How to Write a Great First Chapter

Your first chapter is the gateway to your story. It needs to entice a reader in so that before they know it, they’re onto chapter 4 with no idea where the time’s gone. But to achieve that, you have to juggle a lot of elements, from setup to characterization.

Here are our top tips for how to write a great first chapter, illustrated with some successful first chapter examples. Keep in mind that all books are different though: you’re the best judge of what will work for your story.

Write, Edit, and Edit Some More

If you’re new to novel writing and wondering how to start the beginning of a book, the secret is just to get writing. Don’t worry about getting your first chapter perfect in your first draft, as you need the knowledge you’ll gain from writing the rest of the story to do that.

Once you have a draft written, then it’s time to make your first chapter as strong as it can be.

The first chapter is likely to be one of the parts you edit the most, and that’s not a bad thing. Given that it’s your opportunity to convince the reader they want to carry on, it’s sensible to experiment and spend time fine-tuning it.

Set Things in Motion

When deciding how to start a novel, focus on creating a sense of momentum that will sweep a reader up and carry them along. To do that, you need to use your first chapter to set the plot in motion.

It might sound strange, but the start of the book and the start of the story don’t need to be the same thing. You might be able to start at a point slightly later on in the plot and still have it be understandable and satisfying for readers.

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, the Pevensie children are sent to the countryside because of the Blitz. Showing that experience could have been evocative, but it’s not needed, so Lewis starts just before the inciting incident—finding the land of Narnia.

If you’re working with an existing draft, you might find you can cut or condense early parts. Maybe you spent a lot of time on setup because you needed to discover things for yourself as a writer, but now that you know what you need to communicate, you can find a better way.

You could even choose to start “In medias res,” meaning in the middle of the action, then use flashbacks or other ways to fill in the backstory. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk begins with the protagonist at gunpoint atop a building rigged with explosives.

You don’t necessarily need to get to your inciting incident in chapter 1 though. It can be as effective to establish the status quo first or spend time ramping up the tension. You do still need to keep a reader hooked, so try to weave in clues about where things are headed.

Think of fantasy or horror books where signs of magic or the supernatural start showing up in an ordinary setting. The protagonist might not see them for what they are, but a reader will notice and be intrigued.

To achieve a gradual but gripping start in any genre, you can use foreshadowing: subtle hints about what’s about to happen. Alternatively, demonstrate the problem with the status quo. Show that something needs to change in the character’s life/world.

Introduce the Protagonist

The first chapter is usually a reader’s first taste of what following the protagonist will be like.

Some books go into full-on biographical mode and that can work for a very character-focused story. For instance, The shipping news by Annie Proulx starts with a hypervivid portrait of her protagonist and his misfortunes.

You might want to take a subtler approach though and sprinkle in pieces of info that help a reader get to know the main character (MC) more organically.

You can do this through the language they use and what they think about. In the first chapter of Killing Floor by Lee Child, we learn that Jack Reacher has an analytical mind, a specialist knowledge of weapons, and a dry sense of humor, all from his observations.

You can also establish their personality through their actions and reactions. If there’s a trait you really want people to associate with your character, think about whether there’s some way you can show that in the opening pages without it being too obvious.

Some writers recommend including a moment that will get the audience on your MC’s side. However, whether you need people to “like” your MC will depend on the type of story you’re telling. What you always need is for people to be interested in them.

One of the most effective ways to make a character engaging is giving people an idea of what they want and what drives them. This humanizes them and gives readers an enticing insight into what might lie ahead.

Judging whether your characterization works can be challenging. You know your protagonist so well, it’s hard to imagine meeting them for the first time. ProWritingAid’s Chapter Critique can give you instant feedback on how you’ve introduced your MC and make suggestions.

It can also help you with other essential aspects of your first chapter, like building tension, pacing, and integrating description. 

Establish the Setting

Readers like to know roughly where and when the story takes place from the start.

Don’t go overboard with describing the setting before you get to the meat of the plot, though. Just give people enough clues to situate themselves in the character’s reality so they don’t feel disorientated.

In The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller doesn’t launch straight into describing the geography or sociopolitical landscape of the ancient world. Instead, she builds up a sensory picture using brief references to kings, priestesses, and athletes racing over sun baked sand.

