Fiction: When The Beginning Comes Last

Do you find yourself questioning if the first chapters of your novel are good? Should you go back and revise them? My advice is simple - DON'T - at least not until you've reached the end of your novel. Even if you've outlined extensively and think you know the ending of your novel, most likely you don't. As you write, your characters will come alive, taking on nuances and goals you never imagined. Your understanding of them will deepen, beyond any character sketches you made during your planning phase. At some point, your characters may take over, twisting your plot in new, wondrous ways. Let your characters run with their story. Become an observer, and then, when you do reach the end of the novel, you will finally understand what your characters and your novel are truly about. And only then will you be able to write the beginning that is perfect for your novel.