: Re: Should my opening include a religious initiation ritual? I am about to start my first novel set in a fantasy world I am designing, and am struggling deeply with my first scene. I have read

@Pope4766717

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I would personally advise against it. Unless you're an already well-known author, it is in your best interest to start novels with scenes that suck readers in. Expositional things such as this, while very important to the lore and story, are often perceived as dull and boring if the reader is not invested in the characters and world yet, which they can't be since you just started your novel (unless it's part of a series).

I would warmly advise you to perhaps leave this scene for a later time, after you've sucked the reader in with a more enticing scene that will leave the reader hungry to know what comes next.

I'm not saying your scene can't make that impression on a reader :). It might really make the reader want to find out more about the ritual, thus compelling them to keep reading, but since you mentioned that it was going to be a bit more generic to keep ambiguity at a minimum, I'm afraid that's not likely going to be the case.

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