Beginnings

Being a Better Writer: And Then They Woke Up

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Welcome writers, to the first Being a Better Writer post of 2026! We’re back at last, and as usual, we’ve got a pretty interesting writing topic for you that lines up well with the New Year and likely what are many peoples’ new projects.

Really quickly, if you’d like to go catch up on the news, last Friday’s post has you covered. Hit the link here to go check that out, we talk about some new projects of our own, as well as the latest on Axtara 3.

But with that said, we’re going to dive into today’s topic, which I’ll venture a number of you are feeling pretty curious about, given that title. Were I a betting man (or dragon), I’d put money that a fair portion of that number have guessed that it was going to be about endings, referencing the “and it was all a dream” ending that’s so (most of the time rightfully) mocked.

But it isn’t. Sorry, folks, we’re not talking about endings. We’re talking about beginnings today. The other area in fiction that often begins with a “And then they woke up.”

Hit the jump. Let’s talk about opening a story.

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Being a Better Writer: Setting the Hook

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Welcome back writers! After last week’s live Being a Better Writer Q&A session (which actually spent much of its time talking about the upcoming Axtara – Armies and Accounting), we’re back to the classic written posts for this week. As always, there was a news post last week that you should probably check out, especially if you’re curious about a very interesting (in a bad way)AI move from Amazon that directly impacts authors. Yeah, go look at that here, and then take your complaints right to Amazon themselves, because … yikes. This one is something that really needs to have the outcry slam it hard and fast. Worse, it’s almost a good idea … And well, just go check it out.

All right, with that said, lets dive into today’s topic. Again, as this is a long-lived writing series, we’ve talked about this one before. Directly even. But that post was literally five years ago. And as it never hurts to cover something more than once, something we’ve often noted as we’ve covered other topics once, twice, or even three or four times, it makes sense that we would circle back to this one.

Sands, it’s a topic that often comes up also because there are almost always people struggling to master it, or at least understand it, while they work on their stories. Just a week or so ago Gallowglass giving a workshop on dissection and critique of opening sentences, because this, like so many other parts of writing, an area where a lot of newcomers and often experienced writers alike will struggle or push hard to understand.

So, with that said today we’re revisiting hooks. Or, at least, what I call hooks. And in fact, that very description is one reason why we’re talking about this today: Different authors will approach today’s subject differently, and though they often will agree on the core idea, the way that idea is reached will vary. Often with a surprising degree of variation.

Which is to say, today’s post is to help. Not to be an ironclad declaration or say that one author is more correct than another. All the various opinions and discussions of this come at it from different angles, and today we’re discussing mine. My hope is that it resonates with you and helps you think about the opening of your story in a new light.

So, hit that jump, and let’s talk about hooks.

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Being a Better Writer: Prologues – When Is It Too Much?

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Welcome back, writers, to another Monday installment of Being a Better Writer, here to discuss all your writing curiosities and questions! We’ve got an interesting topic to discuss today, so I hope you’re ready to learn. Of course, as usual, I should note that there’s the usual news post delivered last Friday you should check out if you haven’t already. Especially if you’re interested in Axtara news.

Also, just a reminder that these posts are kept ad-free and open to all (including those gutless AI companies that keep stealing them to resell to their paying customers, the skags) by the support of Patreon Supporters! If you’d like to support Being a Better Writer while missing out on the awesome experience of reading one of my books, or if you prefer to double-support and have already bought and enjoyed a book, you can check out the Patreon page here.

With that said, and those links now your browser color of choice for “you clicked on this,” let’s dive into today’s topic. This is one that ended up on the list because I saw a solid back-and-forth debate about it taking place online in a writing forum.

And no, not just about the concept of prologues in general, which is something we’ve discussed before on this site a few times, both in a direct post but also when talking about introductions (though you’ll need to hunt a bit with that second link since it’s covering beginnings in general). No, this particular discussion had several individuals talking about why they avoided prologues, a key reason that came up (and was discussed) being they didn’t know how long a “prologue” should be.

