Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "opening-lines"
Opening Lines
What is it about an opening line that makes you want to read on?
For me, that opening line has to intrigue me, show me something of the fictional world to come, or show me something about the lead character. The very best opening lines combine at least two of these.
I'm thinking especially of Orwell's 1984 "It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.". I'm immediately intrigued by the thirteen and I want to know about what kind of world it could be to have clocks capable of doing this. The opening line has definitely fulfilled its role there!
The challenge then for the writer is to make sure that everything which follows lives up to the promise of that opening line and delivers on it! And some people think writing is easy...hmm... I learned a long time ago that when someone makes something look easy, that same someone has almost certainly worked their socks off for years to get to that point.
So what are your favourite lines and why?
I also love the opening to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. Very different in style but they intrigue and set the tone for what is to come.
Happy reading, and writing!
For me, that opening line has to intrigue me, show me something of the fictional world to come, or show me something about the lead character. The very best opening lines combine at least two of these.
I'm thinking especially of Orwell's 1984 "It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.". I'm immediately intrigued by the thirteen and I want to know about what kind of world it could be to have clocks capable of doing this. The opening line has definitely fulfilled its role there!
The challenge then for the writer is to make sure that everything which follows lives up to the promise of that opening line and delivers on it! And some people think writing is easy...hmm... I learned a long time ago that when someone makes something look easy, that same someone has almost certainly worked their socks off for years to get to that point.
So what are your favourite lines and why?
I also love the opening to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. Very different in style but they intrigue and set the tone for what is to come.
Happy reading, and writing!
Opening Lines
When I have small pockets of time I jot down ideas for potential opening lines for future flash fiction/short stories of mine. It is a good use of time and the opening line is so important in hooking a reader in to reading your story and your books.
So it is worth jotting down ideas for me to work on at a later date. And it is opening lines which draw me into reading a book at all. Every writer knows they’ve got to polish these up and get them as good as possible.
It was a truth universally acknowledged - just that section of Jane Austen’s opening to Pride and Prejudice drew me in.
Why?
Firstly, I wanted to know what that truth was.
Secondly, the word universally implies agreement but it also opens up the possibility someone somewhere won’t agree (and I wanted to find out if I might be that someone. I can only find out by reading on).
Thirdly, there is already a hint of irony here and in only six words. Now that is quality writing!
There has to be a sense you’ve got to find out what happens next. That’s how I know an opening line will work for me.
If the opening line works, it is highly likely the first page, the first chapter will and so on and before I know I’ve read the book!
So it is worth jotting down ideas for me to work on at a later date. And it is opening lines which draw me into reading a book at all. Every writer knows they’ve got to polish these up and get them as good as possible.
It was a truth universally acknowledged - just that section of Jane Austen’s opening to Pride and Prejudice drew me in.
Why?
Firstly, I wanted to know what that truth was.
Secondly, the word universally implies agreement but it also opens up the possibility someone somewhere won’t agree (and I wanted to find out if I might be that someone. I can only find out by reading on).
Thirdly, there is already a hint of irony here and in only six words. Now that is quality writing!
There has to be a sense you’ve got to find out what happens next. That’s how I know an opening line will work for me.
If the opening line works, it is highly likely the first page, the first chapter will and so on and before I know I’ve read the book!
