The first chapter of your novel....?

Question

OK so I'm going back and revising the romance novel I was working on that I started for NanoWrimo cause I want to change some things and going back and reading the first chapter, I found I got long-winded (it just came out as I typed I guess) about explaining things. You don't want to bore the reader, definitely not. But how much 'explaining' is acceptable?

For instance, at the start of the chapter, I explain how the heroine and her best friend met (to explain who the people are at the moment I guess) and when I was making notes on it tonight, I marked that entire paragraph out cause I figured it wasn't necessary, all you had to say was they met in middle school and that was that. Right? And I also marked out where I mentioned the would be hero in the next book. And I explained why the heroine has been single so long and how she got her heartbroken, and the hero, how he got burned and hardened against love. It doesn't go on for paragraphs each instance, but is it too much for the

first chapter, or should I just focus one of them and then explain the other later? I'm writing this under the guidelines/tips of Harlequin Superromance by the way.

ALSO, in the first chapter, I have a lot of banter between the heroine and her best friend (the secondary female, who will be the heroine in the next book) but is there a point where you are in the secondary character's heads too much? I'm not sure if later on there will be much more conversations like this between the two, so would it be ok as long as it isn't overdone?

I ask because you know the story is about the hero and the heroine, and I guess respectively, you should stay in their heads most of all.

I hope that all made sense heh.

oh and if you should describe rooms and outfits, how much is too much? Down to the detail, or the basics?

Answer 1

Well it sounds to me like you are bordering on information dump in the first chapter. I prefer it when details just kind of bring themselves up.

Like they are having a romantic lunch in a sidewalk cafe and a kid with a book bag walks by and she says, "Ugh, do you remember how much homework we used to have in Junior High? If I didn't have you to do my algebra for me, I don't know what I would have done!" He smiles at her and says, "Oh, I get it. So you just fell in love with me for my algebra answers."

Now, I know how they met without having it shoved down my throat up front. To me that is a lot more natural than a chapter full of facts that always reminds me that there is going to be a test afterwards. When I teach it to students, I call it the "soft approach." It is also showing not telling.

You can get all the little details you want in, one by one, by adding them to dialogue, having little flashbacks etc. But without good character studies written up front, this is virtually impossible to do.

You can use the same method to describe clothing or almost anything.

"Jane squirmed nervously in her chair and pulled the top of her dress back up on her shoulder. Ruffly bubble gum pink taffeta bridesmaids dresses really weren't exactly her cup of tea and she felt about as comfortable as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Two more hours and she could take it off and put it in her office paper shredder. She hoped the paper shredder would turn it into a mass of $250 dollar hot pink confetti. "

Hope that helps.

I am adding this to the starred questions so others can read it. Pax - C

Answer 2

I'm afraid romance novels are a bit out of my genre...I write by feel...I start out with a very basic framework, an outline, almost, and fill it in as I write. And every time I sit down to write, I re-read everything I've written up to that point. Sometimes I see a new way I want a character to develop, and sometimes I learn something new about a character as I go...in either case, it may mean going back and re-writing Page, Chapter and Part One to reflect it. By the time I'm finished, my original outline for the beginning is nearly unrecognizable. My biggest problem, incidentally, is that I'm so anxious to get into the body of a story I'm writing that I tend to neglect the beginning...I under-explain, if you will. So, in my experience, Chapter One will be the one that eventually receives the most attention.

Answer 3

I once read a novel where there was only about three words in a chapter, but I don't remember the name of it.

Answer 4

Well, I'd say if you are serious about writing romance and getting published, you should hang out on the message boards at Harlequin's 'The Write Stuff'. Many published authors go there and you can get questions answered by them or those who are aspiring to write a romance. Also don't forget to get a critique partner. It's one of the most important aspects of learning to write a romance. Crit partners who are also writing romance can help with valuable feedback. Good luck. C

Answer 5

Chapter one is the chapter that you use to get your readers interested in your story. You don't want to over do it. You should only give out bits and pieces here and there. The good books tell you little bits of information that just make you want to read on. You can be descriptive, but don't go all out. Theres no need to do it, and your reader will get board in the process.