Now, a few of you might be thinking “Well, I can answer that” and have brining an answer to the tip of your tongue. But I can almost promise you that at least one of the many answers out there, and probably more, will get it wrong. Because while the answer appears straightforward, there are some wrinkles here that complicate matters. Wrinkles that were why the conversation I peered in on took place in the first place.

Hit the jump. Let’s talk about it.

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Classic Being a Better Writer: Fleshing Out Ideas – From Idea to Story

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Hey folks! I’m still on break until the New Year, so until next Monday, enjoy a classic Being a Better Writer blast from the past! Merry Yuletide and a Happy New Year!

Don’t forget, our Patreon Supporters, Bugsydor, Mary, Kirishala, Jack of a Few Trades, Alamis, Seirsan, Miller, Lightwind, Piiec, Wisehart, Taylor, Ross, Frenetic Pony, Morgan Gines, Dmytro Shulga, Peet, Vegetable Sorbet, and Foe for support Unusual Things and help keep it advertisement free! No popups here! Join their ranks! Or buy a book!

Now, I don’t actually remember the circumstances by which this topic came to be on the list (could have been LTUE), but either way, the topic is a good one. Hang out in a writing-centric thread online or attend a writing workshop—sands, even look in the comments of a public page for an author or attend a panel—and eventually, probably fairly quickly, you’ll hear a question or  comment that’s a lot like the following:

I have this great idea/concept/story/character, but the moment I try to sit down and write them, I just run out of steam. I can’t get it/them written. How do I do this?

Now, the exact phrasing may vary, but trust me, you’ll here the sentiment, echoed from a number of beginning writers. And you won’t even have to wait long. It’s a question that comes up all the time.

And you know, to be fair, it’s not exactly a bad question. A poor one, maybe, but not a bad one. And it’s one that’s often reflected by the faces and situations of many more in whatever assorted audience is present than the one who asked. Crud, I’m certain that it’s a question that some of the authors who have been forced to scramble for an answer themselves once voiced, though perhaps internally.

But … it’s still a poor question. I certainly wouldn’t call it a good one. Not poor enough that it isn’t worth tackling in this post, but not the best question either.

Why? Well, let me answer that before I get into the deeper-roots behind the question. The question is a poor one because 90% of the time the individual asking it is asking for a silver bullet. A solution that doesn’t exist. I entirely suspect that if, when asked this question, whoever was asked responded with “Well, are you using X program?” or “Are you sitting in this kind of chair?” there would be a massive sale of said product in the audience that had asked.

Again, I shouldn’t batter these poor souls too badly. After all, they are beginners. But as beginners, when asking this question, the answer they get is hardly the answer they want (and sometimes, they’ll tell you). They’re inexperienced enough to think that all it takes is an idea, a pen or a keyboard, and a little bit of writing, and boom! Story! And the problem with that is that, as all writers know, there is no silver bullet. There’s no magic “thing” or element that anyone can just do to take a story from an idea to a finished product (or at least a halfway competent one). And in that regard, the question is poor.

Now, that said, it wouldn’t take much to “fix” it so that we can give it a real answer. If we rearrange it a little, tweak a few of the words a bit, we get something much more workable. Something like:

I have a good idea/story/concept/character, but the when I sit down to try and write it, I start having trouble. How do I take it from an idea to a finished work? What are the steps there?

Continue reading →

Classic Being a Better Writer: That Opening Chapter

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Hey writers! Max here. As I warned last week, my move has left me without internet for a–hopefully small–period.

So, I’ll be writing short stories to submit to Hemelein’s Honor and Glory call today. And unpacking.

You readers, though? You get a classic post from Being a Better Writer‘s past. Inspired by a discussion I saw this weekend, let’s talk about how you start your first chapter. You ready? Then hit that jump!

Continue reading …

Being a Better Writer: Your Opening Tone

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You know, this is the first time I think I’ve had a post fall on April 1st, also known as April Fools’ Day. And part of me really wondered if I should do an April Fools’ Day post with this week’s Being a Better Writer.

