The first line of any book is the most important. If you are a writer, I'm sure this advice has been hammered into your head. Maybe you've had a good experience, and have yet to the know the tedious experience of re-writing a single sentence 100 + times until you are happy with it. That is the thing about writing. It will rarely (if ever) be perfect. You can only strive toward happy contentment in your own work.
There are obvious reasons why the opening line of a story is the most important. You want to make a good impression. Why would the audience continue reading the next chapter or even the next paragraph if you fail to hook them at first glance? And if you haven't already noticed, first lines are the most legendary. Few people will quote the 30th line from the 19th chapter in A Tale of Two Cities, but everyone remembers, "It was the best of times it was the worst times," etc...
But I'm here to tell you something contrary to popular belief. Sometimes, the first line does not have to sum up the entire story. I can tell you are already skeptical. But I caused myself a great deal of grief and writer's ache because I couldn't live up to that tried and true rule. Just to make things clear, it is, most of the time a good idea and even wonderful idea to write a first line that gives you one broad yet swift glance of the entire story, and then leave you hungering to know more. But not always.
Every now again, perhaps due to setting or style it is indeed acceptable to the throw the reader straight into an action scene. If the main idea is to hook the reader, can that not be just as adequately accomplished with a gripping glimpse into the dilemma at hand? You may have noticed this in my book Royal. I introduced the story by saying, "Jolenta's eyelids fluttered open at the sound of a faint creak." Is Jolenta the main character? No. Is the faint creaking a deeply metaphorical occurence? Not in the slightest. However, what is actually taking place, is very important, and is designed to make you interested to find out what will happen next.
But I also have experience with the opposite end of the spectrum. In my latest project for a romantic comedy the opening line is, "It has been nearly a decade since the last eligible bachelor worth mentioning came to Summerton." From that quick glimpse, you can probably tell where the story is going, which is exactly my intention.
The point is, it's okay to break the rules every now again. You don't have to send your readers off an emotional cliff with your first sentence. It's okay if I don't know what's going on, just as long as you make me interested to find that out myself. Go then my little writers, and be rebels!
Written by: Karoline Kingley
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
MY First Lines
The first line of any book is the most important. If you are a writer, I'm sure this advice has been hammered into your head. Maybe you've had a good experience, and have yet to the know the tedious experience of re-writing a single sentence 100 + times until you are happy with it. That is the thing about writing. It will rarely (if ever) be perfect. You can only strive toward happy contentment in your own work.
There are obvious reasons why the opening line of a story is the most important. You want to make a good impression. Why would the audience continue reading the next chapter or even the next paragraph if you fail to hook them at first glance? And if you haven't already noticed, first lines are the most legendary. Few people will quote the 30th line from the 19th chapter in A Tale of Two Cities, but everyone remembers, "It was the best of times it was the worst times," etc...
But I'm here to tell you something contrary to popular belief. Sometimes, the first line does not have to sum up the entire story. I can tell you are already skeptical. But I caused myself a great deal of grief and writer's ache because I couldn't live up to that tried and true rule. Just to make things clear, it is, most of the time a good idea and even wonderful idea to write a first line that gives you one broad yet swift glance of the entire story, and then leave you hungering to know more. But not always.
Every now again, perhaps due to setting or style it is indeed acceptable to the throw the reader straight into an action scene. If the main idea is to hook the reader, can that not be just as adequately accomplished with a gripping glimpse into the dilemma at hand? You may have noticed this in my book Royal. I introduced the story by saying, "Jolenta's eyelids fluttered open at the sound of a faint creak." Is Jolenta the main character? No. Is the faint creaking a deeply metaphorical occurence? Not in the slightest. However, what is actually taking place, is very important, and is designed to make you interested to find out what will happen next.
But I also have experience with the opposite end of the spectrum. In my latest project for a romantic comedy the opening line is, "It has been nearly a decade since the last eligible bachelor worth mentioning came to Summerton." From that quick glimpse, you can probably tell where the story is going, which is exactly my intention.
The point is, it's okay to break the rules every now again. You don't have to send your readers off an emotional cliff with your first sentence. It's okay if I don't know what's going on, just as long as you make me interested to find that out myself. Go then my little writers, and be rebels!
Written by: Karoline Kingley
There are obvious reasons why the opening line of a story is the most important. You want to make a good impression. Why would the audience continue reading the next chapter or even the next paragraph if you fail to hook them at first glance? And if you haven't already noticed, first lines are the most legendary. Few people will quote the 30th line from the 19th chapter in A Tale of Two Cities, but everyone remembers, "It was the best of times it was the worst times," etc...
But I'm here to tell you something contrary to popular belief. Sometimes, the first line does not have to sum up the entire story. I can tell you are already skeptical. But I caused myself a great deal of grief and writer's ache because I couldn't live up to that tried and true rule. Just to make things clear, it is, most of the time a good idea and even wonderful idea to write a first line that gives you one broad yet swift glance of the entire story, and then leave you hungering to know more. But not always.
Every now again, perhaps due to setting or style it is indeed acceptable to the throw the reader straight into an action scene. If the main idea is to hook the reader, can that not be just as adequately accomplished with a gripping glimpse into the dilemma at hand? You may have noticed this in my book Royal. I introduced the story by saying, "Jolenta's eyelids fluttered open at the sound of a faint creak." Is Jolenta the main character? No. Is the faint creaking a deeply metaphorical occurence? Not in the slightest. However, what is actually taking place, is very important, and is designed to make you interested to find out what will happen next.
But I also have experience with the opposite end of the spectrum. In my latest project for a romantic comedy the opening line is, "It has been nearly a decade since the last eligible bachelor worth mentioning came to Summerton." From that quick glimpse, you can probably tell where the story is going, which is exactly my intention.
The point is, it's okay to break the rules every now again. You don't have to send your readers off an emotional cliff with your first sentence. It's okay if I don't know what's going on, just as long as you make me interested to find that out myself. Go then my little writers, and be rebels!
Written by: Karoline Kingley
2 comments :
AnonymousJuly 1, 2013 at 3:08:00 PM PDTSpectacular advice! My first line needs a LOT of help. But honestly, I've been rather afraid to change it. Silly, but that's the only excuse I have for not changing it.
ReplyDelete
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
Great advice sweetie! Kori xoxo
ReplyDeleteSpectacular advice! My first line needs a LOT of help. But honestly, I've been rather afraid to change it. Silly, but that's the only excuse I have for not changing it.
ReplyDelete