We all know the importance of the first chapter. It must hook the editor and ultimately, the reader, or all is lost. If you don’t pull the reader in with a stunning first chapter, you are sunk.
You can, of course, get thee to a library, where you can sit for lovely hours and read first chapter after first chapter, studying intently as you go. Or, at a retreat in St. Louis this weekend, a writer suggested using samplers.
First you need a Kindle or a FREE Kindle app for the Cloud, iPhone, android phone, iPad, desktop or almost any format you can think of.
Next, search the Kindle store for “sampler,” and you’ll find a host of FREE ebooks that have sample first chapters on a variety of topics. Here are four samplers to start you off.
Be warned! You may find that you simply MUST buy a few of these novels once you read the opening chapters. This could be dangerous to your pocketbook!
Free Ebook Samplers
Oooh. Thanks for the links and the suggestion, Darcy. I always like studying how other authors manage to pull readers into their world. This won’t replace library browsing, but it will help me find projects that aren’t at my local branch
Kristin–Can’t wait to read some of these previews myself.
Darcy
This is EXACTLY the exercise I need to do for my current work in progress. I also use the library a lot–but any sample of library books will contain older books. The Sampler suggestion focuses on books coming out now, which is of course, what I want my first chapter to sound like, as I get ready to submit. You have a unique knack for very practical, usable advice, Darcy.
Thanks, Loriee!
I just hope I don’t wind up buying TOO many books!
Darcy