Beginnings

Take a novel, any novel, and read the first chapter.  Look at how it’s structured.  Think about how the author introduces the characters, the setting, the premise of the story.  Make some notes about what works, and what doesn’t work, for you as a reader.  Notice what the dialogue does, and what the description does, then notice which parts you prefer on the page.

Take these thoughts and read over (or write) a first chapter of your own.  What do you discover?