Wednesday's Links to Writing & Marketing Blog Posts

TEN TASKS OF THE FIRST CHAPTER

By: Diana Hurwitz

The first chapter is both a blessing and a curse.

It is easy to come up with an idea, sit down, and begin to tell yourself the story. Many authors have file folders full of first chapters of books that will never be written. I have a few of my own.

A good first chapter does not happen quickly or easily. It has a terrible burden to carry. It must:

1) Introduce the story world.

Orient the reader right away by defining the setting. Are we in the past, present, or future? Are we on earth, in space, or visiting a fantasyland?

2) Define the genre.

Is it a fantasy, a romance, or a historical mystery?

3) Set the tone.

Will this be a lighthearted tale, a tearjerker, or a creepfest thriller?

4) Introduce the main character and make him relatable.

I would say likable, but that has not always been the case. Your character does not have to be a white-hat hero, but he or she should be someone the reader can root for. Loathsome characters are hard to care about.

. . .

Read the full article HERE! 

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If you missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets yesterday, here they are again:

1. The Last Taboo: What One Writer Earns | Wonk-o-Mance http://ow.ly/I0LxP
2. Common ING Mistakes | Terry Odell http://ow.ly/I0Oi4
3. Novel Publicity – Lessons Learned: My 10 Biggest Mistakes as a Self-Published Author http://ow.ly/I0OK4
4. Brandon Sanderson Explains Why Superhero Books Are So Hard To Get Right http://ow.ly/I0OQX
5. Blood-Red Pencil: Tackling Multiple Genres and Multiple Pen Names http://ow.ly/I0OYh
6. Blood-Red Pencil: Ten Tasks of the First Chapter http://ow.ly/I0P5V
7. Ideas for Writing Creative Nonfiction | Writing Forward http://ow.ly/I0QlM
8. The Literary Traditions of Self-Publishing | Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life http://ow.ly/I0Qxi
9. Thoughts on Using Dialect « Flash Fiction Chronicles http://ow.ly/I0QCA
10. Top Four Best Practices for Writing Great Book Blurbs | Digital Book World http://ow.ly/I0QPE
11. 'Print books are more like decorations': A #FutureChat recap | The Bookseller http://ow.ly/I0Rd8
12. Short on writing time? Try the 250, 500 or 1000 Words A Day Challenge - Inkygirl: via @inkyelbows http://ow.ly/I0Rp1
13. Writing Through Difficult Times : Women Writers, Women's Books http://ow.ly/I0RGn
14. 10 Can't Miss, Surefire Secrets Of Torturing Fictional People http://ow.ly/I0RMc
15. Novel Publicity – Lessons Learned: My 10 Biggest Mistakes as a Self-Published Author http://ow.ly/I0RXQ
16. Why quitting is perfectly okay. | It Starts With http://ow.ly/I0SbC
17. Enough Already! Is It Really Time to Start Revising or Are You Just Bored with Your Book? http://ow.ly/I0SpV
18. 7 Roles of the Healer Character Archetype | Better Novel Project http://ow.ly/I0Sxt
19. 26 Tips for Improving Your Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner http://ow.ly/I0SDx
20. Readability Is a Myth - The Atlantic http://ow.ly/I0SOj
21. 6 Simple Ways to Write a Physical Description | Better Novel Project http://ow.ly/I0SSI
22. Author, Jody Hedlund: How to Handle Bad Book Reviews http://ow.ly/I0SXu
23. How E-Books Have Changed the Print Marketplace: Digital Book World, Day 3 | Jane Friedman http://ow.ly/I0TyA
24. Working With a Cover Designer: Time-Saving Techniques - Elizabeth Spann Craig http://ow.ly/I0TDo
25. 2014 Winners of the Monthly E-Book Cover Design Awards — The Book Designer http://ow.ly/I0THY
26. #40: How to Attract Leads on Instagram - Amy Porterfield http://ow.ly/I0TQY
27. When Your Books Outlive You – Estate Planning Experts Offer Advice for Writers | Indies Unlimited http://ow.ly/I0TY8

Happy writing and running, Kathy