Whew… a first chapter, first draft. Though I wrote it in about 90 minutes, a lot goes into being ready to start. I could write pages and pages on this process, but I’m going to just start with a few pointers, and add as we go along. (NOTE: I’ll put italics on lessons that are generally true for every book and writer.)
First, we have to know something about the characters we are going to work with. Often, I don’t know much when I begin to type. The typing is what tells me. I know something about the characters, which I’ve listed in the “Characters” link at the top of the page, but there is a lot more to know.
Julie Mayden (A.K.A Mayden) is our main character, and I’ve decided that—as in all my fiction books to date—I’m going to write from the main character’s Point of View (POV) and use the present tense. It’s not a common choice, but it has become part of my “voice” (much more on voice as we go along). To change that now would be rough, at least at the start. It would get in the way of easy writing. Still, I’ll keep listening to see if that is working, as we go along. It might not. It might be best to have past tense, or come from the perspective of more than one character, which makes first person more difficult. We’ll see how it goes.
The two ladies at the desk don’t matter. They just help me set the scene—SHOW who Mayden is so I don’t have to TELL about her. For example: How a person believes someone else is talking about them really tells you more about how they think about themselves. So in this case, you get into Mayden’s head just by listening in on her own internal dialogue about what she thinks others are saying about her. In this case, Mayden is revealing that she isn’t as secure in her dress and hair as she likes to admit, even to herself. She is not totally comfortable with herself or she wouldn’t be thinking and assuming others are judging her.
Like most teens, and maybe most adults, she is worried about what others think. For this reason, we feel for her a bit—we can relate—which is critical to establish from the start. Readers have to be able to slip out of reading about Mayden, and start reading about themselves-as-Mayden, or they will never really get into the book.
By the way, people read about characters to know and
feel something they may not be able to know and feel otherwise. If you give a reader a character they can identify with, the story takes on a new reality for the reader. If you don’t, you may entertain some, but you wont’ create real impact.
In this chapter we are really just establishing who Mayden is and what she is up to. She’s a rich girl, her dad loves her, he has power. She’s paying attention to the world around her, she thinks about who she is, she loves her cat and might even break the law for her. She’s growing up and changing (picture of her as 12, being more “normal” in attire), she likes extreme cases and cares about old people (even as she hates the smell they help create). Hopefully, her language and level of observation shows she reasonably smart. Maybe her attitude is a little angry, and a little bored…or maybe she’s really just nervous on this important day. We will see what it really means as her attitude changes in other settings, or not.
In later drafts, I’ll fine-tune her attire, language, etc…. But this is a pretty good start at knowing who she is. I will learn more as SHE teaches me. Characters always tell you who they are by what they say and do…not the other way around.
Another critical note to the first chapter is that you have to start where something important is happening. In this case, it’s the day Mayden is going to take Anna off the beaten path. We will soon learn that she’s been gathering bits and pieces of Anna’s words over a very long time…nearly three months of a word here and there. But if we start the story with three months of not much but a few words, there’s no action. No action…no story. You MUST have action, or you’re dead in the water. It will be my job in Chapter Two to backtrack and give you some of what she learned in those three months, without sounding like I’m just filling the reader in. It has to be done creatively or it will strike the reader as boring and contrived.
Let’s see if I can.
Anna on 
Cessalee on 
Sue H on 
Robin Rice on
Robin, I’m struck by so many tings – - remembering listening to Madeleine L’Engle describing how her characters would let her know who they were… all she had to do was listen. that seemed like a double-top secret garden to me, to which I wanted to find a key! And here you are writing about the same principle. Starting with ACTION, and must SHOW the character, not tell about, and have RELATABLE characters… well that all just seems like it’s a lot to have figured out, right up front! Lastly, have been thinkin about writing a book – a very simple book – on Body Prayer… helping folks who are not yoginis to simply BE in their body listen, breathe. and the demon-voice asks: “hasn’t that book already been written?” – - well A book has been written, but not MY book. so – - wrestling with the worthiness of it. Think I should start a writing group for support, and not worry about the end product. what do you think? peace, Tiffany
Thanks Robin – I’ve been wanting both some magic, and some help with the writing process. You provide both – thank you!
Robin you rule !
WOW! Your creative juices are boundless, Robin. I’d love to meet your Muse
Congratulations on the launch of The Mayden Chronicles.
Both your concept and the website are off-the-charts amazing!!!
Brightest Blessings,
Sharon
Hi Tiffany! Yes, there is a lot to start…but it is worth starting. I recall asking someone if the world really needed another Robin Rice book, and they replied, “I don’t know, but I need another Robin Rice book.” That really kept me going. We don’t really write for others, we write for our own uniuqe expression, and that is always valuable. You, in your story, telling the story of your story, so you can read your story… Can’t wait to see what you do! Hugs!
You are so very welcome Tiffany. Come back and let me know what you like…and would change! This is fun!
Thanks Charlie… for everything!
Hi Sharon! Well, you have to do something with all those creative impulses jumping in your brain! I think my muse is out there floating around, so give her a call on the ethers… Hugs! Robin
This is really great Robin. I love how you explain the thought process that got you there. I am definitely taking notes for myself!
Robin,
I just found this site. What a unique and wonderful idea. How do you find the time?
This is very helpful. I found the site because you commented on my FB status that you always write in first person, present tense. It is so hard to find someone doing that and doing it well. I am trying to learn since my first novel is ending up being in first person, present tense. However, I didn’t know that I would love your story line so much and I had no idea I would find your wonderful notes about the writing process. So, thank you.
I am now anxious to read other books of yours!
Warmly,
Tamara