Do your first lines establish these three, key points?
Because I was unfamiliar with the surroundings, I took a wrong turn. My only recourse was to go back, check things more carefully, and start afresh.
That’s disconcerting if you’re driving a car, but also while reading a novel — finding yourself lost as you try to negotiate a new scene.
Besides keeping … Continue reading
Don’t detour readers from your story.
The manuscript’s first sentence told me the novelist was in trouble. The rest of the paragraph confirmed that. The second paragraph was no better.
Fortunately, the author had sent me the genre novel for a critique. So I was able to show her where she had missed the opportunity of a story’s most important words. If potential readers aren’t attracted … Continue reading
Cliffhangers still work.
The copy of The Warsaw Protocol by Steve Berry that my wife brought me from the library was labeled Rapid Read. Instead of three weeks, I’d have to complete the 384-page novel in just one.
That wasn’t a problem. Berry had used time-honored techniques to keep readers engaged. First, he used multiple point-of-view characters, alternating between their perspectives — with … Continue reading