tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post2579807273551066773..comments2023-08-14T10:44:59.007-04:00Comments on Novel Spaces: First Scenes FirstKeVin K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14792797517571690942noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-40894401587334293762009-10-08T22:44:03.908-04:002009-10-08T22:44:03.908-04:00Wanted to wait till I got home and could grab one ...Wanted to wait till I got home and could grab one of my own books...<br /><br />Picked <i>Forfeit,</i> prize winning horse/jockey thriller by Dick Francis. Good choice. Introduced character, the complications and dangers of his journalistic work blowing the lid off sports scandals, and hinted at the tension regarding his wife without indicating its source exactly. <br /><br />Then there's the last sentence of the first scene: <i>Snap decisions had got me into trouble once or twice in the past. All the same, I made this one. It proved to be the most trouble-filled of the lot.</i><br /><br />All of which drew me in - quite apart from the fact that I've read several of his books and his name on the cover is all it takes to sell me the others. Why? I know not only that he sets the reader up for a good read from the first scene, but that he delivers on his promise.<br /><br />I enjoyed this exercise, Marissa. I'll do like the Captain suggests and try it with a book/author I haven't read.Liane Spicerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05035607144500219524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-62011500051044565472009-10-07T16:50:00.367-04:002009-10-07T16:50:00.367-04:00I fully agree that the first scene, or first few s...I fully agree that the first scene, or first few scenes, are crucial in order to hook readers into wanting to read more. It's also important to get straight into the action and not weigh the reader down with a lot of preamble and back-story. You also quite rightly say that the main character(s) need to be introduced.<br /><br />So, altogether a good lesson and exercise. Apart from one thing, that is. If it's a book you've read before then you <i>already know the story</i>, therefore don't need quite as much introduction (more of a recap instead). I think this exercise would work a lot better for books we <i>haven't</i> read before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-44201877838084215882009-10-07T11:45:01.585-04:002009-10-07T11:45:01.585-04:00I pulled two favorites my keeper shelf and both op...I pulled two favorites my keeper shelf and both openings hit the ground running. They hit me with the character and her immediate problem, with no clunky background filler.<br /><br />I do pretty good with openings, but struggle with endings. I worry they're too corny, even for my sugary sweet writing style.Phyllis Bournehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14159964500693902500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-51872487575172435922009-10-07T08:20:15.852-04:002009-10-07T08:20:15.852-04:00This is brilliant! Thank you.
I always learn best...This is brilliant! Thank you.<br /><br />I always learn best by example, and this is a great way to disseminate what I did right--and wrong.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.com