WRITING THE KILLER FIRST CHAPTER

                               

If you're reading this post, probably you've chosen the topic to write on while considering your audience and your purpose. Possibly, you've drawn out your working draft as well and you are yet to begin the first mind-blowing chapter of yours.
   Just so you know, first impression matters. Word!, even though its the most cliche of al things cliche. Having a mighty good start means a great deal in the literary world. If you start off in a wobbly manner, boy, it'll take decades before you get back up from the large ditch.
   Here, your objective is to create a stinging impression on the writer. Make him feel a sharp, glowing interest after going through the very first page of the book that will keep him glued through the first chapter, the second and the whole book till the end.  Let's shoot!


FOCUS MOST OF YOUR WRITER ENERGY ON THE FIRST CHAPTER
Spend a lot of time piecing the ideas for the first chapter together. Without brilliant ideas, there can't be any brilliant story.Dedicate about 3-5 hours a day working on it. Do take your time, though. Think a while before you put down the next two lines.


THE REVISION STRATEGY
Take about a third of  the total time allotted for writing in a day to go through the draft over and over again, proofreading and editing  till they fit n perfectly to your taste. You can go as many as 11 times. Just make sure you are making progress every time you edit it. You could also ask for professional help if you feel you can't do it yourself.

THE MORE DETAILED, THE BETTER
Make the first chapter much more detailed than ever compared to the other chapters. This will keep the reader conscious and 'alive' throughout the journey as the reader paints a vivid picture of the characters and plots in his sub-conscious using the given details in the book.To enable him understand the characters more from an introductory point of view, a clearer picture is needed and that means more detailed information. Also, keep dialogues to a minimum for now as what the reader would mostly rely on for the first stage isn't the communication but the detailed narration.

LET IT FLOW
 Let every paragraph in the first chapter flow into each other, using transitions and other grammatical tools. The ideas in the first chapter should have a very deep connection to the second. This will create a lasting impression as the reader gets hooked from the very beginning, to the next till he finishes the very last page.

You can see contemporary works of great authors like Stephen King and Grisham and imitate them in a mature way.

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Teddy Gaynes