Grab, Delight & Shock Your Readers
Every story lives or dies in its opening pages. As a fantasy/romance writer, I've learned that readers decide quickly whether to stay or go — so your first lines must do real work. Open with tension, a question, or an image that refuses to be ignored. Make them need to know what happens next.
- Start in the middle of action or emotional conflict — not backstory.
- Use sensory detail: what does the scene smell like, sound like, feel like?
- Promise something intriguing and deliver on it fast.
Give Yourself Permission to Be Imperfect
One of the hardest lessons I've had to learn is that first drafts are allowed to be messy. The pressure to get every sentence right on the first pass can paralyze you. Writing is rewriting — and the real craft happens in revision.
Let yourself write badly. Let scenes sprawl. You can't shape what isn't on the page. The fantasy/romance genre thrives on big emotion and sweeping stakes, and those rarely arrive fully formed in draft one.
Lessons From the Desk
Here are a few craft observations I return to again and again:
- Voice over polish. A distinctive narrative voice matters more than flawless grammar in early drafts.
- Scene structure. Every scene should shift something — a relationship, a power balance, a reader's understanding.
- Read like a writer. When a passage moves you, stop and study how the author built it.
For more focused advice — including notes on writing a great love scene — visit the Writing Tips section.