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Opening Chapter: Quiz and Contest

The opening chapter is pivotal. It needs to draw in an intended audience – it needs flare and promise of things to come, with writing that earns the reader’s trust, luring them into the next chapter. 

I’ve made a quick quiz to test whether your opening has what it takes. You don’t need all of these things for a good chapter. Hell, I bet there are a few I’ve forgotten too!

Answer each of the following using evidence from your opening. If you can’t, then maybe you need to spice up the chapter.

1) Is your opening line unique, scene setting, or hooking?
2) What makes your character unique?
3) Pick out your best line of description.
4) Pick out your quirkiest line.
5) Is the genre and sub-genres obvious?
6) Is it clean from silly mistakes – have you read through more than 10 times?

7) Does it end on a cliff-hanger?
8) What makes it different from other novels in that genre?

9) Does it start close to the action?
10) Are you happy with it? Or is there something you’re planning on improving?


Post 5 or more of your answers below and a link to your story for a chance to be featured! If your opening sounds good, I’ll check it out and tell others about it too.

Comments

  1. This is so cool! You should do more posts like these, they really help!
    1) Yes, I would definitely say so. ;)
    2) Most people try to stray from having a goodie two shoes character but I tried my best to make Holland just that. It's very clear in the first chapter that she is extremely self aware, which I hope gets readers excited to see how someone so sure of who she is, get her certainty shaken.
    3)His light brown eyes were like magnets in the way the grabbed mine; my punishment for staring. I swallowed, feeling the uncomfortable sensation of a torrent of butterflies attacking my stomach. I jerked my eyes away. My neck was like a tightly drawn rubber-band in the way it popped back in Quinn’s direction. And that's when I saw it.
    4) He took her hand, but instead of the warm shake he'd given me, he lifted hers and kissed it. Now, I was sure my gag reflexes did indeed work.
    5) I hope so...
    http://figment.com/books/693017-Olli-With-An-H

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1) Scene setting, mainly, with a bit of a hook.
    2) Morally very grey. Let's say, charcoal grey. Sort of what you'd expect, seeing as she's an assassin.
    3) "Steel danced between his ribs and left with a crimson partner. The boy never had time to scream."
    4) “Hello there,” she chirped in a falsely cheery voice as she sat down. “Your favorite assassin’s dropping by.”
    5) Sadly, no. The first chapter is mainly suspense, with a bit of action towards the end.
    6) Definitely. If I'm not the Hitler of Grammar Nazis, then I'm at least the Bormann.
    7) If you think that an assassin sneaking into the Prime Minister's residence and promptly murdering someone is a cliffhanger.
    8) Well ... I'd say the fact that the MCs (yes, ensemble cast) make wrong decisions, pay for them, and none of the characters really are in full control of their own fates; bad luck factors in a lot. (Good luck is non-existent, except when it's a hope spot.)
    9) See answer to question 7.
    10) I may tweak it some, but I'm open to opinions — that means I'd love yours :D

    Link: http://figment.com/books/632472-A-Song-of-Steel-I-Players-and-Pieces

    Thanks so much for your consideration!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1) Is your opening line unique, scene setting, or hooking?
    Yes, definitely! You are put right in the middle of the action (First chap, not prologue, right?)
    5) Yes, the romance is in it first thing and also so is the supernatural aspect of it.
    6) Way more than 10 times! I've also had three different people edit it, so hopefully I didn't miss anything!
    7) Well, I suppose. You definitely want to continue reading to find out who 'certain people' are
    8) My MC's reaction to things are ones that I would react, and also my friends say that's exactly how they would react also.
    9) More like right in the middle of the action!
    10) I love what I have written. There are a few things that I will be improving but other than that, it great in my opinion.

    http://figment.com/books/626441-Glimpse

    ReplyDelete
  4. 2) What makes your character unique?
    My main character is suffering from depression and anxiety

    4) Pick out your quirkiest line.
    Opening my eyes and straightening up, I asked, “What? What’s weird about smelling sandwiches.?”

    5) Is the genre and sub-genres obvious?
    Not quiiiite yet. It smacks of YA right away, but the fantasy elements kick in around Chapter 2

    7) Does it end on a cliff-hanger?
    Heck yes it does. The main lady just got caught in the middle of a sandstorm while ditching her first day of college!

    9) Does it start close to the action?
    Well, it ends with actual action, as mentioned above, but the more emotional? action starts right away.

    http://figment.com/books/707455-The-Lost-Girl

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1) Is your opening line unique, scene setting, or hooking?

    I've not come across many books that open with a corpse falling over in the middle of having its photo-portrait taken, so I think it's pretty unique!

    2) What makes your character unique?

    He photographs the dead for a living.

    3) Pick out your best line of description.

    Everything about his frame was long and bony; his skeleton seemed practically to be forcing its way through his skin.

    4) Pick out your quirkiest line.

    “Tobias Shaw! Would you care to explain to me why a mangy parasite from some gutter-press gossip rag has been trying to get into my office?”


    5) Is the genre and sub-genres obvious?

    Fairly. It's a horror novel that revolves around the son of a mortician and the funeral palour he works at, and begins with a mishap with a corpse, so the darker elements of life are present from the get go. It gets more horror-esque from the next chapter. It's also got tones of black comedy, which are definitely there from the opening chapter.

    6) Is it clean from silly mistakes – have you read through more than 10 times?

    I have no doubt there is the odd mistake in there, but yes, it has been read through many, many times!

    7) Does it end on a cliff-hanger?

    Yes, a photograph that cannot exist.

    8) What makes it different from other novels in that genre?

    It's a horror, but it's quite humourous ( I hope!), despite the brutal murders and demonic undertones.

    9) Does it start close to the action?

    It begins with the main character being chased out of the house by a grieving mother whose just had her daughter's dead body land in her lap, so yes, I'd say so!

    http://figment.com/books/643403-The-Mortician-s-Boy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cheers for all the posts. There were some great stories - I'll definitely be running more contests like this but for now I've now picked a winner: http://scookiereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/featured-song-of-steel-by-alyssa-carlier.html

    ReplyDelete

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