How important is the first line of a book? What does it take to craft a must-read-the-rest-of-this excellent opening in a novel? I want to learn.
I am currently reading Long Gone Daddy by Helen Hemphill which opens with “The first time I met my grandfather, he was laid up on a porcelain prep table at the Hamilton-Johnson Funeral Home.” There’s no way I can stop reading after that first line!
My all-time favorite first line in a novel is from The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck: “If your teacher has to die, August isn’t a bad time of the year for it.”
I want to know: Do some writers naturally have the first line talent or can this skill be taught? Does it come easily or does it take weeks of tweaking to refine a novel’s opening line into a fantastic first line?
Do you have any tips on creating first lines? Any favorite first lines to share?
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Rae Ann Parker
About Me
- Rae Ann Parker
- Author of the middle grade mystery, The Devil's Backbone. Represented by Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt Agency.
6 comments:
I think first lines are very important. They need to evoke mood and mystery. I really love the ones that plop you right in the middle of the action.
I agree, KIT!
MCRW had a session on writing first lines a couple years ago. But I still remember what author Beth Pattillo came up with out of the blue...
On a normal day, Ginger Jones would never fling her underwear at a man's head.
I made up the name cause I couldn't remember what Beth used, but I sure recall the line. It creates instant intrigue! Don't you just want to know what happened to make Ginger fling her underwear? :~)
MONICA, I think MCRW may need to do that workshop again. I love Beth's first line. I would definitely keep reading.
I suspect some people are born with the knack. At one magazine I worked at, one writer came up with such great titles consistently that she ended up writing titles for almost everyone's stories.
Have you read Hooking the Reader: Opening Lines that SELL by Sharon Rendell-Smock? It's full of examples of good opening lines with some discussion of why they work.
Being the Title Guru sounds like a fun. Thank you for the book recommendation. I will check into it.
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