But I decided against it. For starters, while it’d be fun for the holiday, then there’s the catch of it being left up for the rest of the internet to stumble across, ignore the date, and quite possibly take very seriously. So that ruled out gag advice.

So I figured why not do a normal post and just roll with it. It’ll probably get no views until tomorrow, because you can’t really trust anything today, and well, oh well. It’ll be written and out there helping folks out, and that’s what really matters.

So then … why not jump into it. As you can see from the title, today I want to talk about your opening tone.

Confused? It’s fine. This is a high-end concept that doesn’t get brought up much, But it’s best illustrated, of all things, with a Pixar film. Ever seen Monster’s Inc.?

I really hope so, because it’s a fantastic film. Today I want to start by talking about the opening of the film. Or rather, the two openings and how they affect the film.

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Classic Being a Better Writer: Some Advice for Starting Your First Book

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Afternoon readers!

My arm is still recovering. I’ve regained some finger movement but my wrist is still heavily restricted and even this little bit of typing hurts. So writing a new post is out of the question.

Good thing I’ve got several years of archives, right? So that’s what we’re looking at today. Today’s post will be a classic Being a Better Writer from time past. In this case, we’re jumping back to February 1st of 2016, with a post for those who’ve always said they’d like to write a book but just never quite gotten around to it. The leader will be in italics, but after the jump you’ll find yourself in the original post itself.

In the meantime, I’ve got to get some stitches taken out and some editing to (hopefully) manage!

So, this is it. The time has come. You’ve finally decided. You’re going to sit down and start that new book you’ve been waiting to write. You’ve done other projects before, short stories and the like, but this time, you’re going for the novel. Long chapters. A compelling plot. You can see the final scenes in your head. You grin with glee, sit down at your keyboard, and …

Nothing. You wait for the words to spring forth, but they aren’t coming. You’re paralyzed by indecision. Suddenly you’re aware what a huge project this is. You’ve never attempted something of this size before! Your fingers seem frozen.

Relax. It’s understandable. Starting a book is a big project, one that brings a lot of pressures and requests to the table. And it’s different from a short story, fundamentally so. It’s going to take some alternative approaches to how you’ve worked before.

Maybe this is you. Then again, maybe it isn’t. Maybe you’ve sat down without any prior writing experience whatsoever and tried to write out a book only to realize you weren’t quite sure what you were doing. Maybe you’re struggling through it anyway and want some tips. Or maybe you haven’t started one yet, but you’ve been watching this blog like a hawk, thinking “Soon, my time will come.”

Well, today might be that time, because today?

Today we’re talking about what goes into starting a book.

Continue Reading …

Being a Better Writer: Forward, Pioneers

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Today is Pioneer Day in the state I live in, a day when everyone celebrates the forward-looking, pioneer spirit of the old west that sent so many explorers forth. And I thought “You know, I can make a Being a Better Writer post out of that.”

Which brings us to the here and now, where I am. Writing this post. About pioneers. Man, that was a short recap. Like the thirty-second backstory of a cartoon. Anyway …

So, pioneers. Don’t worry, this is still a writing post. This is still about sitting down and putting hands to keyboard, pen, whatever, and creating a world of wonderful characters and adventure, tragedy, comedy, or what have you. But what does it have to do with pioneers?

Well, I’m going to take a step back further in history to look at an earlier explorer. Namely, a man who put his name on history for the ages by insisting that India could be reached not by traveling around Africa or over land, but by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. Now, we know this man as Christopher Columbus, who stumbled across the entirely unexpected Americas and got a lot of credit for discovering them in the modern eras. And yes, I know the vikings and the people that lived there beat him there, but Columbus was the one that put the Americas on the center stage and kicked off … well, just about everything that lead to the shape of the modern world.

Anyway, why do I bring up this story? For one reason, and one reason only: Most everyone considered Columbus insane. They thought the voyage he was attempting was going to be too treacherous. Pop-culture claimed that his detractors thought he would sale off of the edge of the Earth (despite people knowing back then that the Earth wasn’t flat). A lot of people simply thought he would get caught up in a storm and he and all his men die at sea.

