How important is that first sentence?
Mine caught your attention, didn't it?
As much as we'd love to, we can't put all our first sentences in big, bold print that way. So as writers, we have to think up other ways to really grab the readers attention.
Think about what sorts of things usually grab you in the first few lines.
Some writers say making your first line dialogue is good, some say bring the reader right into the action, others say asking a question works wonders. There probably really is no right or wrong answer of how to do it - it's all about finding your way.
I like to think that a good beginning sentence is mostly about the character. What do you want the reader to know they're going to get from this story and this character right from the beginning? What makes that character unique and interesting? A perfect first line to me is when a writer shows what about this hero or heroine is something they have to read to know more about. If a reader can connect with your character right from that first line and you keep them connecting, they won't want to put the book down.
Five different people could say the same thing - but they'd all say it in a different way. So how does your character say it? That's what's important for the reader to know right from the very beginning. That is what is going to keep them reading till the very end.
What sort of first sentence do you have in what you're reading or writing now? In what way did you or the writer pull the reader in and keep them wanting to read more?
2 comments:
I grabbed my nearest stacks of Harlequin's to go back and read first lines, and I realized... I never really care all that much for the first line in Harlequins. I love the books. I read them incessantly. But as far as first lines go, they don't tend to thrill me... A strange realization. As far as first lines go, Terry Pratchett's are my favorite, and that's probably because they invariably make me laugh. Also, upon revisiting them, I see they're not exactly first sentences. They are a sorta first couple short paragraphs that set the mood for the story more than launching into the actual action, set apart with white space. I'll type a couple up and email if you're interested :) amalieberlin at gmail dot com
I guess it's funny to get all caught up in first sentences then if we don't even notice them that much? I wonder how far editors read into a submission before they decide they've given it a fair shot? I wonder if I want to know?
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