What’s your biggest writing challenge? I’m curious
Mine is tackling plot holes
Where to begin… that is, the first pages or chapters. And the last. I never like things to end, and figuring out where they should is a challenge. If it was a Monty Python sketch things would end with something silly, like a knight appearing and knocking and knocking all the characters out with a chicken. Sadly I can’t really do that with the novels I write.
This is so interesting. I feel like the mass amount of entertainment that we have now has made beginnings seem more important than they are. Classic stories often DON’T have crazy good first chapters or first lines or whatever, yet we’re expected to have amazing ones to grab readers attention.
I’m not published, so maybe it’s true that beginnings are super important and I’m underestimating the advice, but I can’t help but think it’s reactionary to some degree instead of actually being true??
I guess the reasoning is that it’s a much more ‘competitive market’ now than it used to be. You’re not only ‘competing’ against other authors, but all the other media and websites out there too, so people feel there has to be a ‘hook’ right at the start.
I don’t if it’s true or necessary. I don’t like the word competing either – that’s marketing speech. But ultimately you want people to read and enjoy your work. I suppose a hook is one way of getting them in.
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