Does the main character have to be introduced right away?

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blacbird

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You want to hook your reader. Whether or not you introduce the MC right away, or not, you must start with some kind of action.

This, generally. But don't mistake the word "action" for zombies exploding while they eat the entrails of vampires. I'd substitute the word "interest". I can think of any number of novels that begin with a fairly quiet situation with a portent of tension, but nothing overt in the way of physical activity.

It's probably more important what you shouldn't do, which is to rattle off a litany of background information having nothing of immediate importance to your story. This was hilariously parodied in a Monty Python episode titled "Njorl's Saga", which I watched just last night, and which should be obligatory training for anybody aspiring to write a High Fantasy Epic. Terry Pratchett is undoubtedly familiar with this episode, and has morphed it into wicked wonderful satire in his novels.

caw
 

kiwiviktor81

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Personal reader opinion? I would be annoyed. If I start a story with two characters having a discussion, the natural assumption is that one of those two are going to be the MC.

I'm the same. I think you can't really win if you don't include the protagonist in the first scene. If you don't and your secondary characters are less interesting, the reader might put the book down before they get to the MC. If you don't and the secondary characters are more interesting, the reader will go "Hey! I wanted to read about those other guys!"

Unless you're writing an absolute epic with an ensemble cast like The Stand.
 

ShannonR.

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Oh, these guys are interesting, I'm putting it into screenplay form too (first, since I'm doing Script Frenzy), and the film starts with a 'flashback...I've seen it work well in movies, but I haven't read many novels where it works as well.

Sometimes I curse my ADHD because it's gotten to where I can't focus long enough to read novels the way I used to. :( Anyone else have this problem? TV and movies are easier for me...
 
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sekime

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I'm currently writing a novel where I can't decide to introduce the main character first in a short scene, or the villain first in a much longer and action packed scene. I'm leaning toward the scene with the villain. But in many craft books and advice from screenplay writers, starting and ending with the main character is preferred.

More opinions on this?
 

CEMartin2

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Rather than start with the main character, then introduce the problem for the character to respond to, why not start with the problem first, then intro the characters who will be tackling it, then move on to combatting the problem.
 

Devil Ledbetter

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Your readers are like little baby chicks. They immediately begin to imprint on the first character you give them. Though it's not mandatory, you'll have better results if that character is your main character.
This is such a pure golden nugget of storytelling wisdom that I had to highlight it.

Really, this belongs somewhere in every storytelling how-to thread we have.
 
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