still need clarification, we know how to find the most affordable and reliable solutions based on your ideas and vision. Turning to our experience and skills, we shall help you uncover the best of your talents as we work on your novel’s beginning. Feel free to approach our professional ghostwriters and editors if you need help with a good way to start a book. Your success is only a few clicks away!

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