How to start a story so that it draws the reader in from the beginning

Question

"Why should one lick up the Milky Way? Because it's there!" This age-old feline wisdom is, in truth, not so easy to put into practice, as Kitty soon finds out. To actually reach the Milky Way, you first need a space sheep (and a spaceship, but that's not the issue) — and the best pilot in the entire galaxy. And then Captain Cat and her crew must face numerous adventures. They’ll have to overcome hungry black holes, a playful star, and resist the lure of the green planet before they will finally have boldly gone where no cat has gone before...

That is a little teaser for my short first book (~ 17 000 words) a sci-fi adventure for children and childish adults about the eponymous Captain Cat and her adventures in space.

While I am pretty happy with the characters and the story itself (and so are a lot of my friends who have already read it), there remains one major issue: The beginning is too slow.

I start with describing how Kitty climbs the tallest tree in the forest to prove herself before all other cats. But once she has reached the top, she finds out that the tree is still tiny compared to the mountains, the clouds and the sky itself. So, she sets herself a loftier goal: To lick up the Milky Way! It takes about the first quarter of the book until she actually becomes Captain Cat, after recruiting a crew and getting the spaceship off the ground for the first time. Some of my friends, whom I have asked to give me their opinion, have commented that this beginning is not captivating enough.

Now, I want to make it very clear what Captain Cat's motivation is, so I don't want to dive into the action too quickly, but I kind of understand how the reader expects something entirely different than reading about a young cat struggling with the challenge of climbing a tall tree when there are spaceships on the cover.

How can I fully draw the readers (preferably big and small alike) into this story before they become bored?

Answer 1

If the beginning is dragging, skip it. Begin page one at a later point in the story. You can come back and explain the beginnings later, as you need to. You don’t have to explain all of the reasons before you get to the actions - it’s often better to let the reader wonder why things are happening for a bit before telling them the backstory.

Perhaps start with the point where your character asks her first friend if they’d help her to build a rocket. Now I’m intrigued: why does a cat want to build a rocket? You could also opt to have them not answer that question for a while to build some suspense as to what her motivation is.

You’ve got plenty of opportunity for fun, setbacks and confusions between that moment, and the point where the cast of characters looking at their finished spaceship. So, once your crew has made their preparations for the launch of the rocket, there’s a quiet time for reflection. Someone could ask “so now what do we do?” (or “Now will you tell us why you need a rocket?”). At this point, your Captain Cat can look over to the first tree... and reminisce (briefly) about climbing it that first night and getting the idea.

This isn’t my bright idea, by the way: it’s an old, old technique known as in media res (literally: “amongst matters”), but you’ve seen it a thousand times in screen writing, where it usually goes hand in hand with a “cold open” (drama beginning before any title sequence).

Answer 2

I don't want to dive into the action too quickly, but I kind of understand how the reader expects something entirely different than reading about a young cat struggling with the challenge of climbing a tall tree when there are spaceships on the cover.

Genre bait-and-switch?

In 2025, 'science' may no longer matter but genres do. Even children's stories can't bend the rules too far.

Compare to Ruthven Todd's Space Cat, a cat-protagonist in a hard-ish sci-fi universe. The cat appeals to children by being an avatar – replace feline mascot with Billy the 7yo human stowaway and it's the same story. He's a tag-along adventurer on a grown-up's mission (of course he still saves the day).

It's not just science vs fantastic, it's adventure vs literary coming-of-age. Kids know when they were promised candy but were given spinach. 'Sci-fi adventure' is quite specific, and it sounds like "pew pew pew", not like committing to personal life-goals.

At best it's a subversion, but a little too psychologically adult. As a space adventure it's a 'shaggy dog story' – we spent too much time with no payoff.

Character bait-and-switch?

The opening is establishing a character pattern – this cat will not be satisfied with the moon if she can still see the sun. A bossy Emma-type has a whim for adventure and forces her friends to humor her. The cat's goal is Baron Munchausen-esque, and some other descriptions suggest the story is more whimsy and imagination – kids go an actual mis-adventure while play-acting a space opera.

The sincere-take doesn't quite fit with that ego. Luke Skywalker also looked up at the stars and wished for adventure (pew pew pew), but if it weren't for other more sophisticated characters doing actual galactic-intrigue, Luke would still be a whiny teenager avoiding his chores.

Maybe you have an eye-witness character who acts as an introduction to Captain Cat's world of adventure. This naive character encounters Captain as the readers should. She is already cool, her legend is already underway. Naive tree-climbing cat is still un-selfconsciously ambitious, and is therefore able to insert herself as member of the Captain's crew.

This preserves the Captain as the person who holds the final card. She is a bit mysterious, and a trickster, less Mary Sue, and not undermined by her own ignorance. Tree-cat has a sense of wonder and awe, and fear when it's narratively appropriate.

Kill your darlings

The scene establishes a theme. I can't tell if it pays off later.

The challenge is appropriate for a small cat, but low-bar for 'scifi adventure' – from the description it seems to undermine your promise to the reader. Also, I'm learning that cats don't know how outerspace works – or we don't – I am suspending disbelief, but it's not gone entirely.

So we have a quixotic quest with a naive hero in a world with unestablished rules.... In a 'whimsy' universe I'm expecting wild diversions and funny subversions. Illustrations could counterpoint the fantastic by hinting what's make-believe, if the text doesn't.

Or just kill it and get to the 'pew pew pew', if that's the promise on the label?

"No line is worth a scene; no scene is worth a novel."

It's a cute idea but maybe it just doesn't belong in this story. Put it in a drawer to use or develop later.