Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

by Jack R. Hart

From story theory, we know that the narrative arc first rises when a protagonist engages a complication. So it follows that first lines should knock key characters out of the stable orbits they enjoyed before some comet flashed through their private solar system, loosing forces that will produce irreversible change. Lajos Egri, the playwriting guru, said, “A play should start with the first line uttered.” An ideal “point of attack,” he added, zeros in on a moment where something vital is at stake. That might be: • “exactly at the point where a conflict will lead up to a crisis.” • “at a point where at least one character has reached a turning point in his life.” • “with a decision that will precipitate conflict.”