Writing a novel that captures a reader’s interest in the first page takes hard work, and may require quite a few revisions. As noted in my blog post, “Great First Chapters,” (linked below), the first chapter should include an engaging opening paragraph, a cool, compelling character, a strong voice, the perfect starting point, the setting/place/decade, a hint at the inciting incident, a hook to keep us reading, and, last the kitchen sink.

With so many options for readers, some people may judge a book not only by its cover, but also by its first page! So, how do you achieve an engaging first page?

Since I’ve already provided examples of great first chapters, I thought it would be helpful to share great first pages and summarize a few shared common attributes of these great first pages.

1. The opening few pages DO NOT need to include a full scene, but DO provide the current moment through strong character voice and intrigue.
2. The opening pages DO NOT start with backstory, but DO provide reflection and intersection with the current scene.
3. The opening pages DO NOT confuse the reader with introducing too many secondary characters but DO weave in a secondary character.
4. The opening pages DO NOT overwhelm the reader with too much world building details but DO show many tiny details that illuminate the surroundings.
5. The opening pages DO NOT bore the reader, but DO provide memorable, surprising, and unique details that lead the reader to keep turning the pages.
6. The opening pages DO NOT include time jumps (such as tomorrow, the next morning, the next day, the next week). DO stay present in the first pages.

Here is a curated list of great first pages to use as a reference for writing and editing. Most are free to access wherever you access online books, and of course, may be available in print wherever you acquire hard or soft copies of your favorite novels.

• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
• The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-Mo
• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
• Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan
• If You Knew My Sister by Michelle Adams
• Gemini by Carol Cassella
• Oxygen by Carol Cassella

As always, use these examples to inspire your creativity in writing. For examples of Great First Chapters, I have linked the prior post below.

Great First Chapters, by Najla M.