First chapters and introduction - my opinions/my definitive guide

~ As explained by your loyal philosopher and standard-bearer of fanfiction, Kage ~

Writing the first chapter of your work (kind of including prologues!), be it fanfiction, a fantasy novel, a sci-fi adventure book, a non-fictional thriller, etcetera, is always something that you should consider and think over before actually writing it. It's tricky – but sometimes easy, and as often as the chapter comes on its' own to you, you often have to sit down and really think through it before you write.

A little note from me; this text is written by your standard-but-not-standard ragged bedhead teenager, without any kind of professional education in the literal arts, except for a very thorough and interesting course of seven weeks explaining how to create entertaining and interesting characters (for your information, found on Futurelearn.org), is unschooled, meaning that he has never gone a day in normal school or even visited a lecture. But that does not mean that you shouldn't take this text seriously, as he is experienced in the art of writing fiction (at least in his own way). That said, choose how to view me – either as an non-schooled peasant hillbilly (which I kind of am, depending on how you view the matter) or a self-taught aspiring fiction writer.

Back to the actual meaning of this text. The first chapter is tricky. I already stated that above but for the sake of things and to further emphasize it, I did it again. Some authors choose to begin their book with a first chapter filled with mystery and unexplained stuff. Think, the first chapter of a Dan Brown novel, for example. Mysterious. Lot's of weird stuff happening. Things that simply want you to turn the pages again and again and again to get your answers. That is a great way of starting a book – if you're sure that you can manage to have the rest of the book living up to the first chapters' promises. And that is your own decision, no one can tell you to write in a special way, you find your own way and that's that. Back to the matter, a mysterious page-turner of a prologue or first chapter is a sure way to keep your reader on edge for the next page.

A second kind of first chapter, that I have discovered, is an introductive first chapter. Introducing the worldspace, a character or several, the harmony, the disturbance, and such. I for example. Take the first chapter of J.R.R Tolkiens' “The Hobbit”. It begins with the narrator depicting the home of the Hobbit, who the Hobbit is, where in the world his home is, and the like. A homely, neat, and entertaining first chapter, describing the harmony of the Hobbits' home and character. This type of prologue is the one I usually begin my story with – maybe not in the exact same way but pretty much in the same cathegory. I did this, for example, in my Elder Scrolls fanfiction “The Tale of the Spicer” in which I spend the first chapter introducing the main character, the worldspace, and end it with a slightly, just enough mysterious event that would at least encourage me to read the next chapter.

Then I have found a third type of first chapter, in fact, a prologue, which I can't name, and I can't put a finger on it, really, it is genious but weird, puzzled but at the same time very clear, and the simplicity of the complexness makes for an impressive start. I am talking about the prologue of Pat Rothfuss' “The Name Of The Wind”. It begins with the author using an entire page to describe three kinds of silence. In my opinion, geniously. In this case, it is not the otherwise interesting story or captivating characters (of which none are really introduced, just barely.) that catches the readers eventual interest, but the way in which it is written and the fact that the author just threw an entire page describing silence at you, and how much you love it.

Another type of first chapter is the action-packed one. It begins with a character – or maybe just an event – in action. Think, the first chapter of “The Da-Vinci Code” where Silas kills another man. It can, of course, be more action-filled that the assassination in the beginning of Dan Browns' best novel (In my opinion) but it makes it into this one of my chapter cathegories. Action, excitement, tension. For the sake of the matter, to really tell you what I mean, I'm going to make an example out of a game and not a written story; take the first part in the 2011 video game “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” by Bethesda Softworks, an action-roleplaying game, where you start of as a prisoner on the carriage to his/her execution. The execution is disturbed and intercepted by a massive dragon attacking, and before you know it you're running around through burning buildings and collapsed towers trying to survive the attack of a giant man-eating fire-breathing monster.

Those are the four types of introductive chapters that I have discovered, I suspect there are many more to discover and therefore I do not state this as an ultimative work, meaning that I will surely change my mind in things about this text, but for now, this text is what I stand for as a guide to recognizing the types of introductions in stories that will get your attention and keep you turning pages in the book you are reading.

Over to actually writing the first chapter.

When I write the first chapter, I very seldom have a decided story to begin with. I write the first few words, go make a cup of coffee and go back to the pc again. I look at what I have written and from there, the rest kind of just pops up in my head and before I know it, I have an entire story written out in my brain. For your information – I never plan a story before. I never have an entire storyboard with a beginning and an end, I just think it up as I go and it has worked for me so far.

When I am done with the first chapter, I usually just quickly check through it and edit stuff that needs editing, for several reasons. Grammar faults, weird nonsense that makes no sense at all, stuff I didn't think through before I wrote them down, and such. Then I post the first chapter on my fanfiction profile, if it is a fanfiction I am writing (which it is in almost all cases) or on fictionpress or my blog, if it is an original work, so people can see it and comment on what they think about it, and give me positive feedback, negative feedback, and if I am lucky, a little bit of both. Note: If you read a story and decide to feedback the author, my tip is always give both negative and positive feedback. If you can't give both, why even comment at all? Too much negative feedback without some good encouraging is fatal, too much positive feedback without pointing out something that could be changed (in your opinion, always remember that, you and the author often have different ways of seeing things.) is not good either. But if, if you by any chance find a work that in your opinion is perfect, why comment at all? Read it again. And again. And again. Find the fault. Nothing is perfect. Something can be SUPER GREAT and still have a minor fault and that is completely okay.

After I have written and published the first chapter, I read it again, over and over, read the eventual feedback I get and analyze it, and then I make an edited, remade version of the chapter, where I change what I think needs changing, and publish it as an edited version. Eventually I am satisfied and can keep writing on the story, giving the first chapter a second chapter and maybe in rapid succession a third and fourth chapter, which is often the case when I am writing. I used to spend four hours a day without break except for food and water, to write, and write, and write, and write. Such is the life of the fanfiction writer I am.

And in some cases, when you write the first chapter (which for me happens more often than I like) you write a chapter, but then after a few paragraphs, a few hundred words, I just can't continue it. Maybe it just doesn't add up, maybe I didn't really do enough research, or maybe it just doesn't entertain me anymore (remember, how much you might write for others to read and seek to entertain others, never write anything that you don't like. I for one write for myself in first place, I just happen to publish it for others to read.).

I hope I've helped you to think about the first chapter and given you encouragement to write and explore the wonderful world of storymaking. Or maybe you didn't read this to get my point of view on introductions but maybe to understand what first chapters are really for and how the way they are written is critical to the rest of the story. Maybe you are a reader and you want to immerse yourself more in the world if fiction. Maybe you just stumbled upon this on my facebook feed or my fanfiction profile. Always remember though, this article is just my opinion and I am in no way out to force it on to others, I just wrote this to explain my point of view on first chapters. Thanks for reading, and I do hope you found it entertaining and interesting. If not, I have failed, but that doesn't matter because how much I write for others to read, I still write it more for myself and I am proud of this text.