The introduction is one of the most important parts of any novel or screenplay. It sets the tone, defines the story’s setting, and serves as a way to introduce the setting, characters, and/or plot to the reader. Writing introductions to novels and screenplays, however, can be a daunting task.
The key element of a novel is the story. It’s a series of character interactions that can either start from a certain point or go on for many pages. These characters are almost always the beginning, middle, and end of the story. This doesn’t mean that they don’t have to be the characters, but the character interactions that they interact with can be an absolutely perfect example of that.
For more on how to write characters and characters interactions in novels, see our previous book “I Knew You”.
Narrative introductions help us remember the story. They are, in a word, indispensable. If we don’t remember the story, then we can’t read it. It’s almost like when I write a blog post. I don’t sit down one day and think, “Hey, here’s how I’m doing this,” but I write my blog post the hard way.
Narrative introductions are an excellent way to introduce a story to the reader. They make us feel that we know the characters inside and out. They give the reader a sense of what the story is about. And in a way, that is how we learn that the story isnt about us. So they can have a major impact on how we remember the story.
In the end, when we actually write the ending of the story, we often get a lot of time for it. And if we don’t get the ending right, the story never starts.
But that doesnt mean you cant start the story right. Sometimes, the best way to get the reader interested is by making them want to read more. Narrative introductions are one way to do that.
The two main sources of information we use in our storytelling are the narrator and the reader. As a general rule, the narrator is the main source of information. But sometimes, the reader is only the narrator, so they can’t be the source. In our story, we have four main sources: the narrator, the reader, the author, and the story itself.
The first three (now four) are just as important as the narrator. The author is the writer, the story is the story, and the narrator is the narrator. It can be tempting to use these three as the main sources of information, but the only way to be honest is to be sure that you’re telling all six of the main sources.
The easiest way to be sure is to take your time with writing introductions. We’ve learned that the best introductions are when the writer isn’t the first person to mention one of your characters. This allows you to introduce the reader to your own character first.