Balance Exposition

Whether it’s world-building or key parts of a character’s backstory, there’s likely at least some additional information that you’re keen for the reader to have.

It can be really tempting to rattle it off so they know exactly what’s happening and why, but that often leads to info dumping, which means including too much detail all at once. It feels unnatural and brings a reader right out of the story.

Instead, hold back on the exposition as far as possible. Readers love to speculate and fill in the gaps. Chances are they’ll be willing to wait for certain reveals or explanations.

Of course, sometimes there’s context that they absolutely can’t do without. A handy technique for delivering that is to spread it out and link each reveal to some detail in the “now” of the story so it feels more natural.

In The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins shows protagonist Katniss going about her day and mentions details about her impoverished home of District 12 and totalitarian nation of Panem as they become relevant, gradually building up our understanding of the world.

Even though the details aren’t things Katniss would need to tell herself, they’re all linked to what she’s experiencing in the present, so they feel a little less like they’re coming between us and the action.

Pay Attention to the Voice

The first chapter sets up people’s expectations for the rest of the book, and that includes the voice. That’s a catch-all term to describe “how” you write it, including language, sentence structure, and other narrative choices like tense and perspective.

If you’re using first-person perspective, this will flow into the work you’re doing to establish your character. The language they use and their thought patterns need to be consistent with who they are.

If you’re using another perspective like third-person limited or omniscient, you can still weave characterization into the voice when you’re reporting the characters’ thoughts directly or indirectly. You need to think about your voice as a writer as well, though.

Compare your first chapter side by side with later parts of the story. Did your voice change while you were writing? How can you bring the first chapter more in line with the rest?

You might also want to evaluate whether your choices fit the mood and potentially the genre of your story. While intentionally subverting reader expectations can pay off, you don’t want to put them off with accidental inconsistencies.

Keep it Flowing

Building momentum within the chapter itself is as important as building it for the overall story. A reader needs to move through it smoothly.

Try to identify sticking points that might jolt a reader or make them lose interest. That could be transitions that feel too abrupt, large chunks of description, or scenes that unfold too slowly.

These can be difficult to spot if you’ve been working on the piece for a while because you’re used to it. It could help to get another perspective, whether that’s passing it to a friend to read or using a tool like ProWritingAid’s Chapter Critique.

How to Start the First Chapter of a Book: Nailing the Opening Line

We’ve covered writing the first chapter, but how do you start it?

Your opening line does the same job as your first chapter does for the entire story: it gives readers a way in. It needs to be interesting enough to catch their attention and keep them reading. There are lots of ways to accomplish that.

You can start with a statement that hints at the themes you’ll be exploring. You can see this in the opening of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

You can spark a reader’s curiosity with an unusual situation or statement, as with this example from I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” Instantly, a reader wants to know why.

You can also throw a reader directly into what’s happening, like Philip Pullman does with the opening to The Golden Compass/Northern Lights: “Lyra and her dæmon moved through the darkening Hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen.”

You can use it as a chance to introduce your character’s unique voice. You can see a striking example of this in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like…”

Like first chapters themselves, opening lines are worth sweating over, but what really matters is finding something that feels true to your story. Don’t tie yourself in knots trying to live up to “Best Opening Lines of All Time” listicles.

Focus on finding something that gives a sense of your story and makes someone want to read on.

Conclusion: How to Write a Great First Chapter

Your first chapter is your chance to give a reader a taste of what your story is all about and where you’re going. It should hook them, introduce them to your protagonist and setting, and give them enough information to keep up (but not too much). 

Keep in mind that there are no hard rules with creative writing though. While hitting these beats somehow is usually advisable, there are hugely successful books out there that don’t. Choose which elements work for your story, and use them in a way that feels right.

One thing that will apply to almost every writer is the fact that first chapters take a lot of editing. It might be a long road to find the best way to usher readers into your story, but it will be worth it.

ProWritingAid’s in-depth writing reports make that journey easier by offering actionable feedback on grammar, style, readability, and more. You can also receive critiques to pinpoint what’s working—and what isn’t—in your opening chapter. Sign up for a free account, and give your first chapter the powerful start it deserves.