Answers · By Sun Yi, creator of the Myth Sandwich
How do I start a story?
Short answerStart every story with the time of day and location. That one rule fixes most problems and pulls readers into a real moment.
The One Rule
- Start with time of day and location every single time.
- This turns a summary into an exact moment people can picture.
Hook Them First
- Open by naming the struggle your audience already feels, so they think 'that's me'.
- Attention always comes first -- without it, nothing else matters.
Show the Scene
- Don't summarize -- find the single moment and show what happened.
- Use present tense so readers feel like they're there right now.
Try itOpen Story Bank and write your first line with a time of day and a location before you write anything else.
This answer comes from Sun Yi's Story Bank Library.
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