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<blockquote data-quote="Jen" data-source="post: 2532238" data-attributes="member: 207594">Generally you shouldn&#039;t open your novel with a question. Unless it&#039;s really spectacular and can pull the reader into the story.&nbsp; &quot;Why have I been crying so much?&quot; Isn&#039;t really gripping. However if you still wanted to continue on that route I would phrase it: &quot;Why have I been crying so much?&quot; asked Jean (insert characters last name) then add a little more info.When writing in third person always introduce your characters for the first time with first and last names.&nbsp;In&nbsp; the paragraph you&#039;ve displayed, I would consider moving sentences around or deleting or perhaps begin with something else. Keep in my mind readers need to warm up to your characters, become invested in the story and this paragraph feels like something that would be said later and not in the beginning.&nbsp;Also, I&#039;m not sure what your character is doing in this scene. Is she driving? On a plane? Walking out of the hospital? You should indicate the setting with a bit of description, having her reflect on why she has been crying so much. It might be a better way to open the story instead of asking the question.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Jen, post: 2532238, member: 207594"] Generally you shouldn't open your novel with a question. Unless it's really spectacular and can pull the reader into the story. "Why have I been crying so much?" Isn't really gripping. However if you still wanted to continue on that route I would phrase it: "Why have I been crying so much?" asked Jean (insert characters last name) then add a little more info. When writing in third person always introduce your characters for the first time with first and last names. In the paragraph you've displayed, I would consider moving sentences around or deleting or perhaps begin with something else. Keep in my mind readers need to warm up to your characters, become invested in the story and this paragraph feels like something that would be said later and not in the beginning. Also, I'm not sure what your character is doing in this scene. Is she driving? On a plane? Walking out of the hospital? You should indicate the setting with a bit of description, having her reflect on why she has been crying so much. It might be a better way to open the story instead of asking the question. [/QUOTE]

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