10 WORST Ways to Start a Book

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

• The opening chapter (especially the opening scene/page/sentence) strongly affects reader impression and momentum.
• Many common “book opening” approaches fail because they don’t entice, feel forced, or start the story in the wrong place (before the plot is ready to move).
• Good openings generally prefer showing (sensory/action/dialogue) and start at a point that quickly establishes the main character’s dilemma and propulsion into action.

Methodology: “10 WORST Ways to Start a Book” (what to avoid + how to work around it)

1. Telling

   • What it is: Stating facts/opinions directly (e.g., “He was handsome, she was loving…”).
   • Why it’s bad: Boring; the opener should entice, not summarize; often feels amateur/derivative.
   • Workaround: Prefer showing (illustrate via visuals/senses/dialogue).
   • Exception: A brief, punchy line of telling can work if followed immediately by showing (e.g., “Jenna has always been kind of a bitch.” → then show her behavior).

2. Backstory (as an opener)

   • What it is: Starting with history/exposition dumps.
   • Why it’s bad: Boring and often signals you’re not starting at the right narrative point; usually reads as telling.
   • Workaround: Share background as it becomes relevant, not earlier.
   • Rule of thumb: If readers must know everything on page one, the book likely isn’t starting in the right place.

3. World-building info dumps (especially geography early)

   • What it is: Long descriptions of an entire setting/cosmos/planet/climate before the story has current relevance.
   • Why it’s bad: Self-indulgent; provides little immediate value; puts readers to sleep; unnecessary.
   • Workaround: Describe the world as it becomes relevant (e.g., describe castle architecture when entering; foliage when navigating a forest).
   • Rule: Don’t lead with world-building details—use them contextually.

4. The mirror description trope

   • What it is: The protagonist gazes into a mirror and the narration describes their physical appearance.
   • Why it’s bad: Overused cliché; feels unrealistic/predictable (even if some viewers disagree it’s realistic).
   • Workaround: Use alternative methods—e.g., describe appearance through comparison to another character.

5. Another perspective (not the main character’s)

   • What it is: Opening the first chapter from a different character’s viewpoint (yesterday’s self, villain, etc.).
   • Why it’s bad: Readers expect the first chapter to follow the main character; switching viewpoint later can feel like a bait-and-switch.
   • Workaround: Write the first chapter from the main character’s perspective.
   • If another perspective is necessary: Use it as a prologue, not chapter one (villain perspective, younger self, distant past).

6. “Zillions of characters” (too many names/descriptions at once)

   • What it is: Introducing a crowd immediately with names and physical descriptions.
   • Why it’s bad: Confusing and overwhelming; the opener should focus more tightly on what matters in that scene.
   • Workaround (practical checklist):
     • Review every character introduced in the first chapter.
     • Ask: Are they necessary to this chapter/scene?
     • If they barely contribute (don’t act/speak/impact), keep them present without naming/describing them.
     • Introduce minor characters later when they become relevant.
   • Example given: A senate meeting where only senators with speaking roles are named/described; others are saved for later.

7. “It was all a dream.”

   • What it is: Opening with a dream that is later revealed as unreal/just a hook.
   • Why it’s bad: Often used lazily; can feel like the author cheated the reader; realism issues (trauma nightmares typically recur; premonition dreams are rare and would likely shock/confuse the character).
   • Main exception: If dreams/nightmares are a recurring theme throughout the entire plot, opening with a dream can be acceptable—just be careful and consistent.

8. The “trihard opener” (trying too hard)

   • What it is: Overly showy, exaggerated, unnatural language or shock attempts, such as:
     • Very long, wordy first sentences with big “impressive” words
     • Flowery purple-prose paragraphs
     • Forced ridiculous metaphors
     • Opening with irrelevant graphic sex/gore just to be shocking
   • Why it’s bad: Feels desperate/forced; readers sense the author is trying too hard; not organic.
   • Workaround: Open with energy/tension without betraying the tone or using every vocabulary-flashy trick—“sometimes less is more.”

9. The morning routine

   • What it is: Alarm rings → wake → yawn → brush teeth → breakfast → mundane setup.
   • Why it’s bad: Boring, overdone cliché; usually not where the story’s real conflict begins.
   • Workaround: Start with the character’s dilemma—the moment that creates immediate narrative pressure.
   • Example given: Instead of morning, start when the character leaves work and gets paid because the dilemma is financial struggle.

10. Beginning after the inciting incident (misidentifying when the story truly starts)

    • Claim challenged: Writers say the story begins after the inciting incident.
    • Core correction: The inciting incident is when the main character is propelled into action, not when any action begins in general.
    • Why it’s bad: Starting too late (or not understanding the inciting incident) means the “after” point doesn’t actually match the real story start.
    • Workaround (how to distinguish):
      • Identify an event’s importance, then ask: Was the main character involved in triggering it—or were they suddenly forced/affected?
      • The inciting incident is the moment the main character is made to act.
    • Example given: A tournament exists for centuries, but the inciting incident is when Tobias is forced to enter in chapter two.

Other key points emphasized

• All mistakes are common; don’t self-blame—use the video to revise the opening effectively.
• The overall goal: ensure the opener is engaging, relevant, and aligned with the main character and the story’s true starting point.
• The video repeatedly ties the “best openings” to narrative function: interest + relevance + propulsion into action.

Speakers / sources featured

• Jenna Moreci (main speaker; author/YouTube creator mentioned by handle @JennaMoreci)
• Butters / Buttercup / Buttercup herself (recurring name referenced as providing encouragement; also appears as a pet presence)
• Cosima (female voice promo at the end)
• Audiobook/Book referenced by title: Shut Up and Write the Book