What do the first pages of a novel reveal?
opening
Oct 19, 2025
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9 min read
What happens when literary fiction borrows speculative elements but keeps its slow-burn focus on character
Sep 19, 2025
How to establish stakes across multiple time periods
Aug 30, 2025
7 min read
How to layer character, theme, and story questions into a deceptively simple opening chapter
Jun 21, 2025
Why leading with theme instead of the meet-cute can strengthen a romance opening
May 18, 2025
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Why powerful verbs, surprising juxtapositions, and unconventional choices create prose that wakes readers up
Feb 6, 2025
10 min read
How the table of contents shapes our experience of the opening of God of the Woods by Liz Moore
