>I spent several hours yesterday researching a new idea for Side Project. The rough draft is finished, of course, and I’m polishing now, but so far it’s looking like this is going to be one of those books that grows during the rewrites, rather than shrinking. To date, it’s the shortest book I’ve ever written by more than 20,000 words (the next-shortest is one of those under-the-bed books), and while I’m trying to keep it pretty short, I’ve come up with a few ideas to add depth to the world and characters, and those will necessarily add a bit to the word count.
But hopefully I’ll also be able to tighten. Though in my own opinion, this one was never really very loose, with the exception of the first chapter.
Which brings me back around to first chapters. Somehow, I always wind up there.
First chapters are the hardest part in the entire book for me. Every book. So far, the only one I’ve written that didn’t wind up with a new starting point during the revisions was Pride. That one started very well for me, and you’ll see what I mean when it comes out. Or maybe when you finish Rogue. (Because everyone’s planning to read it, right? Right? 
)
Anyway, all the other first chapters have needed massive revisions. The worst so far was Rogue. Not that the first chapter of Rogue was bad. It just wasn’t where the story needed to start. That original first chapter is now the third chapter. The two now preceding it were each the new first chapter at one point, and only that third attempt stuck.
I swear, knowing how (and where and when) to start the story is the hardest part, and I’ve found that most of the time, I don’t even really know who my characters are (especially in the first book of a series) until I’m well into the book. So usually by the time I’m finished, the first chapter is no longer consistent with the rest of the story. Thus, it must be rewritten.
Which is what I did last night and this morning. I rewrote the first chapter of Side Project. I think it’s much better now, but I won’t know for sure until I have some input from my CP and my agent.
I sent it to Rinda this morning. And now I’m off to work on chapter two.
>Oh man, trust me when I say I know what you mean. I’m actually going through the same sort of thing right now, only I haven’t finished the story, but, by gum, that first chapter will not let me continue on… It’s both frustrating and exhilarating.
>I’ve always loved my first chapters until now. I’m struggling hard with the rewrites of my current WIP and the one I’ve been marketing. It can be frustrating.
>First chapters are the easiest for me. It’s the fifth, seventh and last chapter that I end up rewriting so much. Now that the first chapter doesn’t change a lot, but I usually start in about the same place.Teri
>I don’t really know if my first chapter should exist for that matter, so here is a predicament for you. I am not a very prologue oriented person, so I have no idea how whether it can be converted into one. Anyways I can’t wait for the release of “Rouge”.
>They always say ‘Write the intro last’! Every first chapter I’ve ever written has, by the end of the book, ended up being completely different from what I initially wrote. I guess that during the writing process, ideas constatntly shift and evolve and where you arrive at isn’t necessarily where you intended to go (a bit like my driving – but I’ll blame British roads for that!) Great blog!
>I do think I know what you mean about first chapters. It sometimes takes me half a book to figure out I started in the wrong place.
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. Your books look really interesting!