Pictures of actors on the red carpet movie “Treason”

Think of your lead as a tour guide. If people sign up for a tour and meet at the desginated start point to find no one there or a group of people who are indistinguishable, confusion and chaos will soon ensue. Readers and audience members want to be lead, so lead them. They’re going to want to latch onto the first character they see…any port in the storm…and if your protagonist doesn’t come in until after a bunch of people or other plot points are introduced, they’re going to be wasting time investing interest in the wrong person and will then feel jarred and probably unsatisfied when they realize the story isn’t about who they thought it was about. Also, on a practical level, the sooner you introduce your lead, the more time you have to build an emotional connection with the reader.

February 9, 2022 | 7:30 pm