5 First Chapter Mistakes That Are Killing Your Novel (Project Hail Mary does it right)

Is your first chapter driving readers away before they ever reach chapter two? In this video, I break down the 5 most common first chapter mistakes writers make, and show you exactly how to fix them using Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary as our example. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fifteenth, knowing how to write a first chapter that hooks readers immediately is the difference between a book that sells and one that doesn't. I've published 87 books and these are the mistakes I see over and over in manuscripts. We'll cover: ✅ The #1 hook mistake that kills your opening page ✅ Why starting with action isn't always the answer ✅ The pacing trap most writers fall into ✅ How to introduce your protagonist without losing readers ✅ The promise your first chapter MUST make (and how Project Hail Mary nails it) If you want to write the kind of fiction readers can't put down, this is where it starts. 👱‍♀️ About Me: I’m Shirley Jump, a New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 87 books published in 24 countries. I’ve worked for most of the big 5 New York publishers and have self-published, so I’m a bit of a hybrid author. I’m currently writing for Harper Collins and Hachette, and working on a brand-new series with you guys on this channel. Literally writing the book with you all! Look for my how-to book, Writing Compelling Fiction, on Amazon. 🫤 How’d I Get Here? I wrote TEN books in 8 years before I sold my first one. I was rejected from pretty much everyone in the business, and even quit writing for a while because I was so disheartened. It hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns since that first sale, which is why I’m here to help you learn how to write a better book, so that you can avoid the tough-knocks road I took. So come write with me, and let’s write a better book! 💛 FREE RESOURCES 💛 Grab the FREE Highlighter Method of Learning to Plot, available in my community (which is also free): https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... Get your FREE printable Character Planning Guide here: https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... Wait, there’s more! Don’t forget to grab the FREE Complete Plot Plan Guide here: https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... 🏫 COURSES AND CONSULTS 🏫 Writer’s Boot Camp! An all-new 12-week course taking you from start to finish in your book! Sign up here (use code YOUTUBE to save 10%): https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... Learn to Write a Compelling Romance Novel! Sign up here (use code YOUTUBE to save 10%): https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... BUNDLE two courses in one and save 27%: https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... BOOK A ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SESSION: Do you want in-depth feedback and developmental edits on your book? Then set up a private one-on-one coaching session with me! https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... 📚 HOW-TO BOOKS AND WORKBOOKS 📚 📖 GET THE #1 BESTSELLING RESOURCE: THE WRITING COMPELLING FICTION BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Compel... Or the ALL-NEW Workbook and Planner! https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Compel... 📺 MUST-WATCH VIDEOS 📺 Watch me analyze a Scene from start to finish and Show you EVERYTHING you need to know about writing powerful Scenes!    • MASTERCLASS: How To Turn BORING Scenes int...   How to Make Your Book Unforgettable:    • Part 4: Internal Plot Basics for Beginners...   Do This to Write a Stronger Plot:    • Part 1: How to Plot Your Novel as a Beginn...   Stop Wasting Your Time (and Heart) on Rejection:    • Stop Wasting Your Time on Rejection, Write...   Easy Tips to Show Not Tell:    • BEST Show Not Tell Writing Tricks | Make e...   And don’t forget to hit subscribe so you don’t miss anything!    / @writingcompellingfiction   If you want to become a writer that readers love, and write books that keep readers turning the pages long into the night, then hit subscribe and become part of the Writing Compelling Fiction community! https://writing-s-site-c2a5.thinkific... #writeyourfirstchapter #writebettercharacters #writeabook #howtowrite #howtowritebetter