Following on from my philosophy of never boring a reader, my first chapter of a new novel is both exciting and terrifying. Exciting because I'm starting a fresh project, with limitless possibilities, and terrifying because most readers gauge a novel on two things: one, the blurb on the back; and two, the first chapter. In any bookstore you will see the serious readers not only reading the blurb but also the first page(s). For an author, this is your bread and butter. It can be the difference between the reader parting with his/her money, or putting your book back on the shelf. So what can you do to make sure they keep reading long enough to get to the counter to pay?
If there's one place I want/need to snag a reader's attention, it's the first sentence. If I can bring them straight into my story, give them enough information to paint the scene in their head, and engage their intrigue levels enough to at least make them finger the notes and loose change in their pockets, I'm more than halfway to a sale. That's easier said than done. While it ultimately depends on your genre, most first chapters still contain what's known as a 'hook'. A good example of this is the first line of John Grisham's bestseller The Chamber: "The decision to bomb the office of the radical Jew lawyer was reached with relative ease". If you can put that book down before learning why his office is being bombed, why the decision was reached with relative ease, and what happened to the Jew, you are hard to entertain. With one sentence Grisham has painted a scene, introduced a character, and set in motion conflict (the single most important feature of any novel). He's got your attention. Now he can build on that.
Contrast that with this fictitious opening: "John Doe woke up, got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast". If that doesn't induce a yawn, maybe you've already fallen asleep. The reality is, first sentence, first paragraph, and first chapter are vital to your chances of both publication and sales. A reader is likely to assume that if you can't hook them at the start, chances are you won't be able to do so before the end either.
That's why I like to start right in the crux of things. Back-story, while important, can be saved for later when your reader needs a breath to calm down from all the rip-roaring action and suspense you've thrown at them. Putting your MC in the thick of things from the start also reveals their character and allows it to grow. We all react differently in crises, and it's that fight or flight mentality which brings out the best and worst traits of your characters. It establishs heroism and cowardice; good and evil. Those are the fundamental personality profiles of the so-called 'protagonist' and 'antagonist'.
When you have a reader's attention, it becomes a matter of holding it. The most action-packed novel in the world can become frustrating if a reader isn't given time to react to the situations evolving before him/her. There is a delicate balance between outright, high-octane action, and slow, catch-your-breath exposition. The trick is finding a way to make the exposition as riveting as the action. Mastering that is the key to becoming a great storyteller. What I like to do, more often than not, is end a chapter with a cliffhanger. It's the tried and tested approach to hooking a reader. Think of a television show you love. Imagine it without any conflict. Imagine if at the end of each show, everyone was happy and got exactly what they wanted. How long would you watch it? The human psyche is designed to leech off conflict. We may abhor it, we may find it frustrating, but ultimately every one of us craves it in one way or another. Without conflict in a novel, you might as well go back to that earlier place of sleep. It is essential, and what better way to keep people reading than by putting your characters in unrelenting situations at the end of each chapter?
The truth is, your first chapter may be the most important one. If well-written and riveting enough, your reader parts with their money and you have another tenner in your pocket. Here's the rub, though. That doesn't mean chapter two shouldn't be as well-written and riveting as its predecessor. Just because you have the reader's money, doesn't mean you now have a licence to bore them to tears. After all, this is a platform you want to build. You want this reader to be so impressed with your work that they'll read your next book without giving chapter one as much as a glance. That is the true essence of great storytelling.
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