The First Chapter Is The Last Chapter

The first chapter you write is the last chapter you finish.

Aka: beginnings blow.

Lucy's post from yesterday is far more eloquent in the detailed importance of a strong beginning. If you want advice on how to write well, read it  now. Better yet, print and frame it.

I'm going tell you why my CPs hate me. Hate me with all the hateyMchateypants powers of the world. Chapters 1-10.  Over. And Over. And Over. And Over.

Yep. I'm like a race car burning rubber at the starting line.  There's a lot of smoke and a lot of stink before my tires are hot enough to give me the grip I need to hurtle down the track to the end. Middle? End? Not a problem. Getting to know these characters with whom I'm going to spend 150k words? Takes for fucking ever. All of them have goals, all of them have motivations, all of them have conflicts, and all of them need each other to get what they want. Showing that and deciding what to show of that... ~bangs head on desk~

But once I get it "right"? Vroom, vroom, baby!

Oh, but lest you think "The End" = Done   ~falls over laughing~   No, no. Once I've written "The End" I have to go back to the frippin' beginning. I have to make sure:

• I've properly seeded the OMG moments
• The world-building doesn't dominate the story
• The characters are unmolded putty compared to how they are at the end of their evolution
• The protag's life prior to the Inciting Moment sufficiently shows the skills and mindset the protag brings to the challenges facing her.
• The Inciting Moment sets the proper tone for the rest of the plot. 

Yeah, so the most difficult part of the story for me to write? The Beginning. Which is really The End. But it's the Beginning. Chicken? Egg? Anyone? Anyone?

Tell me, dear readers, when you hit The End, is it really The End for you or is it The Beginning?