10 Ways to NOT start a Novel

So you're writing the first chapter of a novel. Here are 10 things you shouldn't start a novel with:

1) Weather: Don't write about clouds or how sunny it is. Also (and I know that this is really obvious), don't start with the cliche "It was a dark and stormy night".

2) Dreams: Your MC is running for his life, or he slayed a mighty dragon, or his clothes disappeared while he was in school, etc... and then your MC wakes up. It was all a dream. ....That is Bull(Manure)!

3) Info Dump: Some of you are writing fantasy or scifi or whatever. You've created this world that the readers are not familiar with. So you feel compelled to dump your readers with everything about your world to set up the story. If you do this, I swear your readers will forget everything by chapter two.

4) Morning Routine: Your MC woke up, got out of bed, brushed his teeth, ate his breakfast, and then goes to his job where he shoots zombies for a living. ...Boring. Just skip to the part where he starts shooting zombies.

5) Abundance of Characters: Don't start your novel by introducing 19 or 100 characters in the first few pages. Your readers aren't going to remember all those names.

6) The MC Dies: Oh no! Your MC died! ...You do realize that the readers just started your novel so they didn't develop any emotional connection with your MC yet. Why should they care if he died.

7) Introductions: Don't introduce your character by starting with "Hello, my name is..." whatever. Might as well start with "Hello, I'm a character created by a writer that can't think of a better way to introduce me to the readers, blah, blah, blah..."

8) Flashback: Do you really want your readers to start your novel with a slow, boring back story? I don't think so.

9) Once upon a time: I know it's obvious, but don't start your story with "Once upon a time". Unless you're using it as a title for a great tv show. 

10) Prologue:  In my opinion, prologues are unnecessary and is just a crutch that lazy writers use. Most readers just skip it. So why waste your time starting a novel with a useless prologue if your readers aren't going to read it.


These are some of the no-nos that you shouldn't start a novel with. If the rest of your book is fantastic, then why can't the beginning be incredible as well. So try to avoid these when you start writing your story.

Note: I must admit that there are exceptions to these rules. I've read a few brilliant works of literature that started out with these in the first chapter and they were quite interesting. So if you really, really want to start your novel with any of these beginnings, then break the rules and make it spectacular!

Now get out there and start your novel.