Starting with a real bang
You do understand that life is a journey. You don't want to start at the end, you want to start at the beginning and get to the end. Well, my journey as a writer had to start somewhere. Where it will end, I do not know.
I made my first book develop very slowly. This was when Rome's Revolution was still in its long form and was called VIRUS 5. There was a prologue which took place on Alpha Centauri. Chapter 1 was when the Vuduri first encountered the Ark II and snagged it. Chapter 2 was when Rei was first resuscitated and didn't know where he was. Chapter 3 was his first encounter with OMCOM. He didn't even meet Rome until Chapter 4!
Well, I got screamed about that enough that when I smushed the three books down to the modern version, I cut out the Prologue and the rescue and the resurrection and introduced Rome in Chapter 1. Better? A little.
I recognized the fact that I had to start with a bang and had made it a point in subsequent novels to do just that. This is because you have to write grab your reader's attention right from the outset. So, as I described in my very second post, I explained how I started out The Ark Lords with a bang. Well, a grease fire at least.
This still didn't have the dramatic effect I was looking for so when it came time to write Rome's Evolution, it literally started with an explosion.
But there is more. In the modern world, you are supposed to introduce your protagonist and their essential conflict within the first paragraph. This is so the reader can make an informed decision as to whether they want to continue with your book in the first 30 seconds.
Well, in my upcoming novel, The Milk Run, I have finally achieved that goal. You are introduced to the protagonist, Aason Bierak, and his essential conflict, rescuing his kidnapped sister, in the first sentence! I can't do any better than that. I hope you like it.
I made my first book develop very slowly. This was when Rome's Revolution was still in its long form and was called VIRUS 5. There was a prologue which took place on Alpha Centauri. Chapter 1 was when the Vuduri first encountered the Ark II and snagged it. Chapter 2 was when Rei was first resuscitated and didn't know where he was. Chapter 3 was his first encounter with OMCOM. He didn't even meet Rome until Chapter 4!
Well, I got screamed about that enough that when I smushed the three books down to the modern version, I cut out the Prologue and the rescue and the resurrection and introduced Rome in Chapter 1. Better? A little.
I recognized the fact that I had to start with a bang and had made it a point in subsequent novels to do just that. This is because you have to write grab your reader's attention right from the outset. So, as I described in my very second post, I explained how I started out The Ark Lords with a bang. Well, a grease fire at least.
This still didn't have the dramatic effect I was looking for so when it came time to write Rome's Evolution, it literally started with an explosion.
But there is more. In the modern world, you are supposed to introduce your protagonist and their essential conflict within the first paragraph. This is so the reader can make an informed decision as to whether they want to continue with your book in the first 30 seconds.
Well, in my upcoming novel, The Milk Run, I have finally achieved that goal. You are introduced to the protagonist, Aason Bierak, and his essential conflict, rescuing his kidnapped sister, in the first sentence! I can't do any better than that. I hope you like it.
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Tales of the Vuduri
Tidbits and insights into the 35th century world of the Vuduri.
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