Sophie is editing… can you tell?
This week I have been thinking hard about what I need in that critical first chapter. To that end, I’ve broken off from my own novel every day and started reading other people’s first chapters.
Some have been old friends – in two cases very old friends. Indeed, two are even older than I am, by more than two centuries in one case.
Two others have been new to me. Of the new selection, one is a distinguished prize winner. I’d liked the sound of it, but I only picked it up this week because a friend is reading it for her book club. (Thank you for firing the starting gun, Rosemary.)
Another is a very successful children’s book. A reader of the target age lent me that one (thank you, Bella) with fantastic enthusiasm.
It’s been illuminating but also intriguing. I haven’t found one perfect example yet. Put them all together and you’re overwhelmed by a confusion of brilliance and obscurity.
But I one thing has become clear to me. In Chapter one the reader is all important. Continue reading
