“A Novel’s Opening is Critical” Barnaby Conrad Often Said

“A Novel’s Opening is Critical” Barnaby Conrad Often Said
I remember a critique that Barnaby Conrad wrote on the opening 10 pages of a novel, my first attempt at writing fiction though that draft was probably my twentieth. It was a hot sex scene and of course, it was a dream. A few highlights of his critique:
The sexy scene offered no tension so, even if it was an enjoyable read, why would the reader turn the page?
Avoid opening a novel with a dream or flashback, at least until you’re a skilled author of fiction. Only then might you get away with using these ‘devices’ that tend to read like ‘devices.’

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