Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawke  I think that the early chapters should introduce the core characters of your story but they also need to involve some form of action to hook the reader and keep them interested, I don't know about anyone else but if I picked up a book and the first few chapters were about the character going about his normal life (unless the character was a soldier or bounty hunter or something) then I'd get bored very quickly. |
Very true. My Chapter One opens with the protagonist leaving the house he's been living in for several years*, but within a few pages he's being shot at and is involved in a high-speed horse-chase through the streets of London. "Local colour" then becomes a great way to throw obstacles in his path (e.g. a wedding party blocking the street outside a church), rather than being excess verbiage. Luckily my protagonist is a sword-for-hire, so this
is normal life for him!
* A little slow, to be sure - that's why I have a prologue with a big, baited hook
