Friday, March 25, 2011

Incite me, baby!

This blog post on beginnings is by Carleen Brice, author of two novels, Orange Mint and Honey and Children of the Waters. You can read the beginnings of both books on my website.

Randy Susan Myers, author of The Murderer's Daughters, posts the first pages of novels on her site and invited me to participate. I posted what I thought was the beginning of my current novel, Calling Every Good Wish Home. No sooner had I posted it, than bam, I had an idea for a better opening. Which I'm not going to post here because it may change again. (I learned my lesson!) This scene is still in the book, so please do read it; it's just not the first thing we see anymore.

Most writers and editors talk about the importance of the first few lines and pages being intriguing enough to draw the reader in. Of course, this is the primary work of the beginning. But I also find a good beginning does something else: it sets up the ending. To me, there's an added enjoyment of an ending when it's foreshadowed (subtly) by the beginning.

Indeed, that's what Robert McKee says in his book Story, which is one of my writing bibles. He calls the opening the "inciting incident." This isn't necessarily the first page of the story, but is "the first major event of the telling; the primary cause for all that follows." More from Mckee:

"...this is the event that incites and captures the audience's [I'll add readers] curiosity...witnessing [reading about] the inciting incdent projects an image of the obligatory scene into the audience's imagination. The obligatory scene (AKA crisis) is an event the audience knows it must see before the story can end."


Like a few others here, my writing process involves writing the beginning, usually the first 100 or so pages, then writing the end and then filling in the middle. The opening I'm currently working with really informed the ending, which then led me to great stuff for the middle.

I think. I hope. We'll see! If the published version of this novel has a different opening than the one I'm working with now I'll let you know!


Happy writing and reading, and good luck with your own beginnings, middles and endings!

17 comments:

  1. I love Robert McKee. John Truby is also awesome when it comes to structure. Fun post!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a good post. Good luck with the process and the project!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are so right, Carleen, about the beginning setting up the ending. I love it when I can come full circle at the end in a subtle way. And McKee's Story is good reading for all writers, not just screenwriters.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post, Carleen! The Robert McKee excellent, also Christopher Vogler's book on structure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh wow, I didn't realize folks wrote the beginning, the end, and then filled in the middle. I'll try that. Thanks Carleen.

    ReplyDelete
  6. But I also find a good beginning does something else: it sets up the ending.

    Carleen, I had never thought of it that way before, but you're so right! Now you've given me something more to think about as I start my next book. :-)

    P.S. Go, Jayhawks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Carleen, Malik Yoba's brother recommended the Story to me years ago and I've followed its blueprint since. It's definitely a book every writer should invest in.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Karin, Will be checking John Truby. Thanks!

    B, Thanks!

    Connie, Thanks for weighing in!

    Lauren, I've read Vogler's The Writer's Journey and have highlighted the hell out of it.

    Evelyn, Some do. Some don't. Try it and if it works for you, that's great. But it's not anything that's set in stone, you know?

    Susan, Go Jayhawks! I'm going to miss the game tonight--aaagh!--but for a great reason: meeting with a book club from Texas who's coming to Denver to have dinner with me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Shelia, Malik Yoba's brother? Do tell!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'll watch it for you (through my fingers!). How cool that a book club from Texas (my old stomping grounds) is coming in to see you! Have a blast, Carleen, and let's hope when you're done and check the score, that you're still smiling. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great post! I was just trying to think of the name of that book (McKee) the other day.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Carleen, great insight. A good writer never stops learning. Thank you for bringing a major lesson.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Here I am Carleen, just waiting for your next book, which I know will be wonderful. In the meantime, I will just get ready for it by making a new bookmark, one for me and one for you.!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great post. Fresh perspective I hadn't considered before. Thanks! And I must get the book by McKee that you mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think that would be fun teaser for a forthcoming book! Then later to see the final product would be alot of fun! I'm reading Orange Mint and Honey and am really enjoying it!!

    ReplyDelete