How to begin a story?

~Gizmoenut Jun 11, 2012 Student General Artist

First, I should give you a brief summary of what my story is about.
I'm writing a story about a girl who can talk to ghosts and control them. She connects to the ghosts emotionally and understands them, and befriends the ghosts that she meets- while at the same time she is reclusive around the living because of her ability. She meets a man who also can speak to ghosts, but he abuses them. This man also has the ability to make the ghosts he speaks to visible to the masses- an ability which could bring chaos to the world.

The atmosphere for this story is very dark. It involves a lot of death, disturbing situations and cruelty.

I already wrote a prologue to the book that illustrates a kid accidentally stepping in front of a truck (very grim, I know. Don't worry, the kid survives). But that prologue takes place 13 years before the main events of the story. I'm not too sure of how to shift the attention from the unnamed child's incident to what's going on with the necromancer girl thirteen years later.

Any suggestions?

How would you begin a story effectively? Please help!

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Devious Comments

~KevmonD Jun 12, 2012 Student Writer

Yeah I didn't notice notice that reply until after I commented and your welcome.

~Gizmoenut Jun 12, 2012 Student General Artist

Ah, okay XD

`raspil Jun 11, 2012 Writer

begin with drama and end with a moment of change.

~Gizmoenut Jun 12, 2012 Student General Artist

So start right away with the action and then get to the explanations?...

`raspil Jun 12, 2012 Writer

that's not what i wrote. "begin with drama and end with a moment of change." if your story demands/requires dramatic action, then start with that. if your story requires a dramatic conversation or confrontation, start with that. if it is a tense moment between two characters, start with that. the point is to make it dramatic. drama will suck someone in to your story more than something safe. i personally am tired of safe, boring beginnings. they don't intrigue me enough to make me read more. i want to be intrigued from the start. if someone can't do that within the first paragraph or first sentence, i'm gone. i know i'm not the only one.

what are "the explanations"? a story isn't an explanation, it is a story.

~Gizmoenut Jun 12, 2012 Student General Artist

Now I understand. Thank you for the advice, I will definitely keep that in mind.

`raspil Jun 12, 2012 Writer

right on.

~webkinzagirl Jun 11, 2012

Can she tell if they are ghosts or not? Like, to her, do they appear see-through/glowy or just like normal, everyday folk? If the latter, she could be going out to the store/park/place-she-feels-like-going and start having a conversation with a ghost without realizing it and freaking out the living because she looks like a schizo. If the former, you could just have her be communing with a dead person at the start. Or, maybe she works as a psychic or something for money, and you open to her contecting a person with a dead loved one.

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!

~Nightfrost-Icefang Jun 11, 2012 Student Digital Artist

I'd say go straight into what happens with the girl 13 years later, and then allude to the Kid getting hit by the truck.
At least, that's how I'd do it.

~Gizmoenut Jun 12, 2012 Student General Artist

Alright.

It's just a matter of putting that into writing, I suppose...

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