Point of Attack

Egri is adamant that the story should start with the first line uttered. The characters involved will expose their natures in the course of conflict. It is bad writing to first marshal your evidences, drawing in the background, creating an atmosphere, before you begin the conflict. Whatever your premise, whatever the make-up of your characters, the first line spoken should start the conflict and the inevitable drive toward the proving of the premise.

A writer must find a character who wants something so desperately that he can't wait any longer. His needs are immediate. Why? You have your story or movie the moment you can answer authoritatively why this man must do something so urgently and immediately. Whatever it is, the motivation must have grown out of what happened before the story started. In fact, your story is possible only because it grew out of the very thing that happened before.

It is imperative that your story starts in the middle, and not under any circumstances, at the beginning.

Some examples:

• When a conflict will lead up to a crisis.
• When at least one character has reached a turning point in his life.
• When a decision will precipitate conflict.
• When something vital is at stake at the very beginning of the movie.

There must be something at stake--something pressingly important.