Best way to start a novel?

The problem I seem to have is that I will start off with an okay beginning, and progress. Then, I reread to edit, and I find my beginning weaker than the rest.

What do you feel is the best way to open the novel?

Open with conflict.

Bam. Somewhere in chapter one, scene one, paragraph one, sentence one, find a way to present or suggest some kind of conflict. Why? Because it's the fastest way to engage your reader in the story. Put any two forces into opposition with one another--a protagonist and antagonist, a protagonist and his self-contradictory desires, whatever--and you get a situation in which both sides can't simultaneously get what they want. There will be a winner and a loser, in some form or other. Both sides have mutually incompatible goals, so somebody's going to win and somebody's going to lose.

This grabs your reader's interest because of the inherent _uncertainty_ as to who's going to win and who's going to lose. And while you're busy letting the situation unfold such that we can find out, you have the opportunity to variously work in why this conflict matters, what's at stake for each side, et cetera.

Do this at multiple scales, as well. Your opening scene should have some kind of conflict which is introduced, developed, and resolved right away. But the opening ACT of your book needs to have at least one larger-scale conflict driving it as well, and by the time the opening scene conflict ends, readers should be aware of the presence of the opening act conflict. And likewise, by the time your novel's beginning (the opening act) is finished, you should have revealed to the reader the large-scale central conflict that's driving the whole novel.

I know that was incredibly generic--but then again, so was your question--but I hope it helps. If not, e-mail me with more specifics. This kind of manuscript analysis is what I do for a living...

Have a big band play and announce every major player on the stage entering, while people in all black move furniture around.

I feel the hooks can also involve suspense, but it needs to be dramatic, depending on the genre you choose.

Some conflicts are implied by the nature of the 'hook' involved, a scene that by any means satisfies the interest of the reader can draw in the reader, the context in that story can suggest a major conflict in my novel it is the Navajo prophecy of 2012, that there is the main hook, you have conflict, suspense, and the first scene in a surreal setting that is chaotic and visual I hope does it for my readers, then as mentioned, the layers pile on, I wish you well, tension and conflict can on an inter-personal level, between couples, friends, families serve also to keep up the drama, and give a grounding in emotinal tension. The sexual tension between two young people, meant to work together under near impossible odds and fit their humanity in there, playing two roles or more is also a great edge-of-the-seat device. All the best and happy writing. Rember too, that in your revisions, you will likely add and edit things then, first priority is to get your story down, then tweak. ^_^

I usually start with a description of the setting or an argument dialouge...

I began "Discovering Grace" (on lulu.com and at amazon, etc.) with a text from a friend (the FMC)that shone like a distress beacon. It was a first sentence that I felt would draw young readers in with today's technology.

That first sentence led to Grace revealing a problem and being distressed - I introduce a few characters (at least in name, some in description) and something that would make the reader think, "Boy, Grace's family has some problems. This could be interesting." I bring her brother Jimmy, a few years younger, in pretty quickly so readers know it won't be all girls, and then I have Abby (who received the text) have some inner conflict that's mroe manageable; her parents assuring her it's okay if she's struggled to share her faith and that this is a good time to start.

So, by the end of chapter 1, Grace and Jimmy have become Christians, but as they run downstairs their mom and her boyfriend (a different guy than she left with that evening!) just pooh-pooh their excitement. And, the FMC and MMC wonder how they can ever help the family witht he mess that is there. Eventually, they find both good and bad in wht goes on and there is improvement, though not always in the areas they seek it in. There are some pleasant surprises for them, too. But, their faith sustains them.

And, you're right about editing - the entire structure of the story and why these kids (almost 14 and about 11) become Christians is different than it was when i first started. As I wrote, the family fell into place. It was so cool

You know what's weirdest. I had no idea the problems my sister and her kids were going through at the time with her hsuband starting to cheat on her, but by the time I finished last year it had become a real blessing for the kids to show them how to let their faith get them through anything. That was the coolest part of all, the way the Lord led me to do that.

"Never Let Me Go," at iunvierse.com, doesn't have as strong an opening line but there is definite conflict int he first chapter as the FMC's boyfriend has a major conflict about his future their senior year of high school and one of their friends is pregnant (a charcter who I planned to be minor witha minor problem or two but who just sprouted wings and became 3rd most important.)

A catchy line that sums up the main character's personality and situation is great.

I just started Rich Riordan'a The lost Hero and the first line is "Even before he was electricuted, Jason was having a rotten day"

I don't know about you, but I get caught by these lines...

I like an opening line that's funny, is a twist on expectations, or makes the reader ask questions--all of which I hope will draw the reader in! I started one fairy tale-retelling with, "If I'd had the sense to stay away from the royal christening, it would have saved a great heap of trouble, but I never can resist a good party." Suggests disaster right away, establishes some of the setting, and some of the character. I started another one, "No one ever mentioned mucking out stables when they told stories about wandering adventurers." Establishes that there are adventures coming, but they won't always be conventional.

Starting with action of some kind is good, but it should be action that also sets the scene and helps the reader get an idea of the characters and the story. An epic battle between two people (or armies) that the reader doesn't know yet won't be interesting because there's no reason to care about either side. An argument between two people that establishes their characters and relationships would draw me in much more.

Just don't go overboard just for the sake of it. If Jason being electricuted has nothing to do about your story (which is about marriage problems of a woman who just happens to watch news about Jason on TV in scene one), don't start with this sort of a bang.

It should go without saying, but there are some (published) books that try too hard with a hook or bang that either has nothing to do with the story or sets a completely different mood for a story than the one you're trying to convey (starting with a great horror scene in a chick lit where main conflict is whether MC will get the guy and a new pair of shoes).

So, I agree about the conflict, but it's important that it is related to the story and sets the mood for the story, or at least the mood you want to convey in the first part of your story. Starting with a killer hook just for the lulz is pointless and annoying. In a way, I'd prefer "it was a dark and stormy night" or a slow start than this.

* If Jason being electrocuted has nothing to do WITH your story

An example: I started my 2011 NaNo with a mother waking up my MC telling her they finally found her brother's murderer.

This is a good opening scene, I guess, only it conveys a wrong message. That MC's brother was killed and that the murderer was found. In reality, her brother killed himself and her parents don't accept this, so they accuse random people for this.

All in all, while the scene is important for the story, and while it's catchy, it doesn't make you understand what's going on, and it doesn't set the mood of the story, which is about a high school girl with her friends and her small ambitions (making a school play) and trying not to think about her parent's misery or her death brother (she fails, but we see that throughout the story; the beginning, save for the opening scene, is quite light).

I guess my point is: catchy or not, if it doesn't really advance the story and if it doesn't belong in there, remove it and add something better. Story is the most important, more important than any hook, no matter how catchy.

this is my opening scene for one of my non-nano books that I'm currently stuck in.

http://therealstephen.blogspot.com/

You can always start it off with a conflict, or at least something exciting. That draws a reader in from the beginning and keeps them there, as long as the story is good (which I'm sure it is).

You could also start by introducing some of the characters and what their lives may - or in some cases, may not - be like.

Anything that keeps a reader reading. Or something that you yourself are satisfied with from the start. :)

Never open at the beginning.