Getting Past The First Page

Sometimes it's very hard to start the new page of a manuscript. Maybe you're not sure where to start the book, or the blank page drives you nuts. It could be anything.

Starting a new book is fun for me. I'm always excited to start a new manuscript, to explore the world and my characters.

Does the first page stay the same from the first draft to the final draft?

Rarely.

I start where I think at the time the book should open, but that's not always the right place. And figuring it out is important.

Think about the last book you read, do you remember how the book opened? Was it exciting? Did it draw you into the book? Make you want to read more?

The first page should draw the reader into the book, creating the same excitement the writer had when they wrote the book, the reader will be excited to turn past the first page and read more.

Sometimes I write the first page even though I know it's not the right place to start the story. Why? Because I don't know where the book should start, this is the first scene that came to mind, so I start there. Later I'll find the right opening.

The first page is important, but so are all the pages that come after that, because you want to keep your reader interested, excited and reading your book.