tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post8417111563455500025..comments2024-03-28T03:02:16.508-04:00Comments on Author, Jody Hedlund: The Why's, When's, and What-Not's for Opening a StoryJody Hedlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-81626888568266756822014-05-19T19:05:56.157-04:002014-05-19T19:05:56.157-04:00You make some really good points about the nature ...You make some really good points about the nature of the online world and hooking in readers from page one. Great reminders about the character arc. Naomihttp://www.naomitsvirko.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-18855201082695758212014-05-15T12:00:39.196-04:002014-05-15T12:00:39.196-04:00The first five books I wrote are tucked safely awa...The first five books I wrote are tucked safely away in a drawer and will never see the light of day! LOL :-) I affectionately call them my practice books! <br /><br />But, yes, I do have more books that are in the process of making it to publication (aside from the books I'm already contracted to write including my summer release and then the three lighthouse books)! :-)<br /><br />And I hear you on the writer having a stellar opening but then not backing it up with a good story. I've seen this happen in contests, where writers continually polish and rework their openings to do well in contests, but then fail to spend as much time on the rest of the book! Jody Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-76658203968817490802014-05-14T17:21:07.653-04:002014-05-14T17:21:07.653-04:00I love these reminders! I sometimes know exactly w...I love these reminders! I sometimes know exactly where to start. But I have one manuscript where I've re-done the opening about five times, and cut the first three chapters. Hey, I'm a work in progress ;)Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-87207091014207786912014-05-14T17:18:49.200-04:002014-05-14T17:18:49.200-04:00Jody, you have eleven books out there somewhere wa...Jody, you have eleven books out there somewhere waiting to be published? Wow! I am aware of the two that are coming out this year and at least two more in the lighthouse series. You are sitting on a gold mine. I'm looking forward to reading these. <br /><br />I thought it was interesting. After forcing myself to finish a book that I didn't really care for I realized that I loved the opening. I remember being gripped by the great beginning, but it went downhill from there. Then I read the author notes. The author profusely thanked another author for the help in rewriting the opening. I could tell the difference.Sylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184999232100292027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-12676318333646166132014-05-14T15:16:22.567-04:002014-05-14T15:16:22.567-04:00Good tips. Thank you. :) I've rewritten my beg...Good tips. Thank you. :) I've rewritten my beginnings more than any other part of my books. XD I've rewritten one ten times and now I think I finally like it lol.<br /><br /><a href="%E2%80%9D//storitorigrace.blogspot.com%E2%80%9D" rel="nofollow">Stori Tori's Blog</a>Victoria Grace Howellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01849013182543674707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-76245576686243200902014-05-13T21:16:05.651-04:002014-05-13T21:16:05.651-04:00Thanks for the great pointers on openings, Jody. I...Thanks for the great pointers on openings, Jody. I try to introduce the character in a way that makes readers care about him and then use the opening scene to create tension and foreshadow the inciting incident. Opening scenes take a lot of time and many rewrites, but it's worth the effort. As you say, there is no single more important scene than the opening.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-14376911003578176442014-05-13T19:20:19.116-04:002014-05-13T19:20:19.116-04:00Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this post! I a...Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this post! I absolutely am horrid with openings. But this post is very helpful and now I have a lot of ideas for an opening. :)Tichel Reviewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06149257227958601087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-19240783122101621562014-05-13T11:10:03.989-04:002014-05-13T11:10:03.989-04:00Jody, I struggle with openings. On more than one o...Jody, I struggle with openings. On more than one occasion I'll get several thousand words or so into a book and realize that--as James Scott Bell teaches--the story should really begin in Chapter 2. So, I cut Chapter 1, put it in a "holding" folder I establish for the book, and occasionally (but not always) come back and drop in that information later. Thanks for the discussion.Richard Mabryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15993592219849830777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-65120403403088206642014-05-13T09:20:08.329-04:002014-05-13T09:20:08.329-04:00Yes. For some reason, a story hits me. I have all ...Yes. For some reason, a story hits me. I have all these amazing ideas flowing through me. I see the end and the middle. I feel the excitement of the few characters who I already feel like I know. And then ... the beginning. Three books for me and each one I've had to write a totally new opening for after I thought the manuscript was done, ready to sent to my agent. Granted, the new beginnings are so much better. Just wish I could see the before the end. S.A. Larsenッhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.com