McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Characteristic Entry Action vs building on the mundane

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Suilan:

--- Quote --- There are rather a lot of SF/F books that open with a scene-setting prologue;
--- End quote ---

So they do. But I wasn't talking about prologues or novels starting by setting the scene, only about the first chapter probably not being the best place to discuss the character's past -- when the reader doesn't even know the character in the present yet. The topic is "Character Entry Action" after all, and I was also responding to a question Adam asked in his other post (shape of story...).

Adam:
Currently writing in a horror scene.  Muahahahaha.

azjayp:
i just have one comment on your question, and hopefully it will help.

if you have a normal character that becomes extraordinary BECAUSE of a specific trait that he has (such as frodos moral fortitude), you should put that trait somewhere in his/her character entry action.

if your character is a normal person (or what-have-you) that a great responsibility has been thrust upon him/her for no other reason than that person is the lucky (or unlucky) lotto winner of what they get, their CEE should show what they are like as a person (even if this means showing how mind-numbingly boring of a person the character really is).

hope that helps.

prophet224:
There is a fine line between CEA and 'hook', too.  In other words, yes, you do want something that shows your main character's character, but it doesn't have to be right away, necessarily.  Often the first thing we want to see is something that hooks us into the story, and the story may not be 'character-driven', in which case the hook might be about the world, a new technology, or numerous other things.

With properties like 'Spiderman', the audience (be the viewers or readers) already knows where things are going.  That means there isn't as much need for a strong intro hook... the TITLE is the hook, and you can get away with a slower start, just like some very established authors get more 'cred' and can start slower as well.

On prologues.  I have read authors who say they never read a prologue, and 'average readers' that say the same.  For many, a prologue is a way to grab attention, and still not have to start the main story at the point of entry into action.  It CAN be a cop-out.  I admit to having used one myself, but the story is in-progress, and we'll see if it holds up past the first draft. :)

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