1. MAIN THEME
Introduce the main theme of the story within the first few pages. This should be something very important and central to the main plot, and should be recurring throughout the entire story.
2. NO BACKSTORIES
There should be no backstories within the first couple of pages. Stay in the present and deal with the ongoing action, don't time travel if not necessary.
3. AVOID SET-UPS
The story should begin in the heart of things. Cut to the point instead of writing set ups to the action. You have to hook up your reader as soon as possible.
4. JOB INTERVIEW INTRODUCTION
This is what I call the introduction of the character where they go: “My name is XXX, I'm 20 years old and I'm a student in college”. This is poor writing. Introduce characters by action, dialogue, show-not-tell.
5. INFO-DUMPING
It's for the best to avoid info-dumping within the first pages. Again, the action is crucial, the reader doesn't need to know right off the bat why things are the way they are and what fifty steps happened before. Dose the information wisely.
6. OVERCROWDED NARRATIVE
This is what happens if you throw too many characters, POVs and/or plotlines at the reader from the beginning. If the reader can't catch up, they will likely give up. Unless you're really good at it - like George Martin with Game of Thrones.
7. FIRST SENTENCE
Writing a good first sentence which will make the reader crave for more is art in itself. It should be intriguing and dynamic. “She woke up in the morning and yawned before getting up” is boring and doesn't bring any excitement in.
8. PURPLE PROSE
“Purple prose is overly ornate prose text that may disrupt a narrative flow by drawing undesirable attention to its own extravagant style of writing, thereby diminishing the appreciation of the prose overall. Purple prose is characterized by the excessive use of adjectives, adverbs, and metaphors” (wikipedia)
9. STARTING TOO EARLY
As I said before, you should cut to the point. Starting too early could be for example describing the MC going for a coffee before they eventually get into an accident that is actually important and interesting can get many readers give up before the interesting part.
10. GETTING TO KNOW THE MC
First pages are crucial to developing a relationship between a reader and the MC. If the MC is unrelatable, boring and unlikable, then what's the point in reading about them? Show their motivations, fears and flaws.
EXAMPLES OF GOOD ENTERING LINES:
When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.
Lord of the rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
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“We should start back,” Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them.
Game of thrones, George Martin
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Mars was empty before we came. That's not to say that nothing had ever happened.
Red Mars, Kim Robinson
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Marley was dead: to begin with.
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
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