Need a little advice

[die2live]

I'm working on the beginning of a novel at this time. I really just need something that introduces my main character, gives a little bit of background, is relatively short and is not depressing. THe story is set in the late 1700's and is about a girl (Atty Jadon) who has been arrested and convicted of a crime that she did not commit. She is currently awaiting transportation to an Australian penal colony on board a ship (You can see how I struggle not to make this depressing). My mom suggested having her have a dream of before she was arrested, then wake up on board the ship.
Obviously, with this little bit of info, I don't expect anyone to give me an in-depth scenario to begin with. Just send thoughts on beginnings in general.

 

[wolfchild12]

have her dream of the few days before she was arrested.

 

[Westvleteren]

A long voyage by sea would provide a lot of time to sit in cramped quarters below deck and reflect on how one got there. Or, if you're feeling more romantic, maybe staring out at the vast ocean from the deck.

You don't have to do anything elaborate--lots of novels start with the protagonist in some situation, then taking a moment to think back on how they ended up in that situation. I don't think the reader would have any trouble following you if you use that construction.

Sounds like a great premise for a novel -- good luck!

 

[Slina]

Or something else you could do is actually show her arrest. Start just enough before so you can have her enjoying life, maybe everything is going very well for her, or something exciting either just happened or is about to happen. (That would give you the 'undepressing' opening.) But by the end of the chapter, have her actually get arrested. Then, depending on the rest of your story, either show her being taken to the ship, or just make the next scene have her already on the ship.

Similar to that is to open with her on the ship. Establish what's going on, and the conflict she's facing, then flash back and show the day/night of her arrest like in the other idea. Would either of those ideas work?

 

[die2live]

Thanks, everyone. I think I got a grasp on what I'm going to do. She's going to start out on the ship, just after a minor prison revolt, which has just failed. Hopefully, that will provide enough excitement without too much. She ends up actually talking with someone about her arrest. I didn't want to dwell on that too much because it's not part of the story. THis set up makes the telling of the arrest siginificant to character development as well as background info. Thanks for all your ideas!!

 

[Lyle]

perhaps have her looking out a window; expressions of her past. Expoisition (background information) should be sprinkled throughout the entire story, and not placed all up front.

 

[Westvleteren]

Thanks, everyone. I think I got a grasp on what I'm going to do. She's going to start out on the ship, just after a minor prison revolt, which has just failed. Hopefully, that will provide enough excitement without too much. She ends up actually talking with someone about her arrest. I didn't want to dwell on that too much because it's not part of the story. THis set up makes the telling of the arrest siginificant to character development as well as background info. Thanks for all your ideas!!

Wow -- that's a great idea. It will start your story off with a bang that will get the reader's attention and yet still provide an opportunity to get in the background information. Good job!

 

[die2live]

Wow -- that's a great idea. It will start your story off with a bang that will get the reader's attention and yet still provide an opportunity to get in the background information. Good job!

Thanks.