The publishing industry places a lot of emphasis on a novel’s first lines and chapter to hook the reader. However, over-emphasis on chapter one during drafting can stall the writing process and stifle creativity. Below are five ways to change your mindset and approach so you can get past the beginning and write your novel.

I recently reread The Girl in Hyacinth Blue, by Susan Vreeland (Penguin Books, 2000) to explore a structure called a short story cycle, which is a novel composed of separate but interconnected stories. The Girl in Hyacinth Blue traces the provenance and origin of a painting, which may or may not have been painted by Vermeer. Vreeland masterfully executes the short story cycle. But it takes more than just following a structure template. Below, I examine the short story cycle and other elements employed by Vreeland that contribute to this beautifully written historical novel.