How To Write Epic Beginnings

We know that readers don’t carry on reading if you write a poor beginning. Read this post to find out how to write epic beginnings.

A while ago, we published a series of ‘epic’ posts on writing beginnings by Mia Botha. In today’s post, we’ve put them all together in one convenient article for you.

First impressions are everything when it comes to a book. What was it that first grabbed your attention? The first line, the first page, the first scene, or the first time they described the characters? We will be looking at all the firsts involved in the beginning of book and how a writer can use them to their advantage. Mia uses five books as examples for each post and examines what makes them epic.

How To Write Epic Beginnings

Read the series in this order:

1. How To Write An Epic First Page — ‘The first page sells the book, the last page sells the next book.’ ~ Mickey Spillane. Find out what you need on your first page to get your reader’s attention and orientate them.
2. How To Write An Epic First Line — In the previous post we spoke about how to write an epic first page. In this post I want to spend a bit more time talking about the first lines. Your first line sets the tone for the scene and ultimately the book. You need to grab your reader’s attention and keep it.
3. How To Write An Epic First Scene — The opening scene of your novel continues to build on the hard work you put into your first line and your first page.  Find out the formula for writing an epic first scene.
4. How To Make The First Time We Meet A Character Epic — We’ve discussed all the firsts. The first line, the first page, and the first scene. Now, we need to concentrate on character. First impressions are a big deal when we meet someone and it is no different in a book.

Use these four posts to create epic beginnings that will hook your readers straight away and keep them turning the page.

The Last Word

If you are looking for more posts on beginnings, click the beginnings tag to explore them on our website.

by Mia Botha

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