tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531749294000922932.post2900741749524106196..comments2023-09-02T08:10:21.986-07:00Comments on Steven J. Wangsness: The Agony of the First ChapterSteven J. Wangsnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14846516529180802046noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531749294000922932.post-59408634529509516852012-03-22T13:04:09.189-07:002012-03-22T13:04:09.189-07:00It's so tough. As an aspiring agent and a curr...It's so tough. As an aspiring agent and a current literary agency intern I've turned down a lot of manuscripts on the basis of slow starts. <br /><br />On the other hand, some of the greatest books of the 20th and 21st centuries took their time getting to the meat of the plot. The first chapter of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," for instance, sort of meanders around. <br /><br />That's why, generally speaking, I try to read a pretty decent portion of a manuscript before making a decision.Searching for the Storyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02491208553618412968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531749294000922932.post-43560755434908552622012-02-29T15:55:41.587-08:002012-02-29T15:55:41.587-08:00I like your idea of writing the first chapter last...I like your idea of writing the first chapter last too. Back in the day, when I wrote term papers, I would write something like "blah blah" for the intro and then after I had fleshed out the paper and I went back and made the intro fit. Your idea of writing the first chapter last sounds like would work.Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06187940973442646552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531749294000922932.post-54287824724548355602012-02-22T04:16:00.995-08:002012-02-22T04:16:00.995-08:00I just rewrote the whole ms and fixed the first ch...I just rewrote the whole ms and fixed the first chapter then. <br /><br />I guess it's the same principle as writing it last. Since I knew my characters by the time I rewrote chapter 1. <br /><br />:-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.com