Tips on opening chapters, opening pages and opening lines

Firsts can be difficult. Nerve-wracking. Full of self-doubt. Fear of judgement. For some writers, a blank page is scarier than Norman Bates in a clown costume.

Starting a book can become such an obstacle for some authors that loads of cracking book ideas just never see the light of day. We don’t want that to happen to yours! That’s why we’ve put together these top tips to help ease you over that first tower of nothingness and diving right into the creative rapids.

1. Your first chapter doesn’t have to be the first chapter

That’s right. Just because your reader will likely devour your book from Chapter 1 onwards, doesn’t mean to say you have to start there too! In fact, some authors would recommend not starting with the opening chapter. 

This is because the first chapter is introductory – introducing both your subject and your writing style to the reader. So, leaving the first chapter until after you’ve written a good chunk of the rest will give you a chance to find your groove, your voice, your factual flow, giving you a strong foundation from which to build your shiny fresh attention-grabbing introduction.

You might instead first write the chapter you feel most excited about. Least excited about. Most challenged by. Least challenged by. 

Provided that, once you put your book together in a logical order, the reader experience is smooth, the information progression rational, with each chapter flowing into the next, you can start by writing whichever chapter you like – the first, fifth or fifteenth!

So write something down. Anything. Fill the page with thoughts and ramblings and word mess. Just get something down and mine for gold later. A great opening line will come to you, but it isn’t likely to be on your fingertips when you want it to be. So write something and then you’ll have something to spit and polish later.

You’ll know it’s a great one when you find it. It will likely reflect your passion for your subject, your engaging writing style and/or your outstanding wit and wisdom. It’ll be a constellation of all that makes your book sparkle. And you’ll find it when you need it.

3. Page 1 – give them the hook, line and twinkle

The first page is just as important as the first line. First impressions count.

If your USP is your use of stick people illustrations to bring your advice or ideas to life, then drop one onto the first page. If you like to include quotes to back up your opinions, hang one in there. If you are particularly adept at explaining complex concepts in an easily accessible way, prove it! 

Whatever content, style, feature will send solar flares of delight to the reader to confirm that they made the right choice buying your book, put some of it on page 1!

4. Chapter 1 – make it a good all-rounder

When it comes to writing the opening chapter of your nonfiction book, keep in mind these few key pointers to help your first chapter do its job.

Make it a good overall introduction to the topic. Provide enough ‘scene setting’ detail – context to the subject matter, place, time, background, people involved – to give the reader a taste of what’s to come without giving too much away. A careful balance, I know. You want them to want to read the rest, so just tantalise and intrigue them to pique their curiosity and get them turning the page.

Drop in a little nugget or two of your experience and credentials to lend some credibility to what you’re saying, especially if you’re writing a fact- or advice-based book. You want the reader to trust you and what you’re telling them, so build that authority from the get-go.

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