How to Write an Effective Introduction to Your Story

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The primer to a story is vital to its success. The introduction sets the expectations of your readers. Although there is no sure-fire recipe for a great story introduction, on the whole, it should be able to:

• Draw the reader’s attention.
Professional writers are able to do this by using short but attention-grabbing narratives, questions that titillate the reader’s curiosity, mentioning something that is personally relevant to your target audience, provoking questions and statements.
Although there is no need to exaggerate and sensationalize, you should also never assume that your reader would be automatically interested in your intro.
Generally, just raising the issue that you are attempting to explore would be enough to keep your reader glued.


• Tell the reader what the story is all about.
After reading your introduction, the reader should be able to determine the central point of your story.


• Establish the implication of your focus to anyone who is reading it.
Through your introduction, you should be able to convince your audience that it is worth their while to continue reading until they experience the progression of the story and see its conclusion.


• Provide readers with a preview of how the story will unfold.
Some writers provide a brief summary at the onset in a cryptic manner, especially if it’s a mystery novel. This prepares the reader and enhances his recognition and retention of these points.


In creating your introduction, you may need to watch out for a few landmines in order to effectively reel your audience in.
For example, you may step on the brakes in giving out factual data or background information in your introduction.
For novice writers, it has become a common urge to begin their story with the historical background of the main characters. You may want to save this piece of information for the next chapters, or use it sparingly when the story requires it to be divulged.


Secondly, the introduction does not have to be very long. Just lay out enough information to get the reader’s attention and prepare the ground for your next chapters.
Never start your story with a sweeping generalization. Unless you are writing a fairy tale, refrain from using intros such as ‘Since the beginning of time…’ and the like.





If you will approach the beginning of your story as if it were to be converted into a television show, or feature movie, how would you begin?
Just thinking along these lines has tightened up many a slow starting novel, and injected much needed dynamism’s into a stale plot line.
Who would you cast (what actor/actress) to play the various roles in your book? They must be real to you in order to be real to the reader, and this must be conveyed within the first chapter of your book.
Many writing programs state that the main characters and the problems they are going to have to overcome MUST happen within the first 8 minutes of a screenplay, and within the first 25 pages of a novel. This is because the viewing public (or reading public) has an ever dwindling attention span, and it is your task to capture it and hold on to it.


Your job is to make a story progress with excitement while introducing your characters and setting to the reader. Something fascinating and intriguing has to occur in order to set the groundwork for the continuation of your story. You can then introduce a few characters to complete the setting and orient the reader. Use the rest of the book to fill in the blanks.