Everything you need to know about the set-up of your novel
Imagine your novel as a rickety wooden roller coaster. The beginning is that slow, tantalising ascent, creaking towards the sky. The set-up, or Act One, is that ascent – it's about building anticipation, setting the scene and letting readers get to know your characters and their world. And it's important not to rush it: roughly 10% of your novel's word count should be devoted to this stage. So, buckle up, dear writer. Let's dive into the details of crafting an engaging set-up.
Hooking your reader from the off
Like a speed-dating event, first impressions matter in a novel. It's critical to grip your reader from the start. Opening with action – an event, a conflict, a mystery – can immediately draw your reader into your protagonist's world.
Meet your protagonist
Once you've snagged your reader's attention, it's time to introduce your protagonist in their everyday life. This is the 'before' picture, a snapshot of your protagonist's normal routine before all the action kicks off.
Welcome to the world
Then, paint a picture of your protagonist's world. It can be as simple as a sleepy countryside town or as complex as a futuristic alien planet. Just make sure to give readers a sense of place and time.
The external goal
Next, introduce your protagonist's external goal. This is the tangible, concrete thing that they want to achieve. Is it to win a cooking competition? Find their lost cat? Defeat the dark lord? This goal gives readers a sense of what matters to your protagonist.
Hint at the central conflict
To spice things up, hint at the broken thing in your protagonist's world – the thing that needs fixing. This is the central conflict of your story. It could be a personal relationship, a societal issue, or an internal struggle.
Foreshadowing the change
Now, this is crucial. Hint at the thing that will change for your protagonist later, the event that will force them to accept the call to adventure (also known as plot point 1). This keeps readers curious and excited for what's to come.
Why the goal matters
You've told us about your protagonist's external goal, but now show us why it is important to them. What's at stake? Why should we, as readers, care if they achieve it?
The internal goal or flaw
Alongside the external goal, introduce your protagonist's internal goal or establish a flaw in how they see the world. This will need to shift throughout the story, and it's how you'll add depth to your protagonist.
Fleshing out the protagonist
Remember, nobody likes a flat character. So, make your protagonist as three-dimensional as possible. They should have flaws, desires, problems, and a unique personality that distinguishes them from all the other characters.
A closer look at the conflict
After that, take us deeper into the central conflict. What makes it such a significant problem for your protagonist? This helps readers understand and empathise with your protagonist's plight.
Setting up internal vs external goal conflict
Here's where it gets interesting. Set up a conflict between your protagonist's internal and external goals. At some point, they will be forced to choose between these goals, so it's important that you foreshadow this.
Ending the set-up
Lastly, leave us with a clear picture of who the protagonist is now, so we can see how they have changed by the end of the story. This marks the first beat of their character arc.
Rolling into the story
And there you have it, folks – the recipe for a compelling set-up. While there might be some exposition, remember that you need to keep your readers curious. Try not to lean too heavily on exposition or give them too many answers up front. Keep them hooked with enticing questions, and leave them wanting more when providing information. The goal is to create a strong foundation for the rest of your roller coaster – erm, novel – to build upon. The journey of a thousand pages begins with a single word. Or something like that.
💡 Read more about the universal flow of a story from set-up to finale.
