She Ordered The Lobster And Fillet Mignon

First chapters are like first dates.

Writing communities like to argue a lot about what does or doesn't belong in a first line, a first paragraph, a first page. There's debate over description versus action, establishment of POV, how much information to give away. We try to quantify what, exactly, a “hook” is, and when we need it by. We spend hours crafting that first sentence, and get into arguments on whether or not it’s okay to start with dialogue. Out of all the discussions and ponderings, I think we can safely extract an underlying theme that holds true regardless of genre or style: first chapters make promises for the rest of the novel.

When you pick up a book from a new author, even if it’s been recommended to you, they haven’t established your trust. It’s a lot like a first date (a blind date if a friend told you to read it). Just as you’ll develop your opinion of your date based on their conduct, mannerisms, and common courtesy, the first chapter of this new novel is creating the first impressions of the author. There’s the grammar and use of language--your date’s fashion sense and hygiene. The character--their personality. The scene and action--what they do for a living, what they like to talk about. The first chapter gives you a taste of your “chemistry” with the novel, and if it goes very poorly, you might not ask them back for a second date.

There are a few things that immediately put me off a story. If I find myself zoning out, or stumbling over how confused I am, that's a bad sign. In self-published works, grammar snafoos and other editing errors are a huge red flag. And I find it amazing how easily I can get bored of an overdone premise, even if the technique is sound. For me, the most forgettable stories are those that simply re-hash the same-old, same-old, with slight variations.

I'm most drawn to the creative and unique, especially if it's a juxtaposition of the familiar and the new (a topic Brandon Sanderson teaches in his lectures): something well-recognized about the genre, with a fresh twist or unexpected hero. I also care a lot about setting, and a strong, immersive atmosphere will win a lot of points from me.

I think a successful first chapter is one that piques interest on two levels: the immediate future, and the larger story. There needs to be that direct pull into chapter two, with "What's going to happen to the character next?" while also giving us a taste of the overall, capital "P" Plot. I want to be engaged, guessing and making predictions, as opposed to passively riding along waiting to see what happens. Give me things to puzzle over, worry about, and wonder about.

If the first chapter charms the reader into that second date, I’d say it does its job. That’s what a hook is, really. If it’s got spinach stuck in its teeth, some readers will put it down. It’s very unfair, but whatever the reasoning, if they stopped reading, it was something important to that person. In my mind at least, it’s our job as authors to win the reader over. Readers and writers need to "click" in the same way you need to "click" on that first date.