Nathan Bransford - The Forums

So, I'm in the midst of writing this uber-fab YA book, right? And of course I think it's awesome - as I'm sure we all feel when we find the groove. But when I need a break, I scour the blogs and interviews of people I'd like to be like when I grow up, and I came across this tidbit by a highfalutin agent (not our homeskillet Nathan) that said that the central conflict of a novel should be exposed in the first couple of pages.

Now this got me thinkin'... are we talkin' the first 5 pages or 50? By definition, one would assume (yes, I know what that gets me) that "couple" means the first 2-3 pages, but what ever happened to building suspense, to unveiling a bit at a time? If my main character is being taken to a new world and doesn't know why, and part of the suspense is in proving that it was not for the reasons she thought, doesn't it seem like I'm putting the cart before the horse if I tell you that from the word "go"?

Ugh. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, somebody pulls the rug out from under you. And damn if it didn't really tie the room together...

I take that advice to mean that you should have at least laid out the tone of your novel in the first few pages - given your readers a sense of what to expect, where your story is going, that kind of thing. Not that you have to give away your big reveal right out front, but the approaching conflict should be out in the open.

Like... writing a romance? The first few pages should set the tone of how it's going to play out. Open with a breakup, or a chance meeting, or something to set the tone of "this is a romantic story and the conflict is Character X is heartbroken because her husband just died and she doesn't know if she'll ever love again. But you know she will!"

Writing a thriller? The book opens with an attack. Your protagonist is investigating a strange crime scene where something otherworldly is obviously going on. Or they're a paranoid agoraphobic because they've been previously attacked by a serial killer.

Do you see what I'm trying to get at? The advice isn't to give away your whole story, but to set the tone and give the reader a reasonable expectation for the type of adventure you're taking them on. Within the first few pages, they should know if they're reading a mystery, or a fantasy epic, or a romantic comedy, etc., and have a good idea about who the protagonist is and what they're eventually going to be up against.

Maybegenius-

That is VERY helpful and relieving - THANKS! :) -Emily

Introducing a conflict in an opening is a bit of pat advice with exceptions. A bridging conflict, as Donald Maass calls it, is a minor but revealing conflict that spans an opening and leads toward other bridging conflicts and/or toward a central conflict introduced later. As a character experiences revelations resulting from recognizing and addressing the bridging conflicts as they arise, the central conflict becomes apparent to the character. A life-defining complication that leads to a central conflict is another exception. The one requirement of a central conflict is that it be something not easily resolved. A bridging conflict can be readily resolved or become complicated by further complications, but should reveal greater, relevant, underlying conflicts.

Using a car repair metaphor. The engine overheats and squeals. Replacing the worn fanbelt making the squealing noise brings the temperature down but the engine still overheats at low speeds. While replacing the fanbelt, a minor leak is discovered in the radiator. Fixing the radiator brings the temperature down further, but the engine still overheats when idling. The system is intact, no more leaks. By a process of elimination, what's left is a sticking thermostat. Replacing the thermostat fixes the overheating problem. The engine starts making a tapping noise. Overheating on top of high mileage has distorted push rods in the engine. The realization comes that the engine is on its last legs. That central complication gives rise to the central conflict. How long will the engine last and what further problems will it create? Buy another vehicle? Replace the engine? Where's the money going to come from? How to get around without a working car when the engine does fail? The central conflict might then be a rags or riches kind of opposition that's been brewing since the opening, finally revealed as a life-defining challenge to be overcome.

Not much there for a story, per se. To me, though, that's a real world example of the turns of revelation and recognition and setbacks and letdowns that demonstrate how conflict and complications play out in stories.