In Media Res
Its Latin for
"In the midst of things"
Why does this matter?
When writing a story, you want to start in media res. See the two examples below.
Example
One
The foliage was so dense that looking into it played tricks on your eyes. One could let their imagination take over and picture tigers and monsters lurking between the trees. Mist waterfalled out, so thick that Portle could no longer see his shoes or the ground. The mist ran up his body, filling his heart with fear.
Example
Two
Portle, too distracted by the ominous forest before him, failed to notice the bear charging straight for him.
Could you tell the difference? The story on the left starts by describing what the character Portle is seeing, but the story on the right is in media res and grabs readers attention quicker.
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Some ways to integrate "in media res" are:
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Beginning a story or chapter with an action.
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Or Cutting out a description-heavy beginning.​