On First
Chapters
Every book
I’ve written has one thing in common: the first scene never changes. I know different
authors brainstorm in different ways. But when it comes to first scenes, I’ve
been lucky enough that the first chapter I’ve written has been the one that
sticks.
I come into
a project with the first scene already brewing in my head. With my debut YA, The Vicious Deep, it was a brilliant
beach day that turned into a typhoon. In the sequel, The Savage Blue, I started with a
sword fight. With Luck on the Line, my first NA
romance, I imagined that coffee shop scene over and over before the rest of the
novel came to me.
I imagine a
very bold thought or action or just plain start in media res, and make that the focal point. I want to forget
about the weather, the sunrise, or the moment that my protagonist first wakes
up and brushes his or her teeth. I want to skip over the monotony or mundane and
get into the instance where things begin to change for my heroine. I like to
think the beginning of the middle is right where my story needs to start.
Let me tell
you a little bit about my decisions for the first chapters in my New Adult
romance series.
For my On the Verge series, I knew I wanted to
have bold, no-nonsense girls. I open Luck
on the Line with the protagonist, Lucky, stealing her love interest’s
coffee after an insta-hate interaction. This was my first shot at any kind of
non-YA writing since college, and I was afraid. Every time I wrote a short
story I was told to age up to thirty or down to teens. It’s like girls in their
early to mid twenties didn’t exists as an age group! Anyway, I took that
sentiment and knew I wanted to do justice to the kind of love story that I
wanted to tell. I also wanted to stay true to myself. I love characters that
are complicated and stubborn (because aren’t we all?). I love girls who are
sarcastic, and men who are understanding and sexy. I love people who challenge each other and create that spark that is so very important when it
comes to romance. So when I came to Lucky and James, I knew a misunderstanding
was the best way to bring about their eventual attraction.
LOVE ON
THE LEDGE available now on Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | B&N | Audible |
Google
Play
In this book,
I wanted to take write about someone with a broken heart. Love is sometimes
stronger after it’s gone through the ringer and this is true for my protagonist
Sky Lopez. Coming from a relationship torn apart by infidelity, Sky isn’t
looking for anything that could lead to more heart break. This is why I chose
to start with the promise of a wedding. Facing the very thing that could have been in your future is hard.
It’s like staring at a missed opportunity in the face. Sky’s journey is about love, loss, family,
and all kinds of acceptance. Most importantly, it’s about the challenge of what
you would do if the very thing you wanted fell right at your feet?
LIFE ON
THE LEVEL: 2/23/16
River
Thomas is a wild card, and I wanted to make sure that it was known from chapter
one. Things get steamy instantly, and the rest of the novel unfolds from the
choices River has taken in the past and present. Like I said, I like writing
bout complicated girls, and River is no exception. She’s hard to love, and I
think she likes it that way. Sometimes accepting love from others is hard to
do. Opening yourself up to being vulnerable is scary. Whether it’s romance,
friendship, or something in between. I knew River’s story had to start from a
place of brash emotion, need, and a life-changing spark.
When it
comes to first scenes, I think it’s best to listen to your characters. What is
the tone that needs to be set for the rest of the story to fall into place?
What defines your character and the choices that lie ahead? What makes you
excited to continue? These are the things I like to ask myself before I head on
over to Chapter Two.
I leave you
with chapter one of LOVE ON THE LEDGE from Wattpad. I hope you
enjoy!
Tweet me at
@Zlikeinzorro or emails me at zoraidawrites@gmail.com.
About Zoraida
RANDOM THINGS ABOUT
ZORAIDA
1.
My patronus is a hippocampus. Or Jesse
Spano Being Excited. It depends on the day.
3.
I can eat an entire pizza pie by
myself. It’s not pretty.
4.
Ginger is my favorite Spice Girl.
5.
Spanish is my first language. I was
born in Ecuador. That’s pretty much why I made Sky Lopez from Love on the
Ledge, Ecuadorian.
6.
Hayden from Love on the Ledge is
a roofer. There’s just something about a man with a toolbelt that can be really
sexy. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/28/ad/5f/28ad5f056105b6949e610ea27e38f5d3.jpg
7.
I love Orlando Bloom. See: my pillow
9.
I don’t know how to swim. It’s only
kind of ironic because my debut novel is about mermaids. Listen, I know enough
to fear and respect the sea.
10. I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was 13.
11.
I lived in Montana for six months in
college. It is my favorite state, and the setting for my next romance, Life on the Level.
12. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo every year since 2010! It’s a great
kick in the pants to get to writing. For all you writers out there looking to
get word on the page, it’s great motivation.
Shared dreams? Good luck. Wish I could do NaNo, but with a full-time job, not possible, not logical.
ReplyDeleteI work full time as well. When I wrote my YA, I was working full time and going to school fill time. I wish I still had the energy I did when I was 19. HAHA.
DeleteHi Zoraida! I want you to know when I was younger I could eat the entire pizza too! Ha! No one got in my way!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take your advice you wrote at the beginning of your blog. I'm rewriting the book I'll be promoting in this Blogfest in 2 days. Hope to have it out again in October. It'll have a new name and new feel to it. Your advice about being bold and going for when there is a change for the character makes sense. That's what I'm doing. I've cut out a lot. Your blog has helped me confirm to continue on my path! Thank you!
Hi Sara,
DeleteThanks so much for your words. I'm glad I could help, and I hope your rewrite goes well :)