At a writing conference I attended, editor Alyson Heller spoke on this topic. Here are some things she looks for in the beginning of a novel:
*Not bogged down with info-dumping
*There needs to be emotion right away
*Needs to see why the character is feeling the emotion
*Have a sense of the character right away (personality, voice, etc)
*At least a hint of what the main character wants
*A consistent tone
Alyson Heller asked us: What do you want readers to know about your character right off the bat?
And whatever your answer is, make sure it’s on the first page!