Basically, there were a lot of fearful reasons that no one had ever attempted the journey west before. And if they had, they hadn’t made it back, so there was more to those fears.

Of course, we know the result of this story. Columbus secured his funding at last for his trading expedition. And as it turned out, his calculations were wrong. There wasn’t a direct, westward path to India because someone had put a blasted continent in the way (not that they realized this for a while). But soon they did, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history. All it took was someone willing to take a chance on sailing west, against the “common current” that ruled the minds of the current climate.

Why I am I telling you this and what does it have to do with writing? Well, let’s look at one other success story first. Have you seen Stranger Things?

Continue reading →

Classic Being a Better Writer: Getting Started

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Welcome back to another Classic Being a Better Writer post! For those of you who are unfamiliar with these posts, they’re essentially recall posts that look back on old BaBW posts and link to them for those newcomers who may have never seen them when they originated. BaBW has a pretty big backlog of articles, and with me having a goal of adding 4000+ words daily to my current book project (Jungle at the moment), Classic throwback posts can be a good way to keep some content going on the site (thus reminding people it exists), while still keeping my daily goals moving.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at today’s Classic! The topic? Tips for the beginnings of books and getting started, from the archive of Unusual Things!

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Being a Better Writer: Fleshing Out Ideas – From Idea to Story

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Welcome back, readers, to another Monday post of Being a Better Writer! Sorry for the delay. As many of you likely guessed, I was given a morning shift at work to deal with. Half-shift, but even then there’s the prep time around it, afterwards, travel time, etc … Hence why I’d rather sell more books. But that’s a case for another post. Being late, better I dive right into today’s topic!

Now, I don’t actually remember the circumstances by which this topic came to be on the list (could have been LTUE), but either way, the topic is a good one. Hang out in a writing-centric thread online or attend a writing workshop—sands, even look in the comments of a public page for an author or attend a panel—and eventually, probably fairly quickly, you’ll hear a question or  comment that’s a lot like the following:

I have this great idea/concept/story/character, but the moment I try to sit down and write them, I just run out of steam. I can’t get it/them written. How do I do this?

Now, the exact phrasing may vary, but trust me, you’ll here the sentiment, echoed from a number of beginning writers. And you won’t even have to wait long. It’s a question that comes up all the time.

And you know, to be fair, it’s not exactly a bad question. A poor one, maybe, but not a bad one. And it’s one that’s often reflected by the faces and situations of many more in whatever assorted audience is present than the one who asked. Crud, I’m certain that it’s a question that some of the authors who have been forced to scramble for an answer themselves once voiced, though perhaps internally.

But … it’s still a poor question. I certainly wouldn’t call it a good one. Not poor enough that it isn’t worth tackling in this post, but not the best question either.

Why? Well, let me answer that before I get into the deeper-roots behind the question. The question is a poor one because 90% of the time the individual asking it is asking for a silver bullet. A solution that doesn’t exist. I entirely suspect that if, when asked this question, whoever was asked responded with “Well, are you using X program?” or “Are you sitting in this kind of chair?” there would be a massive sale of said product in the audience that had asked.

Again, I shouldn’t batter these poor souls too badly. After all, they are beginners. But as beginners, when asking this question, the answer they get is hardly the answer they want (and sometimes, they’ll tell you). They’re inexperienced enough to think that all it takes is an idea, a pen or a keyboard, and a little bit of writing, and boom! Story! And the problem with that is that, as all writers know, there is no silver bullet. There’s no magic “thing” or element that anyone can just do to take a story from an idea to a finished product (or at least a halfway competent one). And in that regard, the question is poor.

Now, that said, it wouldn’t take much to “fix” it so that we can give it a real answer. If we rearrange it a little, tweak a few of the words a bit, we get something much more workable. Something like:

I have a good idea/story/concept/character, but the when I sit down to try and write it, I start having trouble. How do I take it from an idea to a finished work? What are the steps there?

Continue reading →