Fiction Editors: What advice do you have for writers about the beginning of their pieces?

Avoid “throat clearing”—the tendency writers have to take too long establishing character, setting, time, and relationships before something interesting happens. As readers, we don’t need much information to participate in a story. Start with conflict, with a disruption, and we’ll fill in the blanks about the details (who the character is, where they are, etc.). Conflict gives us a reason to care about the character, and if we have that, we’re more than willing to go along on the journey with you and discover everything there is to discover in your story.

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