First Page MISTAKES New Writers Make ❌ avoid these cringey clichés!

Summary

In this video, Abby breaks down the top six mistakes new writers make on the first page of their stories and offers practical solutions to hook readers effectively. She covers clichés, vague openings, confusing dialogue, unnecessary mystery, frontloaded world-building, and overdone prose. Using clear examples, Abby shows how to create immediate story questions, anchor readers with sensory details, integrate dialogue and action, establish micro-goals, and hint at internal conflict. Her advice emphasizes tension, curiosity, and character stakes over spectacle or overly poetic language, helping writers craft engaging, page-turning openings that captivate readers from the very first line.

Takeaways

• 😀 The first page of your story is critical; it can make or break reader engagement.
• 😀 Avoid starting with clichéd or overly dramatic hooks like explosions or nightmares; they feel empty without context.
• 😀 Create an immediate story question that matters to the protagonist to hook readers effectively.
• 😀 Don’t open in a 'white room' with abstract thoughts; ground the reader with sensory details and a clear setting.
• 😀 Dialogue should have context—clarify who is speaking, where they are, and why it matters.
• 😀 Being mysterious for mystery’s sake confuses readers; balance curiosity with clarity and micro goals.
• 😀 Avoid frontloading worldbuilding; show your world through the protagonist’s actions and perspective.
• 😀 Overly poetic or flowery prose without character stakes can push readers away; focus on internal conflict and tension.
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• 😀 Even quiet scenes should contain tension or stakes to keep readers engaged.
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• 😀 Effective hooks balance questions and answers, reward curiosity, and tie directly to the protagonist’s personal stakes.

Q & A

What is the most common mistake writers make on the first page of a story?

One of the most common mistakes is starting with a cliché hook, such as a dramatic explosion or a character waking from a nightmare, without providing context or emotional connection to the protagonist.

Why should writers avoid starting their story with a 'white room'?

Starting with a 'white room'—vague abstract thoughts or descriptions without context—disorients the reader, making it hard to visualize the setting or care about the characters.

How can dialogue be used effectively on the first page?

Dialogue should be paired with context and sensory details so readers know who is speaking, where they are, and what is at stake, creating tension and intrigue rather than confusion.

What does creating a 'story question' mean, and why is it important?

A story question is an immediate, personal stake for the protagonist that piques the reader’s curiosity, making them invested in finding out what happens next.

Why is overdoing mystery on the first page problematic?

Being overly cryptic without grounding the reader in character, setting, or stakes leads to confusion rather than curiosity, which can disengage readers.

How should world-building be introduced in the opening page?

World-building should be shown through the protagonist’s actions and perspective, focusing only on elements relevant to their current goal, rather than info-dumping history or rules of the world.

What is the danger of using overly flowery prose in the first paragraph?

Overwriting with detailed, poetic language without connection to character or conflict can bore readers and fail to engage them in the story.

What role do micro-goals play in a first page?

Micro-goals give the protagonist something immediate to strive for, grounding the story in tangible stakes and making readers curious about whether they will succeed.

How can writers balance curiosity and clarity?

Writers should aim for roughly twice as many questions as answers, providing enough information for readers to understand the stakes while leaving some mysteries unresolved to maintain intrigue.

Why is tension and suspense important from page one?

Tension and suspense engage readers by making them invested in the characters’ challenges, turning a story from ordinary to 'bingeworthy' and encouraging them to continue reading.

What is the key difference between a dramatic hook and an effective first-page hook?

A dramatic hook may be visually exciting but lacks emotional connection, while an effective first-page hook creates immediate personal stakes for the protagonist that matter to the reader.

How can first-page examples help writers improve their openings?

Analyzing examples shows what works and what doesn’t, illustrating how character stakes, sensory details, dialogue, and micro-goals combine to create a compelling opening.