Kairos on Substack

Kairos on Substack

Why Your Opening Chapter Isn’t the Beginning of Your Story

Brian Niemeier's avatar
Brian Niemeier
May 06, 2026
∙ Paid

One of the most persistent editing problems among new authors shows up in the same place every time:

Page one.

The author opens with careful scene setting, describing a city in loving detail; showing a character’s daily routine. He writes pages of background meant to orient the reader before anything “important” happens.

And by the time the story finally …

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