…because it makes no sense to do that if you don’t—
Confused?
Thought so.
Now imagine that sentence had gone on for pages, but instead of whatever it was talking about, it detailed a sudden immersion into a fantasy world that looked, acted, and otherwise was nothing like Earth. But no one bothered to explain that, so you’re stumbling along, hoping to find something familiar. Except there’s nothing you even vaguely recognize.
This is a way to start a fantasy novel.
However, I don’t recommend it.
Before I mention the book that got me thinking about this topic, I’d like to say that it does not do this. In fact, I’m still reading it, and I recommend it. But the way the internet can run with things, I wanted to make this perfectly clear, lest my words turn into “this book/author sucks because Mary said so.” No, Mary did not say that at all.
Moving on.
The book is The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao. It takes place on a fantasy train that people can only bored when they have lost their sense of purpose. The descriptions are lovely. The worldbuilding is fantastic, and the characters are sympathetic. All of which I’m able to say because the book established the world in which this train exists before just dropping me on the train and asking me to keep up as it sped off into the distance.
In a real world that seems to demand instant gratification, it can be tempting as storytellers to give it to people. After all, if readers don’t love the first line, they’ll put down the book, never read anything you write again, and go badmouth it on their social media platform of choice, right?
Actually, more than likely wrong (yes, even about the badmouthing thing).
I won’t say I’ve never put down a book after the first line. I probably did, especially back in my “I just got my degree in fiction, and I know everything” phase. But once I got past that, unlikely. After a few pages, maybe. After a few chapters, less likely. I figure if I get to 20% and I’m not slogging, I may as well finish. Even if I don’t end up loving it, every book, to me, is a learning experience.
That said, one of the things that makes me stop reading almost every time is being drop-kicked into a fantasy world and being expected to understand why/how/the worldbuilding/everything else on the fly. If I had to guess, authors who do this have heard “start with the action” and interpreted that as needing to plunge characters into a desperate or completely foreign situation on page one. I’m not saying it can’t work. I’ll never say “don’t do this” or “this never works—the end.” I am saying that unless it’s really, really, really done well, it often just results in a lot of confusion.
The inclusion of the “normal world,” the world the protagonist understands, isn’t just the boring part before we get to the good stuff. It’s the introduction to the story. Ever gone to a party and had your friend drag you into a group of people you don’t know, who then don’t introduce themselves and just keep talking about a thing you don’t know anything about? That’s what removing the normal world does to readers.
Humans, as a species, shy away from change, and when things do change, we like it to be gradual. The normal world is gradual change. It gives readers a chance to understand this new person or place before they have to accept the proverbial train (or Elsewhere Express) has gone off the rails.
So, invite your readers to the party. Make them feel welcome by bringing them into the action. If you do it right, you don’t need to start with poor Johnny realizing he’s suddenly about to be eaten by a giant worm who’s actually attacking a flying creature with three cat-like heads. (Though, if Johnny does end up in this situation at some point, that would be awesome.)
👋 Fair travels,
Mary
P.S. A big thanks to lucasgeorgewendt from Pixabay for the image.
P.P.S. All books link to The Storygraph because I love that site and want to introduce it to as many people as possible.