It involves a former Red Road mage, currently walking the White Road being approached with and accepting the tast of escorting a rich merchant's magically suspended daughter to the home of her husband-to-be. Adventure later ensues for various reasons.

Now, my plan, initialy, for starting the story is like this: Our hero is most likely sitting at a crossroads within a major city. He wears white robes and a white brooch in the shape of an open hand...signifying that he is of the Order of the Open Hand, White mages who will help any who are in need, free and clear if its a worthy task and one they feel they are able to help accomplish. He's accosted by a man who asks if he is a White Road wizard of the Open Hand, prompting a laconic response about his brooch which openly displays that fact. It then goes into him being taken to the merchant, the "job" explained to him etc.

As this was forming in my mind I realize if I posted a first 13 lines to that effect, most likely many people would say its starting in the wrong place...too early...and/or that such a begining is too slow etc.

So, I said to myself, "Self, as a mental exercise how about we come up with an alternative to that begining right now?"

"All right," I told myself, "But I don't want to loose the laconic response scene."

To that end I thought well how about we start with a nice exciting scene of one of the several perils or battles that will take place on the journey, then have him recall recieving the tast.

But, I know a lot of folks don't like flashbacks.

You can start a little slower in a novel and let things develop. I'm thinking that maybe you could do something similar in a longer short story--say 4000 to 7000 words-- especially if the scene helps you develop the character.

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The flashback? Well, if he's thinking that he now regrets taking the job. That he should have known it was trouble right off the bat, because . . . Then I think that could work, too.

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Hmm. I'm not sure if he would regret it as such...he's a changed person, he used to randomly blow things...and people...to bits just for the heck of it but he had a change of heart and has devoted himself to protecting people.

But, a part of him might want to regret it, if you see what I mean :-)

That being said, a crossroads scene is a good idea, to me at least... It teaches about white mages (they help people) by showing instead of telling. By having the merchant tell how his daughter is suspended, you can subtly bring up many points of your magic system without blatantly explaining them.

-Merchant & servant enter the room/house/etc.
-Servant announces he has "found what master has requested."
-Merchant asks "You are of the Order of the Open Hand?"
-Mage delivers laconic response.

That way you are beginning where the tale truly starts, at the reception of the commission from the merchant, and not with an tangential scene that only really allows you to paint some background for us and maybe introduce a little back-story.

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I'd say try writing the crossroads scene. Your mind likes it for a reason. And, since it is where the story starts, why not? Give it a shot and see how it turns out. I wouldn't change the story based on a perception of how people will react to the first 13. Instead, write it and see if their reactions are what you expect.

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Usually thats what I do. I thought it might be interesting, in this case, especially given some of our recent discussions about beginings to see what the reaction would be, here, to a choice of two less than fitting in with whats thought to be good options. So far I'm finding the response both interesting and quite useful.

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That being said, a crossroads scene is a good idea, to me at least... It teaches about white mages (they help people) by showing instead of telling. By having the merchant tell how his daughter is suspended, you can subtly bring up many points of your magic system without blatantly explaining them.

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Well theres probably still going to be some explaining, but its going to be most likely mostly in thought form and the like.

Her being suspended isn't a problem...her father had it done intentionally...supposedly to protect her during the journey.

It just seems that one of the things a lot of folks don't seem to want to be shown, in my experience, is the actual beginings of stories...the point where things begin to happen as oposed to in the middle of them happening.

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Also, if you like the idea of the crossroads as an opening, but think it may fall flat, try changing the viewpoint character. Sometimes that freshens it up. If you had focused on the wizard, try telling it from the POV of the merchant. Or, (better yet?), tell it from the daughter's viewpoint, who got dragged along with her nutso father as he searched for help...

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The daughter is in suspension already when the story begins and remains so until much later...also, the merchant doesn't come to the MC, he sends a servant.

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How do you work on so many projects at once?

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I dont really. I've been so busy with work the past few weeks I haven't really gotten to work on my primary work in progress and this stuff...the color system all of it...has more or less forced itself on me. The actual writing of it is currently third in my mental queue at the moment.

Thanks for your thoughts, I will let you know when its finished, after its started...