I’m always interested in another editor’s take on what we do, so I checked out a Reedsy webinar with Kristina Stanley on Story Editing: How to Assess and Fix Your First Draft.
Here are a couple of highlights—there’s a lot more good thought and perspective in the webinar.
Your first scene should:
- Kick off or set up the inciting incident
- Introduce the protagonist
- Show the story's ordinary world
- Have struggle, emotional or physical
- Have dramatic tension
- Foreshadow something
- Create tone
No-no’s
- Too much backstory
- Flashback
- Description lists
- Explain too much
- Introduce every character
I learned things, including a model for a good story arc. I suggest you take a look.
For what it’s worth.
Ray