World, Writing, Wealth discussion
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I start by imagining a scene or incident that will set up whatever I am trying to say later on. Which I suppose means I have to think up a plan for writing before I start writing.
sometimes it's a real incident like a minor traffic accident where the woman was so happy that I decided it was too minor to report that she hugged me three times. that scene--and in fact its entire raison d'etre--was deleted from the final one I submitted to a short fiction venue.other times, I'm inspired by another story, movie, anime (which has a lot of supernatural/superpowered magical girls falling out of the sky or flying--and which I've coopted to some degree)
another time, i decided to write a zombie short b/c a couple of friends were diehard "Walking Dead" fans.
A captivating first sentence/paragraph, anyone?
Don't know about that, but I came across a suggestion a few years back never to start a story with the word "the." It is the most boring word in the English language aets a tone for your reader you don't want to set.
lol.first sentence is over-rated. by the time the reader has decided to read the sample (on amazon) or the crack the book cover at the store, then they've committed to at least the first page if not for several pages.
how about title and first paragraph from a first draft? ^_-
OK, I can't resist this, sorry everyone. I shall try one of my first sentences:Pallas Athene was in disgrace, but she felt that it was worth every gram of it for she had immortalized herself, starting over three thousand years before she was born.
Ian wrote: "OK, I can't resist this, sorry everyone. I shall try one of my first sentences:Pallas Athene was in disgrace, but she felt that it was worth every gram of it for she had immortalized herself, sta..."
well-done!
but wait, where's the rest? i can't get into it now. ^_^
Alex G wrote: "but wait, where's the rest? i can't get into it now. ^_^"The rest "Athene's Prophecy".
I'm the same as a few respondents here. I go with a scene that I visualized, which usually happens naturally after I've felt inspired by a particular idea. It's just a matter of trying to get your imagination to summon up how such a thing would look, in your mind, and then pouring it out :)
Tim wrote: "Once upon a time.... :D"... president P helped president T... -:)
That's for fiction at this stage -:)
When I start writing a novel, I always have done first some extensive research to document historical facts, find data and maps and paint the historical characters, if any, to go in the novel. As for the first sentences, they usually start describing the main character and the situation he/she is into at the start of the story. Once, for a space opera type novel, it started with my heroine attending a last will reading at a notary's office on Callisto (moon of Jupiter), where she learns that her uncle just gave her his ship, a giant cargo ship. From there, many adventures in space followed.
Perhaps; 'If you are reading this, there must be some mistake'?Somewhere in passing, I mentioned that it is a good idea to go back and write the beginning of a book when it is finished. The beginning is usually weaker than the rest because one improves as one gets going and into the characters.
I agree with P.K. My beginnings are the most revised of any part of the book.
i agree too. many of my opening scenes don't even make it into later drafts, not to mention the penultimate one, that is, in my short stories.
Nik wrote: "Tim wrote: "Once upon a time.... :D"... president P helped president T... -:)
That's for fiction at this stage -:)"
You just gotta drag that into this, don't you :) Oh, and its filed under non-fiction, and bestseller too ;)
Yeah, silly of me, as Tim jumped on the opportunity to offer a porn/fantasy scenario under the noble guise of a romcom-:)Had no choice but to delete bearing in mind possible underage audience
I don't expect a great opening sentence every time I read a book, but it does help if the first couple of pages make me want to read more. I'll even give a book 50 pages or so but, after that, if I'm not interested, I'll probably stop reading. I'd agree with maybe going back to the opening once the book is finished and making sure it draws readers in.
But how do you start? Do you think of some catchy, immediately engaging sentence or maybe just start with the narrative, bearing in mind that you'll relocate your best scene into the beginning later? Uncork some liquor for courage? Anything else?