Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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"Hook the reader immediately." Great advice. Completely useless in practice.

In this video, we break down six specific techniques for opening a novel — what each one does, why it works, where it can go wrong, and examples of books that pull it off.

From starting close to the inciting incident (and why prologues are usually a bad idea) to opening with action, character voice, and philosophical statements — by the end, you'll have an actual toolkit, not just a vague instruction to be more interesting.

⏱ Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Start Close to the Inciting Incident
01:37 The Prologue Problem
03:48 Open with Action
05:32 In Medias Res
07:06 Introduce Character by Desire, Not Description
09:23 Enter Through Character Voice
10:45 Open with a Thought or Philosophy
12:14 Your Opening is a Promise

🖊️ Want expert eyes on your opening chapter? Browse developmental editors on the Reedsy marketplace: reedsy.com/editing
🖊️Read our blog guide to starting a novel: reedsy.com/blog/how-to-start-a-novel