Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Innovative ways to Introduce the Main Character

Last year, I struggled with the first chapter of my Middle Grade Paranormal Trilogy (I rewrote it several times), but I am still not happy with it. I keep thinking that I can introduce the main character in a more powerful way.

I introduce the main character when he (a nine- year old boy) is getting a scolding   from his father for being a wimp. His father wants him to fight back the bullies in his school. The father is urging his son to punch a few bullies.

I have toyed with several ideas to introduce my main character. Every idea in my opinion sucks. Whatever our main character does has to tie up to the story or it has to have consequences later in the story. We usually introduce the main characters in the first chapter, often in the first paragraph. I am trying to think of different and unique ways to introduce my main character.

 Plenty of ideas have entered and exited my mind. Should I introduce my main character  while he/she is doing something unusual that immediately piques a reader’s interest. This unusual activity has to have repercussions in the story. Else it makes no sense. It will be just an exercise in futility.

 I read somewhere that we can have our main characters engaged in a unique hobby ( perhaps looking after sick birds) or going through their collection of animal bones or lizard tails or moth wings  or even cleaning their stolen item collection. I am sure that these activities will  turn the readers off rather than intrigue them into reading more and wanting to get to know the main character better.

If I was the reader I would wonder why the MC is collecting lizard tails or moth wings. Or why has the main character resorted to stealing. I would brand him a sadist and a kleptomaniac and hate him for his traits.

Does anyone have any tips on an innovative way to introduce the main character. Which openings do you think attract readers and which introductory scenes put them off. Please share your views with us.     
                  

18 comments:

  1. Let him come back beaten black n blue by the bullies and his father giving a mouthful to teach them a lesson rather than coming home like a cry babe:)

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  2. Well I don't have much to offer other than I try to start things off with a bang - ie my WIP opens with the event that starts the whole story, and involves both main characters. How the characters act and react in that scene will, hopefully, start planting seeds in a reader's mind as to their personalities. I hope that helps!

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  3. Hmm... If you want, I can look at your story and see if I can help, but without that, or a significant amount of information, I can't really give a solution, even if I want to.

    :-)

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  4. I try to introduce my main character with a scene that tells something about what makes them unique in the story, like special skill they have. And also tie in to the ending of the story in some small way. Maybe think about movies and how they open. James Bond always opens with some kind of scene that shows his skill and catches the viewer's attention, then after that launches into the story problem.

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  5. Hmm. Good question. In my MG WIP, I had the main character looking for his sister because they'd been separated by slave traders. I had him slinking around the docks and even had him try to steal food because he hadn't eaten for a long time. Does that mean readers will think he's a dirtbag for stealing? I guess it depends on the way we write and portray our characters. If the readers understand the motive, then they would probably sympathize instead of hating.

    Goodluck!

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  6. @ Rahul...thanks for the idea. My MC is really a wimp, who suffers at the hands of his school bullies.

    @ Nick..I too have been toying with the idea of starting with a bang. Something that would make the readers sit up :)

    @ Misha..thanks for the offer. Once I sort out the mess I have made of the initial chapters, I will send you few sample chapters to read.

    @ Andrea..hmm, I like the idea of starting with something that will showcase the MC's special skill. Its sounds nice.

    @ Cherie...your opening scene sounds good. No, the readers won't think that your MC is a dirtbag, cause there is ample justification for his action.

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  7. Hmm, not enough info Rachna. I wouldn't want to try to offer a resolution without reading. Why don't you find some betas to read it and give some thoughtful feedback? *waving*

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  8. Yeah, not much else is coming to me that hasn't already been mentioned. What else might a boy who gets bullied resort to as a hobby or something that takes his mind off his troubles? Something that at first the reader wonders why is he doing that, and then 'camera pulls back' and we get the big picture.

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  9. My advice...rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite again. That's why I keep doing when I'm unhappy with the start of a story/chapter.

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  10. Hm, this is a good question. I usually go by what I want my "opening event" or inciting incident to be for the first chapter and then take it from there. If the MC is about to take a journey at the end of that first chapter, I make sure he/she is doing something that will already be pointing in that direction. Relateable dialogue also helps me get started.

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  11. This is always a tough one for me. I usually like to put them in a situation that is related to the main story problem, even if it isn't the big inciting incident right away. I usually start off right BEFORE that related problem happens, with the character doing something that would grab a reader and hint at the coming tension. That way they see the character a bit before they're thrust right into tension.

    I don't know if that's helpful or just incredibly vague...

    Good luck! You'll figure out what's best for your story.

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  12. I'd set it up so that he was facing the bullies, and make it seem like he's going to get away, but he doesn't. Maybe cut scene after he receives the first blow, and then the next chapter or scene be his father talking to him.

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  13. I am not an expert but have you thought of drawing inspiration from our good old Bollywood movies? The protagonist is always introduced with so much splendor. There's always A MOMENT, where time stands still and he enters!

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  14. Hi friends,thank you for all your wonderful suggestions. The first chapter is going to take me the longest to write. I will have to keep tweaking and cutting scenes until I am okay with it.

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  15. Something, I would think, that leads into the story. I always think of the beginning of Lord of the Flies when I'm struggling with beginnings. It sets the scene, and poses intriguing questions in the reader's mind, questions that will be answered as the story unfolds.

    I wouldn't take too much time on the first chapter either. In my experience, it ALWAYS has to be changed somewhere along the way!
    Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs

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  16. Hi, Rachna! I agree with Ann. The first chapter will change several times, especially after the story unfolds and the main character's journey comes to light. Then we can go back to the beginning and plug in things we couldn't see at first. So I'd say, jump in, keep writing, then adjust the intro later :-)

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  17. I think starting with something quirky and unique is cool if it fits in with the characters voice. I especially like the animal bone idea, though the stolen items may be weird for kids of that age (or parents could get upset). I've found that many books have great openings by showing something simple but unique, and if the voice shines through, a big opening incident isn't necessary.

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  18. Good point. I guess rather than introduce the hobby per se one needs to show some aspect of that character's personality through the circumstance in which they find themselves and that can have impact later in the novel. Good luck.

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