I've seen some discussion on Starting The Novel recently. So of course, I thought I'd throw in my two cents. It usually comes out to be more like a nickel, but whatever. I'm generous, what can I say?Anyway, I read something really great on Katie Ganshert's blog. (Everything Katie writes is really great. Follow her. Subscribe. She's awesome.) To summarize for those of you who are like me and don't like to click away once I've started reading, she said there are basically three places you can start your novel.
1. Before the Big Event (hereafter referred to as BE). And there has to be a BE. If you don't know what your BE is, you better figure it out BEfore you start. (lol) Katie says it starts with change. Change = BE.
2. During the BE
3. After the BE
I've always prescribed to #3. I like to start my stories AFTER something has happened. Sort of drop the reader right into the hot pot of oil and let them speculate as to how they got there. I think it takes a masterful author to do this, though. If you don't give your reader enough, they'll become frustrated with what they don't know.
So you're back to spoon feeding. You read yesterday, you know what spoon feeding is. If for some reason you were abducted by aliens and didn't read my post yesterday, just scroll down. It's there.
If you choose to start your novel after the BE, you have to be a spoon feeder. Luckily, I've had two children and well, yeah, that has nothing to do with my talent (or lack thereof) of trying to spoon feed my readers. But you know.
What do you guys think? Do you start before the BE? During? After? What are the benefits and disadvantages to each?