Hello, amazing fellow creatives! Here’s to more fun perusing the library’s new releases to see what strikes our fancy. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve retitled Story Cuppings to better fit the premise of the podcast.
As writers, we hear all the time that we’ve got to hook readers in just the first few pages or else. We’ve got to hook agents in the first few pages or else.
Whether you’re looking to get published or just hoping to hook your reader, first impressions are vital. Compelling opening scenes are the key to catching an agent or editor’s attention, and are crucial for keeping your reader engaged.
JEFF GERKE, THE FIRST 50 PAGES
Well then, let’s study those first few pages in other people’s stories, shall we?
Today I snagged from the New Release shelf:
I saw the words “grisly discovery” in the blurb and thought, I’m in! As promised, the discovery is indeed grisly, and it does indeed happen in those first five pages. What will you, fellow creatives, make of this tale’s opener? Let’s find out!
The first pages of The Tenant by Katrine Engberg are…well the first THREE pages are marvelously done. I was lulled into impatience following an elderly character, but by the end of the third page we made the “grisly discovery” and I found myself happily corrected on pacing.
Then the next two pages happened.
So this story’s start is something of a mixed bag. Perhaps I’m being too nitpicky, though, so feel free to let me know your thoughts!
As always, I love hearing what’s on the shelves of your own libraries. Libraries Rock!
Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!
Jean Lee's World 
I agree. It is a bit of a mixed bag.
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It is, isn’t it? It’s not bad overall, but it really doesn’t motivate me to keep going.
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I know people say this all the time, Jean, but I don’t think it’s true. One of my favorite books, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon takes something like 50 pages to get going and she wrote 7 or 8 more books after that and has an extremely loyal following.
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That is a totally fair point, Pam! Heck, one of my favorite books, Howl’s Moving Castle, has a very exposition-y first chapter where we’re “told” a lot but not “shown” very much. I think it speaks even more to Gabaldon’s skill that she could keep readers engaged for that long before the story truly gets going. A rare talent, indeed! 🙂
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Yes, it really depends on the writer. Wonder how many didn’t make it because the industry told them the first few chapters were too slow?
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It’s so true. So many books now feel like Hollywood blockbusters. They need to get as many big bangs and epic moments in early. That often does nothing for the storytelling. Wife am I getting gnarly in my old age 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣xxxxxx
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LOL! But this is a good point! I don’t mind an early whizzbang, but then the pacing’s got to either keep that going or find its new groove quickly.
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It seems a bit clunky, but I’d give the book the benefit of the doubt and read on. Will the author match up to the likes of Henning Mankell in time perhaps? I see this is her debut novel.
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Oh yes, Pam got me thinking about this, too. That prologue promises SO much, and if memory serves, PD James can be a slow burn when it comes to getting things rolling with her mysteries. I wonder if it was just the detective describing himself as a cliche that bothered me because as a writer, I’m wondering, “then why make him like a cliche?! Argh!” But that’s me 🙂
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It’s years since I read PD James but I read them and enjoyed them all. I’m getting a vision of Adam Dalgleish roaming across misty headlands… her mysteries were always brilliant.
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Yes, indeed! Did you hear they’re rebotting the tv adaptations with modern takes? I’m already nervous.
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Nooo! I’ll take the reruns, rather.
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Hi Jean, I just discovered that one of my neighbours is an indie author of children’s books. He’s such a great guy. Email me if you’d like to include him in your indie author interviews. Reach me on peggybright at hotmail dot com
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Oooooh that’s exciting! Yes, I’ll reach out this week. Thank you so much!
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His name is William Spaul.
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