How to Write a Strong Opening Chapter That Hooks Your Reader
Let’s be honest—the first chapters are make-or-break territory.
Your reader picks up the book, flips open to page one… and within minutes, they’ve already decided: Am I in or am I out?
That’s the power (and pressure) of your opening chapter. Whether you’re writing fantasy, romance, sci-fi, or contemporary fiction, the first chapter is your one shot to hook readers, ground them in your world, and make them care enough to keep turning pages.
So let’s walk through how to write an opening chapter that grabs attention, builds curiosity, and sets the tone for the amazing story ahead.
What Is the Purpose of a First Chapter?
Before we dive into tips, it’s important to understand what your first chapter needs to do. A strong opening typically:
Introduces the main character (or at least one of them)
Establishes the setting or world
Teases the central conflict or stakes
Creates emotional investment
Leaves readers with a reason to keep going
Think of it like setting the stage before the curtain rises. You don’t need to give everything away—you just need to hook their attention and hint that something bigger is coming.
Tip #1: Start with Movement or Intrigue
A common mistake is starting with too much exposition or backstory. If your book opens with a character waking up, staring out a window, or thinking about their childhood trauma—readers might check out before the good stuff happens.
Instead, start in motion.
That doesn’t mean you need to begin with a car chase or battle scene (though you can), but you want the character doing something that reveals personality and hints at deeper tension.
Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The book opens with Katniss waking up—but within the first page, we learn about her surroundings, her relationship with Prim, and the looming dread of the Reaping. It’s quiet, but emotionally charged and full of tension. You feel something coming.
Try this: Ask yourself, What’s the most interesting thing happening to my character right now that introduces their world and a hint of conflict?
Tip #2: Introduce Your Protagonist with Purpose
Your main character doesn’t have to be likable right away, but they do need to be interesting and active. Readers want to latch onto someone with personality, goals, or tension.
Avoid passive characters in your first chapter. Even if they’re uncertain or scared, let them make a choice, want something, or react to a situation in a compelling way.
Example: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson opens with snark, attitude, and confusion about what’s going on. He’s relatable, funny, and clearly in the middle of a mess he doesn’t understand—but he’s trying. That effort makes us root for him.
Ask yourself: What’s one thing my character wants right now, and how can I show that on page one?
Tip #3: Build the World Naturally—Avoid Info Dumps
Especially in fantasy or sci-fi, it’s tempting to explain how everything works in the first few pages. But readers aren’t there for a lecture—they’re there for a story.
Reveal your world through character interaction, description, and conflict.
Let readers discover the rules of your universe organically. Think of world-building as a trail of breadcrumbs, not a history textbook.
Example: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
We learn about the Silver-blooded elite and the Red-blooded workers through Mare’s experience and reactions, not through a massive info dump. We’re dropped into her world and feel the divide without being told every detail upfront.
Tip #4: Introduce a Hint of Conflict or Mystery
Every great first chapter teases something. A secret. A danger. A choice. A shift. The goal is to make the reader ask:
“What happens next?”
Even if your central conflict doesn’t fully show up until later, plant the seed of it in Chapter One. Raise a question that demands an answer.
Example: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The opening introduces a mysterious circus and a young boy who’s about to be trained in something magical. We don’t fully understand it yet—but we want to.
Tip #5: Create a Clear Emotional Anchor
Readers fall in love with books because of how they feel. Your opening chapter should give us something to emotionally connect with—whether it’s fear, hope, love, tension, or even humor.
Let readers feel something, and they’ll stay for the journey.
Example: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Ove is grumpy, judgmental, and hard to like—but he’s also deeply human, and you can sense there’s pain beneath his sharp edges. That emotional undercurrent is what keeps you turning the page.
First Chapter Checklist
Before you move on to Chapter Two, ask yourself:
✅ Have I introduced my protagonist doing something active or interesting?
✅ Is there a sense of where we are and what kind of world this is?
✅ Have I hinted at conflict, stakes, or mystery?
✅ Does the reader have a reason to turn the page?
✅ Have I created an emotional connection?
If the answer is yes to most of these, you’re off to a strong start!
Final Thoughts
The truth is, writing a killer first chapter takes time, revision, and feedback. Don’t stress about getting it perfect on your first try. Your goal is to grab the reader’s heart and curiosity, and lead them willingly into the rest of your world.
So, come back to these tips, whether you’re outlining your story or editing your first draft. Read the openings of your favorite books. Highlight what works. Then apply it to your own voice, your own characters, and your own world.
You’ve got something amazing to say—now let your opening chapter prove it.
Want more tips like this?
Check out the rest of the Creative Writing Tips on the blog! You can also visit brandonrohrbaugh.com for writing resources, book updates, and more behind-the-scenes insights.
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