Writing is all about hooking the reader and keeping him in play. Every successful book contains elements of mystery throughout the entire text, not just the first paragraph, or even the first chapter. The topic or genre is irrelevant, it is about executing the job with a style crafted to make the reader turn the next page.

Think about the phrase "it was soooo good I just couldn't put it down!". What this really means is that the writer was carefully perched on the reader's shoulder, dangling a rather juicy carrot at the end of a stick. As a writer you have a pretty good idea how the story ends. Don't rush it! Be stingy with clues, but be sure to tantalize your reader frequently enough to keep those pages turning.

In fiction, first chapters must contain elements that sell the main characters to the reader. By the end of that first chapter the reader should care about what happens to the characters to whom he's been introduced. If you are unsuccessful, your reader will fold down the corner of the first page of Chapter Two and your book will find a new home on the back of a toilet somewhere. However, if you've done your job and sold the characters correctly you will cause the reader to oversleep and be late to his next appointment.

I'm sure some of you consider the above advice rather cavalier, since no specific instructions were included. Well, I can only say that the best way to learn to write, is to write (and write and write...). Characters need to be multi-dimensional and interesting. Dialog needs to be realistic and move the story forward. Unnecessary dialog is a book killer. Even worse than extraneous dialog is excessive descriptive text. Don't overwork it, give them just enough to allow their imaginations to fill in the blanks and do the heavy work.

That's my two cents!

Learn more about this author, Hugh McKelvy.
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