Hello, I'm not sure if this belongs here but: I finished chapter 1 last night and ended up crying. I don't know if I'm already attached to this character or what, but I was crying with her. Is chapter 1 too early to make the readers cry?
You'll have to ask yourself whether the readers are going to be as invested in the characters as you are by the first chapter. But if a book can make me cry in the first chapter then that's a good thing I suppose. It means that it resonates with me emotionally.
I'm thinking it's most likely related to my attachment to the character. I was concerned that I may turn a reader off if they end up crying after the first chapter. Thank you!
There is no guarantee - in fact I'd say it's highly unlikely - that other readers will be crying by this point. I don't mean that in a derogatory way, but your reaction is more than likely down to your own attachment, as you say. Personally I'd say your attachment is too strong and if I may be so bold, crying for your own character seems somewhat complacent. Maybe it's just me, I don't know, but I really struggle to 'get' this author's attachment to their characters. Surely it's something you should be hoping your readers will experience, not yourself, but like I say maybe that's just me.
IDK, never read a book that hit me in the feels like that, let alone 1rst Chapter. Well I take that former bit back, but it wasn't a fiction story, so... I think one must have investment in the character, before having an emotional reaction to their plights (though that's just my thoughts). However, every reader is different, and some may get it right off the bat, and other's not so much. Must be dependent on the reader, and how the situation can relate to them on an emotional level.
I'm about to drop some real good advice on you, friend: if you have emotions while writing, squeeze every last ounce of it them. They won't always be there, and they're the most precious of resources. Don't worry about the reader right now. Write like your little heart depends on it. You'll thank yourself later!
It depends. See if it makes other people cry. You already know and understand the intended emotions, and it can be hard to see if that's missing for a reader who doesn't. You may not have put to paper the same emotions you're feeling at the time. Get it read. But I doubt any reader will be as attached as you to the character. And no, it's never too early to elicit emotions. I made a friend cry when he read a single paragraph, which is the start of a chapter. I was pretty happy with that outcome.
Well, if you have an actual ability to "make" readers cry, I would hold off until chapter 7 or so. No reason to tip your hand too early.
I don't know the answer to that because you may be more invested in the character than others. You created her, you picked a situation that probably meant something to you, you possibly spent time crafting her before putting her on paper. You could have spent a whole year getting into the head of this character and her past to development that attachment. I have never cried in the 1st chapter of anything. I've cares or felt empathy for a character but not to the point I've ever cried.
This, precisely. Double-check with an alpha reader and confirm the attachment. And ensure the reader is tabula rasa.
I believe it's a tad too early. Considering the follow up at least. Thing is, how can you back this up in the continuation, since you've placed such a strong emotional scene at the very beginning? It's not bad having an intense beginning or impossible to come up with a good way to continue, but I find this challenging.
I believe it all depends on execution. Is it emotional to you because you know how it affects them? Is that something that is made known to us early on? Or is it simply something universal such as loss? I typically don't feel much when I read or watch shows, but if I happen to be experiencing something similar in reality at that time, I might.
I mean, more like I'm not sure how one would get the reader that emotional in chapter one. A lot of storytelling is all about getting the reader to form a rapport with the character so that they can empathize with their experiences. As the author, you already have an emotional connection with the character, on account of creating her and literally giving her whatever feelings she experiences. (Meaning: Those feelings came from you in the first place.) But for everyone else, we just met that person - we don't know her yet.
