Every writer dreads it—that blinking cursor at the top of a blank page. Chapter One feels like it needs to be epic. Perfect. Unforgettable.
And that pressure? It’s a creativity killer.
If you’re frozen at the start of your fiction book (or even your memoir), I want to teach you a little trick I call the “TV Show Method.” It’s helped my 30 Day Author students break through the pressure of the first chapter and actually start writing.
Let’s walk through what this method is, why it works, and how you can use it today.
What Is the TV Show Method?
Think of your favorite binge-worthy show. The first episode doesn’t explain everything. It drops you into the action. Something interesting is happening, a character is doing something important, and you’re immediately curious.
You don’t need the backstory first—you need the hook.
Your novel should start the same way.
Step 1: Drop Us Into the Middle of Something
Great TV shows never open with a character brushing their teeth. They drop you right into the heat of the moment.
Example 1: Breaking Bad
The pilot opens with Walter White in his underwear, driving an RV at top speed through the desert. There are dead bodies in the back, a gun on the seat, and sirens in the distance.
We don’t know who he is, what he’s done, or why he’s doing it—but we have to keep watching to find out.
Example 2: Scandal
The first episode begins with a high-stakes job interview that’s actually a cover for a crisis. Olivia Pope is fixing a scandal before we even know who she is—and from moment one, we understand the pace, stakes, and pressure of her world.
Takeaway: Start with tension, not timeline. Your reader will catch up—but only if you make them care right away.
Step 2: Introduce Character Through Action
Let us meet your characters the way TV shows do: by what they do, not what they say about themselves.
Example 1: The West Wing
President Bartlet isn’t introduced with a bio. He walks into a room, shuts down a religious extremist with scripture, and suddenly you know everything you need: he’s smart, composed, and not here to play politics.
Example 2: Fleabag
In the very first scene, Fleabag breaks the fourth wall to explain the night she’s having—while hiding the fact that she’s just had a major personal breakdown. Her dry humor, self-sabotage, and vulnerability are all baked into what she does, not what she says about herself.
Takeaway: What your character chooses to do in the first chapter tells us more than any description ever could.
Step 3: Hint at the Bigger Picture (But Don’t Explain It All)
TV pilots are brilliant at giving you just enough of the puzzle to keep watching—but never enough to feel “done.”
Example 1: Lost
You wake up with Jack on a beach surrounded by wreckage. People are screaming, planes are exploding… and then weird things start happening in the jungle. You get zero exposition, but you’re all in.
Example 2: Stranger Things
The first scene shows a child vanishing into thin air—and something strange lurking in the shadows. We don’t get a science lesson. We get a vibe. And it’s chilling.
Takeaway: Drop clues. Leave questions unanswered. If your reader feels like they’re being handed a puzzle they want to solve, they’ll turn the page.
Bonus Tip: Write Chapter One LAST
This might sound wild, but one of my favorite tricks for getting unstuck is to skip Chapter One and come back to it later. Why? Because once you’ve written the rest of your book, you’ll have so much more clarity about how it should begin.
You’ll understand your characters, your tone, your world—and you’ll know exactly what moment to drop readers into.
So if Chapter One is keeping you stuck, give yourself permission to write Chapter Two first. Or start in the middle. Just start somewhere.
Want More Tools Like This?
Outlining your fiction book doesn’t have to be overwhelming or rigid. Inside 30 Day Author, I’ll teach you flexible plot-building strategies like the TV Show Method, the Scene Stack Framework, and my famous “First Five Scenes” technique that makes Chapter One a breeze.
You’ll also get daily writing prompts, accountability support, and the confidence to actually finish your book (instead of staring at your screen for weeks on end).
Just Remember:
You don’t have to write your first chapter perfectly—you just have to write it boldly. Chapter One isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s about pulling readers in with emotion, energy, and a reason to keep going.
So go ahead. Drop us into the action. Write like your story is already in motion—because it is.
👉 Join 30 Day Author and let’s kickstart your story together.
