Beginnings: Part Two

Continuing from the last post, as one might guess from the title, this will talk more about beginnings. For example, does one always have to start at the beginning? Well, that depends on what you mean. Yes, you have to start at page one, unless your book is like one of those books that always seems to start on page seven or something for no apparent reason. But sometimes, the beginning of the action is not the beginning of the story. Or, for non-fiction writers, the main thrust is not the start of your project. We'll get to that in a moment. Fiction first.
We've all seen it done, probably all seen it done well and poorly. Some books start before the action begins. Usually this is done so that readers can see a bit of the protagonist and his (generic he) life before it all blows up in his face. Done well, it can be powerfully effective. Done poorly, everybody stops reading. First thing to remember is that people do not have to read your story, and most people will not feel any obligation to read past a few paragraphs unless you make them want to read. A good beginning is perhaps the most important part of any written work. The reader must be hooked quickly. That is why so many start off with action so quickly.
That being the case, why start before the action at all? Well, as I mentioned before, done right, it is very effective. And what's the secret to doing it right? Brevity helps. A few paragraphs, maybe a couple of pages in a novel, if you've got a full chapter, it's probably too long. Second, whatever you do, don't make it boring. Yes, it's possible to make background information interesting. Foreshadowing helps, if done well; subtle usually works better than dramatic. Humor is always a useful tool, in all but the most serious of pieces. Get the reader interested in your protagonist. Making him likable is a good start. Successful stories can and have been written with unlikable protagonists, but why make things that much harder for yourself?
Alright, in non-fiction, why might you not want to start with your main point? Sometimes your main point needs some background information first. Sometimes, it is more effective to lead into your main point. It is possible that sometimes people will have read something you've written, so so avoid being boring, and make sure you are clear in your writing. If I can't understand something I'm reading, I may stop, even if I'm supposed to read the whole thing. If you can find a way to explain calculus in such away it sounds fun and exciting, wonderful! Explain it to me. Failing that, as long as it is clearly understandable, you're got a good start.
Prologues. Good idea or bad idea? Yes.
Like any other tool in writing, done well, they are great and effective. Done poorly, well, they may stop someone from reading further. Many agents and editors are a bit disenchanted with prologues. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use one if you feel your story requires it, but do consider carefully before putting one in. My current novel, I had two people suggest I put in a prologue. I did so, and I actually like it a good deal, but eventually decided to take it out. I will post it here, once I figure out how to do that without setting of the HTML alarms. Next post: why start after the action.

Really cool underused word of the day:
Persnickety-picky about little details