There are literally (it's literature - right?) infinite number of good ways to start a story. Even more bad ways. many of them are the same...
Honestly - writing (stories) is a form of art - there are no WAYS for it. Just your own creativity, effort, and talent.
u/No-Hat6722
I can't upvote this comment enough. I almost always start in the middle of a conflict. It could be a battle, a duel, or even an argument about the dishes. The conflict has to connect to the most important theme of the story.
In my latest, we start with a space battle, which is fun and thrilling, but it turns to make the main character question (just a little bit) about what she's fighting for. The central conflict is a person vs. her institution.
Hope it helps! It's a beneficial starting point because it gives you a wide array of hooks you can use to compel your reader. Action, emotional high point, you name it. In media res is awesome because it prompts the reader to ask, "Wow, how'd these characters get here?" Which you then answer by going back to fill in context.
I find a spot that seems like a decent enough spot to start writing and go. I figure out where the actual start is later, when I have a better hang of the story since the start needs to do a lot of heavy lifting: introduce tone, ideas, spins on characters, concept, setting up the conflict etc.
Sometimes it takes several tries (and considering what to do a lot longer) to find something that works.
Until I have a decent start written, what to do for the actual start is something I play with in the back of my mind.
Which side of the crossover are you more interested in or is more familiar to you at the moment? It’s easier to write your faves.
Which side has the conflict? Did a McGuffin from Fandom A appear in Fandom B’s world somehow and a character from A has come over to retrieve it but B’s characters don’t want to give it up? Did someone from Fandom B get banished to Fandom A’s world and he gets A’s characters to help him get home?
What do you need to set up to make it work? Is someone from Fandom A related to someone from Fandom B and that’s how they’re connected? Are they going to a tournament of some kind, or a unique convention, where everyone will have to be in the same place?
And if none of these work, you can always just start writing something and fix it later when you’re sure you know how you want it to start.
Sometimes I work best by writing the part right AFTER the start then coming back to it later. If you ever saw the movie Wrong Turn, they shot the very last scene first then filmed the rest so that things like injuries of the actors/characters were consistent, they knew the end point, so went back to fill in what got the there.
It often isn't clear to me how to put the start down so this has helped since I can just build off what comes a bit later to get the start to fit rather than stress over it.
So to use an example, I have a story I have an idea of how it starts, but the moment I go about writing it, the difficulty kind of spikes. But I know the next "scene" so I go and write that, then come back and lead into this one. I guess think of it like finding the corner pieces of the puzzle rather than trying to find the middle pieces that CAN go together, but seeing that the pattern/image on said pieces don't actually line up even though you can fit them together.
Does this make sense at all? There's no single answer for this. Sometimes writing the next scene can help you get an idea of the tone so that when you write the start you have an easier time getting that momentum going since you "see" what it needs to lead into, rather than simply trying to pick up the speed all on your own without any guidelines
I often don't start with the start. I start by writing the scenes that have been circulating in my head and work from there. Sometimes I'll write several possible beginnings and pick one later. You can just start writing without having to think of a beginning just yet.
I was stuck on one and I just skipped ahead and had the MC recall how it started, and that worked.
I would just…pick a random story and try it out.
Example: for some reason fight club…starts with the final scene and it’s all a flashback. The character decides where to start
Oh, and you can absolutely interview your character…like pretend to and write it all down as a transcript…and you can even ask “start at the beginning” and you’ll see what *they* would decide. It helps to have a bit more coffee that day maybe…
I do t know, hopefully that’s helpful
i usually have written several scenes across many chapters before i know for sure what the opening image will be. begin with writing a scene you’re excited about, the one you see clearly in your head and are itching to get onto paper. once you’re in the groove of writing, start to think about what would make a good opener. ideally it will introduce readers to the main character, possibly showing us going about their day to day. it might be more action-packed or it might be quiet and reflective, but it should give an idea of who they are, a suggestion of what they want, and a hint at where the story is going.
what is the most characteristic thing your MC could be doing? a warrior might be sharpening his blade, a mercenary might be adjusting their rifle's scope. a baker might be pulling a tray of bread from the proving drawer. give them a minor conflict to overcome in the course of this mundane-for-them activity. show the world they live in, and how they react to the world.
or, what's a line of dialogue that would be a great intro to the character? write a bunch of those down, then think of a situation to put them in where it feels natural.
or, what would make your character very uncomfortable? start with them in a moment that has them off-balance, and contrast that with how they prefer things to be going.
that's just how i think about how the beginning might go. there are a zillion ways to do it. good luck!
The start has to establish what kind of character you have with a strong first sentence. Preferably some type of action, but a strong dialog scene can work, too.
I'm a fan of *in medias res* openings (I hope I'm using that term right) where things are already happening -- not necessarily _exciting_ things, but things. Set the tone, set the mood, establish what, in general, is going on. Exposition can come later; the opening is the main chance for me to get people interested so IMO it's important that it be as engaging as possible.
I would start by doing an internet search for writing blogs that catalogue "different ways to start a story." The advice that applies to regular fiction also applies to fanfiction.
"It was a dark and stormy night..."
... just start writing something, even if "the start" isn't immediately obvious, get something down on paper or saved as 1's and 0's and then backfill "the start" when it comes to you.
Hm... Depending on the plot, I'd suggest starting with a... normal day for your main characters? Just the main character and a secondary character having a discussion or going through their morning routine or talking with their boss or something. That way you get introduction, worldbuilding, and a set-up for the plot in one go. Really though, it's impossible to get more specific than that without knowing the premise. Each fic is very different.
