Is it okay for the first chapter of a book to be exciting?

Question

I'm (a fifteen year old) writing a book, and the first chapter is a little more exciting than I meant to make it. From what I learned about writing stories, the story is supposed to build from the beginning to the climax, but in my first chapter, the protagonist has an argument with her best friend, gets robbed, and then help by a mysterious stranger (who later turns out to be the male lead). Is that too much? (Also, is it too cliche?)

Answer 1

James Patterson uses the first chapter to set the tone for his books - I suggest you read one to get a feel for how he transitions from high to normal.

Answer 2

The main idea is to capture 'not the audience' at first, but a literary agent who you may send it off to. This is why a lot of authors write a prologue prior to wrting the first chapter. The prologue can explain what is happening, and what is going to happen throughout the story. Once the reader knows what is going on, then the chapters begin.

The first chapter could identify the protagonist. The prologue usually identifies the antagonist. You have the right idea.

Just remember, there are a lot of things to consider besides just sitting down and writing a story or book.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

It depends really on what else happens to the character from that point on. The beginning of a book or story needs to be interesting enough to grab the reader's attention and hold it so they want to know what happens next. If all these things happen in the first chapter, the reader will expect the action to continue to build to a climactic moment later in the story. If you've got that, then you're all set. I wouldn't worry about the beginning being too exciting.

Answer 4

I just started Jeff Shaara's "The Rising Tide" (YES, it's finally in paperback and I got it :) ). The book's historical fiction about WWII and the first seven pages of chapter one (pages 3-9) are about the start of a tank battle in North Africa. With the dust kicked up by the German tanks, the frantic search for a target before the tank your witnessing everything unfold from becomes a target, German BF-109s flying above, and the mad dash by British recon cars as they run ahead of the German advance, things get pretty exciting pretty fast. And this is the seventh novel Shaara has published so far.

Basically, yes it's ok for the first chapter to be exciting. What you don't want to do is put all the excitment in the first chapter and then have the rest of the book be dull.

Answer 5

I'm a writer, too, and I think it's great that you are serious about your story. As a matter of fact, it's very important to make the beginning of your story exciting, in order to "hook" the reader. Think about your favorite books; what hooked you and made you unable to put the book down? Probably the first sentence, or at least the first few pages. Involve the reader emotionally from the start and you can't go wrong. Good luck!

Answer 6

Of course it's acceptable.
While a story should follow the pattern you learned, it doesn't need to exactly.

The beginning of the argument is the expostion, because it slightly tells the reader that they are best friends. The argument itself in this case would be rising action to the main character getting robbed, which is the climax.

The story should follow exposition->rising action->climaz-> denoument/falling action->conclusion.

It can repeat as many times as you want, it also doesn't even have to include all parts, after all, some people never really reach the "conclusion" or "end of action" in their lives, so book characters don't need to either.

Answer 7

YES! Books that begin with exciting beginnings are what makes the reader WANT to read more and turn the page. If you start boring and dull, then the reader gets bored. An example of some awesome beginnings in books are "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "1984".

Answer 8

The most important thing about being an author is to capture the audience. When someone can make a book that captures the audience in the very first chapter, then you have my vote. Believe it or not, but not very many authors make the book exciting from start to finish, so hats off to you.

Good luck.

Answer 9

Don't worry about cliches, first of all. If they happen they happen, purposefully avoiding them is worse than using them, it feels incredibly forced when you do it unless you are very good.

And, no, it's not at all bad for the first chapter to be exciting. The first chapter is vital in getting readers to read your book, and nothing draws attention like excitement.

Answer 10

confident that's okay to try this. there are various authors who do it too. to illustrate there's an excellent e book pronounced as Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. It has sketches on almost the different website. in spite of if each and every from time to time that's ultimate to have readers think of the visual charm of the computer by way of a properly written description.