Dont Begin at the Beginning

Dont Begin at the Beginning Dont Begin at the Beginning Dont Begin at the Beginning By Simon Kewin If youre a fiction writer, youll be aware of the need to grab a readers attention as early as possible; to hook them, preferably, on your very first page. One key technique for doing this is to start your story in medias res.   The Latin expression in medias res means into the midst of things. Used as a literary term, it refers to starting a story by jumping straight into the middle of the conflict or action. Its often a temptation for writers to start by providing all the background information for their story, all the character and location detail theyve laboriously worked out. But this exposition or infodump can be very boring.   A better approach is to skip the exposition, at least temporarily, and dramatize your works central conflict from the beginning. As well as immediately involving the reader, this helps set up narrative tension : the reader wants to know why the described conflict is happening. Explaining too much up front can deflate this intrigue. Over time you can slowly reveal the explanation in what will, hopefully, be a satisfying and engrossing process for the reader.   Filling in the back-story can be achieved in several ways : via flashback, for example, or by having your characters recall prior events. The skill is in providing the reader with just the information they need, without either overwhelming them or leaving them bemused. The best approach is to reveal your back-story in dribs and drabs so that a lot of the time, your readers aren’t even aware they are being informed.    Of course, theres nothing wrong with writing long sections of factual information for your own use, as you work out the details of your setting. In many ways, this is a good thing. Just dont expect your readers to wade through all that before they reach your actual story. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowStory Writing 101Starting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.