Here's how I recommend starting your novel: starting with your protagonist's project.

Don't begin with the big picture, the big story, the real plot. Trying to do that generally leads to a confused reader (because you need to explain how the real plot works), or a bewildered writer (because you aren't sure how to sequence all the moving parts).

Begin, instead, with the protagonist's own story.

In the ABC plot structure that we will soon study, we call this project the "A plot line."

The secret of the project / A plot-line is that it is relatively simple and small-scale. So it doesn't require very much exposition or explanation.

As the video suggests, a good A-plot:

concerns a practical, concrete goal
is everyday, human, and relatable
takes place in the same space and time as your "big" plot
but is somehow in tension with that bigger storyline

PS Many novels DO NOT have an A-plot. In the video, I give examples of the technique as it is used by Edith Wharton, N.K. Jemisin, Lee Child, and Gillian Flynn. But this should not imply that it is a universal requirement or that all novelists use it.

However, as you'll see in the next lessons of this course, it is a really, really useful element to deploy in a novel.

Tell me what you think about this technique in a comment below!

The Project – how to begin your novel

This course is only available for enrolled students only.

The first day: how to start your book

Welcome to the Course!

How to Begin Your Novel

The first week: how to use the character-first method

How to Set Limits on your Novel

A Story That Reads Quickly

You Should Narrate More

Download the Pre-writing Manual (it's amazing)

The first month: plot out your entire novel and start writing

The Heart of the Course: the ABC Plot

Optional: ABC Plot Troubleshooting, Tips, and Examples

Internal Conflict to Drive Forward Your Story

External Conflict to Keep Your Reader's Attention

The Plotting Manual - It's Time to Plan This Story Out!

Your Quick Start Guide

Conclusion

The Quick Win

Resources and Download

Bonuses, live sessions, and acknowledgements

Live sessions