The protagonist changes first, and then starts acting on the rest of the story. Three important lessons on how to begin writing a novel from someone who has never done this before, and is mostly faking his way through it, but with the help of some really smart people: My retell a story anchor chart. Kindergarten anchor Starting 5 or 10 pages before the beginning of the story. How to start a novel story . For example, you could start your story by letting the readers in on a secret about the main character, or you could start with a. Great authors show us there are many ways to start a story. Get a strong story idea. Start with an understanding of your fictional world. As glinda the good witch says in the wizard of oz, “it’s always best to start at the beginning.”that’s where editors and literary agents generally get going, so perhaps you should, too. Parts 1, 2 and 3. Pin this if you think you might need it later! Whether you’re pitching to an agent, a publisher, ...