I took chapter 1 to a critique with some published authors. Along for the ride were a couple of other people at my level, who'd just done the same. I got useful feedback (aka I need to fix stuff). Then the ridealong said, "why should I care about this character?"
Now as a smart-alec who writes a smart-alec character named Alex Rune thought, "because you're not a psychopath?"
But more seriously, It's chapter 1, the first ten pages. What makes you want to stick around? What makes you care about the character enough to do that? What turns you off?
--
I know one (of the many) things I did wrong that gave that listener the thought (the pro's did not bring that up). But here' I'm fishing for "as a reader" thoughts, since in the end, I want people shaped like you to read page 11 and beyond.
Now as a smart-alec who writes a smart-alec character named Alex Rune thought, "because you're not a psychopath?"
But more seriously, It's chapter 1, the first ten pages. What makes you want to stick around? What makes you care about the character enough to do that? What turns you off?
--
I know one (of the many) things I did wrong that gave that listener the thought (the pro's did not bring that up). But here' I'm fishing for "as a reader" thoughts, since in the end, I want people shaped like you to read page 11 and beyond.