“At heart, despite its infinite variety, the hero’s story is always a journey.”
—Christopher Vogler, “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers”
It helps to have a map, itinerary, or even hotel reservations when setting out on a journey. The writer works with symbols that settle reader in for the journey.
The beginning of a story is like a travel guide enticing the person seeking to travel for adventure or fun, or to escape for rest and relaxation.
It must answer, at the very least hint at, some very basic questions.
Where are we going? What is the destination?
Who is at the center of the drama, and chaos fueling the need for change?
The opening of the novel must beckon the reader to come along, and join the journey. It must reflect the mystery and suspense of the story that piques the interest of the potential reader. The writer must also take care not to overload or scare her or him.
The first pages of engaging novels reveal the quality of the ride through what we call pacing and tone.
They reveal their rhythm through sentence structure, a balance of dialogue with prose, or through an adequate mixture of prose conveying characterization and events providing a description of scenery that reflects the internal states of the protagonist, and the supporting cast.
The opening of a story or novel is one large symbol that must work with deftness and subtlety, and in smooth, but quick fashion.
It must create a dream state that all the elements of fiction work in tandem to maintain, and not puncture or perforate by deviating from the aesthetics established by the title, book cover, and opening lines.
What is the dream state you seek to achieve with our story or novel?
What is the last movie you were sad to see end?
You know Anjulle, I think I will have pull out my copy of Hero’s Journey and read it. I am currently working on an urban fantasy for NaNo, and trying to go in true NaNo spirit, I am just writing it. With no plan, no real idea of where I want to go.
I hope to get a better feel for my story and characters by doing this. By getting to know my characters, I’m hoping to create the perfect antagonist, the perfect set of conflicts, and the perfect opening for my series.
Thanks for the posst
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Very interesting, this true NaNo spirit.
This is my first time doing NaNoWriMo, though I have always written my novels during the fall of each year, (since graduating my MFA Program). I normally take a writing class that allows 15 weeks to write your novel. You post 10,000 words every three weeks–50,000 total at the end of the stint.
Usually I am pooped by the first 100 pages (roughly 25,000 words). Now having written almost 45,000 words I am going quite strong. There are and have been bumps, but nothing like in the years past.
The difference is that this time I planned. I began outlining my novel in this past June.
What has really helped is an on-line class (7 months and costs the same as the previous 15 week class). This new class I’m taking runs from September through to March and includes writing your novel during NaNoWriMo.
A key aspect of this class is using September and October to plan your novel. Each week we are given assignments and there is a lecture–all online, and class discussion–again–all on line and by telephone.
I cannot believe how planning my novel has made the writing process so much more productive and fun.
I have read that planning is important and makes a difference.
Now I am living it.
It’s a great experience.
Again regarding writing in the spirit of NaNo, I must say I wonder how many of the thousands of participants are going to go back in December to begin revising and editing their novels into polished works.
Thanks so much for sharing.