Stuck on Chapter One? Here’s How to Finally Move On

Let’s be honest: getting stuck on Chapter One isn’t something we talk about lightly. That first chapter carries a lot of weight. It’s the reader’s introduction to your world, your characters, your voice. It has to do so much. And if you’ve been staring at Chapter One for weeks or months, frozen by the pressure, it’s time to move on.

In my work with writers, I’ve seen this happen again and again. The story begins with a spark, but that opening scene becomes a bottleneck. It gets rewritten, restructured, polished. Meanwhile, the rest of the book goes unwritten. Sometimes it’s perfectionism. Sometimes it’s fear. And sometimes, it’s a sign you’re still figuring out what the story really is.

Whatever the reason, getting stuck is normal. But it doesn’t have to stop you.

Why We Get Stuck on Chapter One (And How to Break Through)

There’s a lot riding on the first chapter of a book. We know it’s the hook, the invitation, the part agents and editors see first. That knowledge creates pressure, and pressure can lead to paralysis.

What many writers forget is this: your first chapter will almost certainly change – maybe even dramatically – by the time you reach the end of your draft.

So if you’re stuck, one of the most helpful things you can do is loosen your grip on Chapter One and move forward. Let the rest of the book teach you what the beginning needs to be.

Feeling Stuck on Chapter One? Move On Anyway

Yes, even if you’re not sure what happens next. Even if it feels messy. Even if it’s “not ready.”

Your job isn’t to get the beginning perfect. It’s to tell the story.

If revising that first scene has become a daily ritual that leads nowhere, try opening a fresh document. Give yourself permission to write the next scene (any scene) no matter how imperfect. Forward motion often creates the clarity that polishing never will.

One writer I worked with spent six weeks reworking her opening paragraph. After finally allowing herself to move on, she drafted ten new chapters in three weeks and realized that the beginning of her story didn’t actually belong anywhere near the original. She found it by writing forward.

Sometimes Chapter One Isn’t the Real Problem

More often than not, being stuck at the beginning is a symptom of not yet having clarity on the story as a whole. Maybe you’re unsure what your protagonist wants. Maybe the stakes are still fuzzy. Maybe you haven’t figured out the ending yet and without knowing where it’s headed, it’s hard to know how to start.

That’s okay.

Clarity doesn’t always come at the start. Many writers don’t find it until well into the drafting process. But when you keep moving, even if it feels awkward, you’re doing the work that brings that clarity into focus.

Writing Is a Process, Not a Performance

One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself as a writer is the permission to be imperfect – especially in early drafts.

Your first chapter doesn’t need to be submission-ready (yet). It doesn’t need to sparkle. It just needs to get you going.

So if you’ve been looping endlessly through your opening, the answer might be as simple (and as difficult) as this: write the next thing.

Write what happens next. Write what you know. Write what excites you, even if you’re not sure where it fits. You can always revise later.

But first, you need words on the page.

A Nudge to Help You Move Forward

If Chapter One has become a bottleneck, try zooming out. Look at your story as a whole. Sometimes a bit of structure – a loose outline, a beat sheet, or even a one-paragraph summary – can help you step back into the draft with fresh confidence.

Even just a few days of focused planning can bring surprising clarity.

Because while Chapter One is important, the most important thing is this:

Keep going. Keep writing. Clarity will come – not before the work, but because of it.