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Does this grab your attention? (first page to my book)?

I'm writing a book for the fun of it and was wondering if i could get some input--thanks in advance (i omitted a few things and renamed the main character so it wouldn't be stolen in case you were wondering)

Chapter One

She was alone. Alone, but not lonesome; an important distinction Aya thought to herself. She, for the most part, enjoyed the solitary days picking through the forest. It wasn't that she disliked people, but rather the people that had constantly encircled her back at ________ Castle. Her parent's advisers had endlessly pestered her to assure themselves that she responded satisfactorily to questions and behaved properly. All that fussing had set her over the edge. Aya decided right then and there that she needed to escape. And so the beginnings of a plan formed. The goal was to escape prior to her 16th birthday since it was customary to participate more actively in court affairs once the heir was close to maturity. But Aya didn’t want anything to do with the secretive and crafty world her parents lived in. Instead, she covertly pilfered maps from her father's spymaster, ________, and amassed books that would aid her survival in the wilderness. She studied books on navigation, outdoor survival, and indigenous food of the __________ Forest. After committing it all to memory Aya planned the day of her departure: shortly after her 15th birthday.

The days passed and September 27 finally arrived. There was a huge celebration at the castle: her parents planned a banquet and invited all the royal families and under lords nearby. Loads of guests dressed in lush velvet and grandiose fur coats effusively wished her a happy 15th birthday. Her mother and father were, for once, conversing with her along with hundreds of other bothersome guests. It seemed that everyone she talked with either wanted to better their social standing or they wanted something from her or from her parents. After the vexing banquet ended and all the guests had gone Aya was in high spirits. She could finally hear herself think and she realized that in the next few days she would have an opportunity to execute her plan.

After the excitement of the banquet had worn off and the normal lull of royal life had returned Aya prepared to leave. She took hikes every day scouting escape routes, disposing of any evidence that would lead people to her whereabouts, and gathering the items she would be taking with her. Once everything was finalized, she tucked her satchel, filled with the items she would be taking, in her favorite hiding spot: an unknown closet on the first floor.

On the day of departure, October 4, she woke up knowing she had little time until dawn. The servants would be working soon, if they weren't already doing so. She dressed quickly and quietly in dull peasant clothes. She made her bed and checked to make sure her room was neat and orderly. It was. Everything was going according to plan, but she couldn't figure out why she felt like she shouldn't leave. Then, she heard something rustle. It’s probably just a squirrel outside my window Aya thought. She checked, and sure enough there was a squirrel on the window sill. But she still didn't feel at ease. She heard it again! This time it was more of a swish. Definitely not the squirrel, she rationalized. The noise was getting closer and now she could clearly distinguish the patter of feet.
(I actually had her thoughts in italics, but it didn't show up when i copy and pasted)

Public Comments

1. not bad, and the ending does capture my attention. though i would like more background information on the main character, that could just be my own finickiness.

2. It's impossible to judge a book off of the first page.

3. I like the overall idea and your overall writing style. It flows pretty well.

However, one thing I noticed was that your main character doesn't seem to have a real motivation for wanting to leave (pestering questions can be annoying, but no real reason to run away). There must be something more going on here. Is she feeling pressured to be someone she's not? Must she leave to be true to her own spirit?

Are there other options she's considered? Why is running away the best choice (instead of just hiding in some area of the castle, faking madness, or trading places with the chamber maid)?

You also may want to consider joining a writers community like http://forum.writanon.com. You can get more specific feedback on other things you write there as well. I spend a lot of time there, so I hope to see you around!

4. No, doens't grab the attention. It starts out with too much back story. You should try throwing the character in some kind of action scene to introduce her, then go back and explain the back story (and even then only in pieces).

Oh, and you have to put specific thoughts in "quotes"