Beginning a Story
Anonymous asked: Do you have anything on writing the first sentence or paragraph of a book? I’m writing one were my character got in trouble and is sitting in the principal’s office. I don’t want to start off using dialogue. Any ideas?
You might find these posts helpful:
- In the Beginning
- The Beginning of your Novel that isn’t the Beginning of your Novel
- A Beginning from the Middle
- Starting with a Bang
- Starting with Flashbacks
- First Chapters: What To Include @ The Beginning Writer
We also have two Towels related to this subject which include several of the links listed above and more:
Thank you for your question!
~K
Beginnings And Their Endings
My view has always been that great first lines are overrated. Famous opening lines tend to become famous after the fact. Once a book becomes acclaimed or well-loved, the opening takes on a significance that it didn’t have to start with. Nobody read “Call me Ishamel” and thought, Genius!
First paragraphs are overrated too. Orson Scott Card has a theory that the first paragraph is a freebie, and I’m inclined to agree with him.
The first paragraph can be in a different POV, be generic or introductory, set the tone, or be the lyric from a song. It doesn’t really matter and readers don’t really expect it to be consistent with the rest of the book.
Ever since somebody came up with Once upon a time… readers have understood that.
First chapters, however, are important.
Backwards love...
I wish we could
live love backwards,
slowly you remember
things about them,
they way they looked,
the way they felt,
the sound of their voice,
then you feel a dull ache,
which gives away to
heart break and anger,
and suddenly….
you love them, and
as time goes on the
love becomes so
red hot and passionate…
then they’re someone
you want with everything
you have, but think
you will never ever get.
Until finally they just
are not anymore,
they cease to be,
without ache or scars….
Love backwards makes
so much sense to me.
