How do you make a good chapter?

Above all, be sure to give each chapter a purpose that ties into the bigger story.

1. Start with action.
2. Shape around plot development.
3. Approach each chapter with a specific goal.
4. Use chapter titling to distill your focus.
5. Consider pacing.
6. Show a different point of view.
7. Seek balance.

How do you start a first chapter example?

These 10 examples reveal ways to make your chapter beginning count:

• Introduce urgent current or impending action.
• Establish place.
• Begin an intriguing conversation.
• Create a skip in time.
• Give historical context.
• Hint at the focus of coming narrative.
• Share interesting character facts.
• Build narrative suspense.

How long is a first chapter?

From these numbers, we can establish some guidelines: the average word count of a chapter typically falls somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000 words, with 3,000–4,000 being the most common sweet spot.

How do you make a boring chapter interesting?

This is how to keep your story fresh and exciting in every scene:

1. If You Can, Trash It. Your first choice should always be to get rid of any in-betweens that don’t advance your plot.
2. Introduce Personality: Make It about Character.
3. Introduce Action: Make It about Drama.
4. Introduce Questions: Make It about Suspense.

What makes a great first chapter?

An introduction to the main character: A great opening usually contains an introduction to the main character. By the end of the first chapter of your novel, the reader should have a basic sense of who your main character is and be eager to follow their journey into the second chapter.

What should my first chapter be?

Your opening scene should pique your reader’s curiosity, establish your narrative voice, and serve a thematic introduction to the rest of the story. That’s a lot of pressure to place on your first scene, which is why many people wait until they’ve written their whole book before returning to their opening lines.

Is 40000 words enough for a novel?

If you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

How to start your first chapter strong?

How to start your first chapter strong: 1 1. Start with the action. You’ve heard this one before. Don’t start when your character wakes up in the morning, unless they’re waking up to a house 2 2. Start with emotion. 3 3. Start with your characters. 4 4. Start with something we need to know. 5 5. Start with your ending.

How to write the first chapter of your story?

To clarify, when you’re writing your first chapter, you don’t have to hit every single point on this list. One, maybe two points should be enough. 1. Start with the action. You’ve heard this one before. Don’t start when your character wakes up in the morning, unless they’re waking up to a house on fire.

What makes a good opening chapter for a novel?

In any novel of any genre or style, characters are key. It’s your story’s characters that will get your readers invested and make them want to keep reading. No matter whether your story is told from one point of view or several, the opening chapter must introduce a compelling, important character.

How to introduce a compelling character in Chapter One?

The best way to ensure that you introduce a compelling character in Chapter One is to get to know that character as well as possible before you start writing. Work out their voice, their unique perspective, their personality, and their importance to the story.