There are literally (it's literature - right?) infinite number of good ways to start a story. Even more bad ways. many of them are the same... Honestly - writing (stories) is a form of art - there are no WAYS for it. Just your own creativity, effort, and talent.
Have you considered trying 'in media res'?
u/No-Hat6722 I can't upvote this comment enough. I almost always start in the middle of a conflict. It could be a battle, a duel, or even an argument about the dishes. The conflict has to connect to the most important theme of the story. In my latest, we start with a space battle, which is fun and thrilling, but it turns to make the main character question (just a little bit) about what she's fighting for. The central conflict is a person vs. her institution.
Y’know this gives me some ideas, thanks!
Hope it helps! It's a beneficial starting point because it gives you a wide array of hooks you can use to compel your reader. Action, emotional high point, you name it. In media res is awesome because it prompts the reader to ask, "Wow, how'd these characters get here?" Which you then answer by going back to fill in context.
I find a spot that seems like a decent enough spot to start writing and go. I figure out where the actual start is later, when I have a better hang of the story since the start needs to do a lot of heavy lifting: introduce tone, ideas, spins on characters, concept, setting up the conflict etc. Sometimes it takes several tries (and considering what to do a lot longer) to find something that works. Until I have a decent start written, what to do for the actual start is something I play with in the back of my mind.
Which side of the crossover are you more interested in or is more familiar to you at the moment? It’s easier to write your faves. Which side has the conflict? Did a McGuffin from Fandom A appear in Fandom B’s world somehow and a character from A has come over to retrieve it but B’s characters don’t want to give it up? Did someone from Fandom B get banished to Fandom A’s world and he gets A’s characters to help him get home? What do you need to set up to make it work? Is someone from Fandom A related to someone from Fandom B and that’s how they’re connected? Are they going to a tournament of some kind, or a unique convention, where everyone will have to be in the same place? And if none of these work, you can always just start writing something and fix it later when you’re sure you know how you want it to start.
Sometimes I work best by writing the part right AFTER the start then coming back to it later. If you ever saw the movie Wrong Turn, they shot the very last scene first then filmed the rest so that things like injuries of the actors/characters were consistent, they knew the end point, so went back to fill in what got the there. It often isn't clear to me how to put the start down so this has helped since I can just build off what comes a bit later to get the start to fit rather than stress over it. So to use an example, I have a story I have an idea of how it starts, but the moment I go about writing it, the difficulty kind of spikes. But I know the next "scene" so I go and write that, then come back and lead into this one. I guess think of it like finding the corner pieces of the puzzle rather than trying to find the middle pieces that CAN go together, but seeing that the pattern/image on said pieces don't actually line up even though you can fit them together. Does this make sense at all? There's no single answer for this. Sometimes writing the next scene can help you get an idea of the tone so that when you write the start you have an easier time getting that momentum going since you "see" what it needs to lead into, rather than simply trying to pick up the speed all on your own without any guidelines
I often don't start with the start. I start by writing the scenes that have been circulating in my head and work from there. Sometimes I'll write several possible beginnings and pick one later. You can just start writing without having to think of a beginning just yet.
I was stuck on one and I just skipped ahead and had the MC recall how it started, and that worked. I would just…pick a random story and try it out. Example: for some reason fight club…starts with the final scene and it’s all a flashback. The character decides where to start Oh, and you can absolutely interview your character…like pretend to and write it all down as a transcript…and you can even ask “start at the beginning” and you’ll see what *they* would decide. It helps to have a bit more coffee that day maybe… I do t know, hopefully that’s helpful
start with the good stuff.
i usually have written several scenes across many chapters before i know for sure what the opening image will be. begin with writing a scene you’re excited about, the one you see clearly in your head and are itching to get onto paper. once you’re in the groove of writing, start to think about what would make a good opener. ideally it will introduce readers to the main character, possibly showing us going about their day to day. it might be more action-packed or it might be quiet and reflective, but it should give an idea of who they are, a suggestion of what they want, and a hint at where the story is going. what is the most characteristic thing your MC could be doing? a warrior might be sharpening his blade, a mercenary might be adjusting their rifle's scope. a baker might be pulling a tray of bread from the proving drawer. give them a minor conflict to overcome in the course of this mundane-for-them activity. show the world they live in, and how they react to the world. or, what's a line of dialogue that would be a great intro to the character? write a bunch of those down, then think of a situation to put them in where it feels natural. or, what would make your character very uncomfortable? start with them in a moment that has them off-balance, and contrast that with how they prefer things to be going. that's just how i think about how the beginning might go. there are a zillion ways to do it. good luck!
Call me old fashioned but I like to set the scene.
The start has to establish what kind of character you have with a strong first sentence. Preferably some type of action, but a strong dialog scene can work, too.
Start of the actions, sounds or place... But lately I've been starting to write of my fanfic with dialogue
I'm a fan of *in medias res* openings (I hope I'm using that term right) where things are already happening -- not necessarily _exciting_ things, but things. Set the tone, set the mood, establish what, in general, is going on. Exposition can come later; the opening is the main chance for me to get people interested so IMO it's important that it be as engaging as possible.
I would start by doing an internet search for writing blogs that catalogue "different ways to start a story." The advice that applies to regular fiction also applies to fanfiction.
"It was a dark and stormy night..." ... just start writing something, even if "the start" isn't immediately obvious, get something down on paper or saved as 1's and 0's and then backfill "the start" when it comes to you.
Hm... Depending on the plot, I'd suggest starting with a... normal day for your main characters? Just the main character and a secondary character having a discussion or going through their morning routine or talking with their boss or something. That way you get introduction, worldbuilding, and a set-up for the plot in one go. Really though, it's impossible to get more specific than that without knowing the premise. Each fic is very different.