Throw It Away!

This one always raises an eyebrow. You've just finished writing a great story, you've gone over it a dozen times, and you think it's perfect. Well...what if I told you to throw away the first page? Here's what I'm talking about...

It doesn't matter if you've written a story that's five pages long, or a 250-page novel. Chances are that the first page or two is not that good. Why?

Because when we first begin to write, it's almost like a pitcher warming up before an inning starts. Have you seen them throw eight or nine pitches, just getting loose? Well, that's what your first page is like: a warm-up. As you get into your story, things settle down and you begin to see the story much more clearly.

So, you'd be amazed at how much better your story might be if you throw away that first page or two, and re-write the beginning. Now that you've finished the story, you'll have a much better idea of the mood of the tale, you'll know the characters better, and you'll probably find a much better way to get into it.

Sometimes you don't need to do this, because you'll actually have written a great first page. But I'm willing to bet that four out of every five stories could use a fresh start. Try it, and you'll likely say 'Hey, Dom was right!'

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