I must confess that my life was recently turned on its head. I now have a completely different view of the world. Everything seems so much brighter, better defined. My world will never look the same again. And I owe it all to corrective lenses.

With that out of the way, we can begin the lesson. Let's check your homework… ... … Hmm? What's this? No one wrote their 200 word story and RiceballNinja appears to be the only one to have done the second piece of homework. And it looks pretty darn good. I want this in your notes, all of you: Pussy. It is very important. Got that? Alright! Today's topic is the beginning of the story.

It is incredibly important that your fanfiction begin in an interesting way. Who wants to read a story which begins with a very dull in-depth description of an accountant's average day? Not I. The story should begin with something that matches up with the genrte which is likely to make someone keep reading. It is not necessary to do this for the beginning of every single chapter, but it helps get the reader to stick around. I'd say that it should be done for the beginning of every story arc, even if the excitement is only done as a lead-in to the main storyline that you're trying to get them hooked on. This is used to great effect in the Simpsons and Family Guy, and these shows are great examples to take a look at for tips.

For the romance, especially the tragic romance, a great way to kick the story off is with a dramatic scene which matches the emotional feel that you want to give the story. This can be done by having the main character observe young lovers, daydream, or remember something from his/her past.

In an action story, the best way to go is with a thrilling fight or chase. Be sure to include a little information about the characters so we get a feel for the character in addition to the rush we want to feel when we read a good action.

Comedic stories should start out in a comedic way. That doesn't mean you should start it off with a knock-knock joke. Though I won't stop you. The laughter doesn't have to be in the first sentence or even paragraph, but the reader shouldn't be left waiting too long for the joke or, worse yet, be given a lame one.

The important thing about an opening chapter is that it gives an accurate portrayal of what we can expect from the story; a little info about who the characters are, what they do, and their motivation for it; and it must make the reader want to find out what's next. You can't force the reader to keep going physically or with promises that it will get better. You need to give them a reason to have faith.

With that, we're done for the week. I have no new assignments for you, but you can still earn some credit by doing some of the previously assigned homework. And never forget: "Never give up! Never stop fighting! Never give to charity!"