035 Starting On The Right Foot/Listener Questions

Despite knowing that one ought to start a story focused on the characters' status quo before dropping the plot on their heads, the guys discuss how difficult it is to do this in practice. How does one let the story breathe in the opening chapters, introducing the reader to the lives the characters lead before stuff starts blowing up? Vito has found that this may be the source of his constant stalling after only a few scenes. The characters need something other than the overarching plot to define who they are and what they care about as the story opens in order to lend depth to the story. Also, the guys answer some listener questions! Thanks for your emails and for sending in your chapters for us to look at!