I have never liked stories that are written: Jane had always felt like the kind of girl who fit in..... I've never liked stories that just slam a character in your face and say this is Jane. This is how Jane feels. I personally love starting all my stories with either the feeling of the character a dabble in mystery before giving them a name, a setting that sets the mood for characters feelings and emotions, or through an action. How do you start your stories? And with my earlier comment is that bad of me to start my stories the way I do?
It's not bad, it's just a matter of personal preference. I'm not sure I can describe how I start my stories, I just do.
I think it's a good idea to start a story with an introduction to an important character, but not necessarily the main character. However, I don't like to make general statements about a character's history to poen with. I prefer to start with what a character is doing now, in story time. This way you show that she has friends, implying that she fits in at least to some degree, without actually saying it. If you don't want to start right in with her name:
Leaka, it is all about developing your own style when you write. Quite often you will read a peice where it just slams the charector into your face, sometimes it works, others it doesn't. when you are writing your own peice then just have a look at which type of opening looks best for what you are writing. For me, I try to vary how I start stories. sometimes I like to start with a description of the weather and the place that the charector is in, then introduce them later. Sometimes my very first word is their name. It just depends what mood I am in and what sounds est as the end of it all. Heather
imo, there should be no set way to start a story... each one should start where and how it needs to start... don't get yourself stuck in a rut by imposing a rule on how to open every tale... let the story tell you how it wants to start... if you're not sure, try three different openings and see which one jumps out at you and yells, "I'm it!"...
But even then it sounds to soon. It sounds to soon to be giving the name. I would do something: The bus creaked and bumped as the passengers drove. The passengers passed many trees and many houses. Though one of these passengers stood out from the rest. She had blond hair and green eyes. She seemed to be looking out the window with a deep sigh. The bus rattled and creaked to a full stop. The girl walked out she still seemed a little spaced out. "Jane!." said a voice. At first she didn't comprehend that her name was even Jane and then she looked up. That seems a lot better. I don't like starting out the name right away. Or even to quickly. See I ask this question because I started off my story this way and they told me that I was doing it wrong. And that my story made no sense. And that my story was bad. xXx heather xXx I think I understand what you are saying.
It's considered bad practice in literary fiction to tell the reader stuff like "Jim was sad." It's just lazy writing. Jim being sad has little effect on his characterization and really gets us nearly nowhere. How is he sad? How does his sadness manifest? It doesn't matter much that he's sad if he in fact never acts like he's sad. What matters, and what the reader wants to hear, is how Jim acts.
