There are so many wrong ways to start a story, or even just a scene, and one of the common “wrong” ways is to open with a character waking up. It’s even more “wrong” if the character then goes about his or her ordinary routine–shower, clothes, breakfast, commute. And yet, we’ve all seen and read stories, or scenes, that start, more or less, this way. So what gives? Why is it a “don’t”? And when and how can we make it a “do”? In today’s post, I want to go through just that.
What’s the Rule?
Don’t open a story or scene with a character waking up. Furthermore, don’t then have the character go about her ordinary day.
Why it’s a Rule
There are several reasons why this is a rule:
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