Writer Unleashed

#182: 5 Ways To Nail Your First Chapter

March 19, 2024 Nanci Panuccio Season 5
#182: 5 Ways To Nail Your First Chapter
Writer Unleashed
More Info
Writer Unleashed
#182: 5 Ways To Nail Your First Chapter
Mar 19, 2024 Season 5
Nanci Panuccio

Your first chapter matters.

It's what binds readers to your story. It makes them care. And when they care, they can't help but keep reading.

There's a lot riding on your first chapter.  So you want to get this right.

Bore them with too much exposition, long forays into backstory, too many characters and superfluous  details, and your reader will grow bored, overwhelmed, and will stop reading.

In this episode,  I'm sharing 5 ways to nail your first chapter.

We'll cover how to:

  •  Resist the urge to tell readers too much too soon
  • Write exposition that doesn't read like exposition
  • Choose which characters to introduce, who to omit, and who to save for later
  • How and when to use backstory and where to place it
  • Shape your first chapter 
  • Embed conflict and narrative tension right from the start

Episode Website




Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Send me a Text Message.


Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.



Show Notes

Your first chapter matters.

It's what binds readers to your story. It makes them care. And when they care, they can't help but keep reading.

There's a lot riding on your first chapter.  So you want to get this right.

Bore them with too much exposition, long forays into backstory, too many characters and superfluous  details, and your reader will grow bored, overwhelmed, and will stop reading.

In this episode,  I'm sharing 5 ways to nail your first chapter.

We'll cover how to:

  •  Resist the urge to tell readers too much too soon
  • Write exposition that doesn't read like exposition
  • Choose which characters to introduce, who to omit, and who to save for later
  • How and when to use backstory and where to place it
  • Shape your first chapter 
  • Embed conflict and narrative tension right from the start

Episode Website




Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Send me a Text Message.


Want to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.