#234: 5 Big First Chapter Mistakes (and How To Avoid Them) Artwork

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Writer Unleashed

#234: 5 Big First Chapter Mistakes (and How To Avoid Them)

June 10, 2025 • Nanci Panuccio • Season 6

In this episode, we’re zeroing in on one of the most important (and most rewritten) parts of your novel: the first chapter.

A strong first chapter doesn’t need to be long or dramatic, but it does need to hook the reader, ground them in the world of the story, and raise a question they’re eager to follow.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on your opening pages, rewriting again and again, wondering if it’s working, this episode will help you identify and avoid common problems, and more important, revise your first chapter so that it hooks and holds your reader.

In this episode, we'll break down:

5 of the most common first chapter fails, and what to do instead
Key questions to ask when revising your opening
How to avoid overwhelming the reader and keep them engaged page after page
Ideal first-chapter length ranges for different genres, and what matters more than word count

Episode Web Page

https://nancipanuccio.com/guide/

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