SWRT 227 | In Media Res

October 28, 2021

person typing on MacBook Pro on brown wooden table during daytime photo

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Robert discuss what it means to open your story in media res. When is it a good idea to start in the middle of action? How does that affect the opening of your work, character introductions, and more?

VIDEO

AUDIO

SHOW NOTES

What we talked about:

What does it mean to start in media res? (0:43)

Does in media res have to be a prologue? (3:21)

The danger of confusing the reader. (4:35)

Using a “type”. (6:29)

The problem of complexity. (9:08)

What is the character about? And what is the story about? (10:40)

Think about your genre and how you want to introduce your characters. (13:05)

Familiarity is key. (14:50)

Go back and fill in the blanks! (16:47)

Test your opening, is it the story you want to tell? (19:30)

Movie trailers versus novel openings. (21:00)

LINKS

Get Alida’s Writing Tips here.

Things we mentioned:

Indiana Jones
Lionel Shriver

Want more about these topics:

SWRT 167: In Media Res

Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.

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About Your Hosts

Alida Winternheimer is an award-winning author with an MFA in writing from Hamline University. She pursues her fervor for all things story as a writing coach, developmental editor, and teacher. Two of her short stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She is the author of The Story Works Guide to Writing Fiction Series. Alida lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her Golden Retriever, Seva the Wonder Dog. She camps, bikes, and kayaks in her free time. Unless it’s winter, in which case she drinks chai by the fire. You can find more at www.alidawinternheimer.com.

Kathryn Arnold writes fantasy and anything else that sparks her creativity from her home in Kingston, Washington. She currently earns her living as an insurance underwriting assistant, where she also creates marketing and web copy. When not writing, she plays (and teaches) piano and keyboard in a band (or two), and is working on starting a ministry team with her husband. You can find Kathryn at www.skyfirewords.com.

Robert Scanlon was born in Australia, but whisked off to England when only a baby. After many years complaining about the weather, he did the sensible thing and moved back to Australia. Despite a career in the music industry, followed by decades teaching public speaking, Robert is an introvert who adores reading. Robert grew up on a diet of sci-fi masters, eventually discovering he had read the library’s entire science fiction section. Now he has to write his own. Robert is the author of Constellation, book one of the Blood Empire space opera series. Find out more at www.RobertScanlon.com