What happens in Chapter 2?

[SciFrac]

No seriously. You spend a great amount of effort setting up your character, world, and premise in the first chapter. And then what? I realize this changes for every story, but I wanted to get some opinions. What makes the second chapter pop? Are there elements you try to include here?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I treat every chapter like the first - what's the purpose of it, how does it move things forward, does it keep pace? So, the same really. Sorry, boring answer.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I rub my hands together with glee, smile a macabre smile and ask myself how I can torture my character and make their life worse.

 

[Mouse]

Surely it depends what happened in chapter one?! Seriously, stop worrying about these sort of things!

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Unfortunately a lot of the time I start a new book!

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Juliana]

It also depends on how long your chapters are. If we're talking 10,000-word chapters, by the second one I'd hope you'd be in the thick of the action. If you use short chapters, you might need a couple before all the action gets under way...

 

[SciFrac]

Springs, that's been my method thus far, and I like how that feels.

Anya, a very good reminder. Thanks!

Mouse, point taken. There's so much emphasis put on the first chapter, and every new chapter is an opportunity for the reader to stop reading. I just want to hook them consistently.

Greg, ha! I've done that too many times myself.

Juliana, definitely want to the read to engage with my character first. I'm writing for middle grade, so 4000 is a long chapter.

 

[ratsy]

Who cares, just write an awesome book. That's what I plan on doing some year...anyone know a good ghost writer? Haha

 

[BelgarionOz]

That must be a very long chapter if you're describing everyone and everything in it...

 

[Ashleyne]

I can spend days thinking about how to begin a chapter. I find that I cope best by forcing myself to write the first sentence. Once I've done that, my fingers are flying and I can always go back and edit if I need to (and I always need to).

I think it's best to just bury yourself into the minds of the characters and write in the moment, with an occasional pause for thought, until you’ve reach the next plot point.
Don't think or plan too much and allow the events to surprise you. Even if you have to delete every word you've written, above all else, keep writing and make sure you're having fun with your story.