Where a story begins is equally as important as where it ends. Often writers of fiction will write the end of the story first; doing so establishes a clear finish line to cross, and the journey to get there can now begin. It’s no small task for a writer to bring a story full circle, and there are no accidents when it comes to making this happen. A writer’s meticulous consideration of every word, phrase, and action is crucial to the story, and getting the beginning of a story right is a fundamental part of getting an audience (and the writer) through to the end.

There are many phases of the writing process, and once characters are identified and endings are understood, now begins what is arguably the hardest part: getting started. If you’re not sure where to start, look to this list of recommendations for a little inspiration. This list is not intended as an “ultimate” list – so much of writing is about the needs of an individual writer, and it takes quite a bit of practice to find a method that works best for you. We look at these as a way to start a dialogue on different writing methods.

Continue onto the Next Page for our 7 Ways To Start A Story!