HAPPY BASTILLE DAY everyone from this French-American.
Following Michael Bracken's lead (again) –
In his July 4th SleuthSayer's post, he wrote, "Summer is a great time for reruns."
He presented his excellent Writing Dialogue blog.
As Waylon Jennings sang, "Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love." (Luckenbach, Texas, music and lyrics by Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman).
Time for me to get back to a post about writing.
Here is a rerun of my February 21, 2020, SleuthSayers post "More About Opening Lines"
I feel the opening line of a short story or novel is the most important line in the piece. First impressions are the strongest, especially for a beginning writer who wants an editor to read beyond the first page of a manuscript.
"The first page sells your book being read, the last page sells the one you're writing." – Mickey Spillane."
The same goes for short stories, maybe more so.
Over the years, I put together information given by writers and editors. As I've said so many times before, there is no one way to write anything and what follows are just suggestions.
The opening of a novel or short story could capture the attention of the reader with an original hook.
How?
www.oneildenoux.com
The same goes for short stories, maybe more so.
Over the years, I put together information given by writers and editors. As I've said so many times before, there is no one way to write anything and what follows are just suggestions.
The opening of a novel or short story could capture the attention of the reader with an original hook.
1. THE OPENING SHOULD PROMISE ... SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN
How?
a. By presenting compelling events
b. By presenting an unusual character
c. By presenting a vivid setting
d. By using striking language or dialogue
e. By an unusual presentation of ideas
It should arouse expectation with a promise of more to come.
It should let the reader in on WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, or WHY.
In your opening scene(s) you may want to establish:
a. Who is the main character?
b. What is the situation (the problem)?
c. Where is the story taking place (setting)?
d. When is the story taking place (time frame)?
e. Why did this situation happen?
f. How did the situation happen?
You may want to include a cliffhanger that makes the reader want to read on.
You opening should set the tone of the story.
The strongest type of opening usually hooks the read with action (physical or psychological).
The story does not generally open at the beginning of a situation. It usually opens at the high point of action.
EXAMPLES:
Character Opening – If you are writing a character-driven piece.
Atmosphere Opening –Take your reader to a unique setting.
Action Opening – Start in mid-scene.
Dialogue Opening – Promises the reader there is a emphasis on communication between characters.
Philosophical Opening – Prepares the reader this may be a reflective piece.
Emotion Opening – Promises emotional conflict.
In a 2013 interview, Stephen King stated, "... an opening line should invite the reader to begin the story ... it should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this."
King went on with, "For me, a good opening sentence really begins with voice. You hear people talk about 'voice' a lot, when I think they just mean 'style'. People come to books looking ... for the voice. An appealing voice achieves an intimate connection – a bond much stronger than the kind forged, intellectually, through crafted writing."
Award-winning short story writer and fellow SleuthSayer John Floyd gives us, "I've always heard that ideal openings should (1) introduce you lead character and/or (2) establish the setting (time, place) and/or (3) introduce conflict. A fourth goal is to make the reader curious about what might happen."
Important Note:
A good opening line is like the opening move in a battle. If you do not follow up a good opening, you could lose the battle.
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Editor Janet Hutchings gives us, "Some writers have told me they have an attention-getting opening line as the seed for the story. That's fine. But from a reader/editor's perspective what makes the opening good or bad is how it serves everything that follows in the story."
Writing novels and short stories is a trade. A profession. Not a philosophical exercise.
OK – we have all read excellent novels and short stories which did not have a good opening line, which proves again there is no one way to write. In the epigraph in Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury quotes Juan Ramón Jiménez – "If they give you ruled paper, write the other way."
c. By presenting a vivid setting
d. By using striking language or dialogue
e. By an unusual presentation of ideas
It should arouse expectation with a promise of more to come.
It should let the reader in on WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, or WHY.
In your opening scene(s) you may want to establish:
a. Who is the main character?
b. What is the situation (the problem)?
c. Where is the story taking place (setting)?
d. When is the story taking place (time frame)?
e. Why did this situation happen?
f. How did the situation happen?
You may want to include a cliffhanger that makes the reader want to read on.
You opening should set the tone of the story.
The strongest type of opening usually hooks the read with action (physical or psychological).
The story does not generally open at the beginning of a situation. It usually opens at the high point of action.
EXAMPLES:
Character Opening – If you are writing a character-driven piece.
Atmosphere Opening –Take your reader to a unique setting.
Action Opening – Start in mid-scene.
Dialogue Opening – Promises the reader there is a emphasis on communication between characters.
Philosophical Opening – Prepares the reader this may be a reflective piece.
Emotion Opening – Promises emotional conflict.
In a 2013 interview, Stephen King stated, "... an opening line should invite the reader to begin the story ... it should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this."
King went on with, "For me, a good opening sentence really begins with voice. You hear people talk about 'voice' a lot, when I think they just mean 'style'. People come to books looking ... for the voice. An appealing voice achieves an intimate connection – a bond much stronger than the kind forged, intellectually, through crafted writing."
Award-winning short story writer and fellow SleuthSayer John Floyd gives us, "I've always heard that ideal openings should (1) introduce you lead character and/or (2) establish the setting (time, place) and/or (3) introduce conflict. A fourth goal is to make the reader curious about what might happen."
Important Note:
A good opening line is like the opening move in a battle. If you do not follow up a good opening, you could lose the battle.
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Editor Janet Hutchings gives us, "Some writers have told me they have an attention-getting opening line as the seed for the story. That's fine. But from a reader/editor's perspective what makes the opening good or bad is how it serves everything that follows in the story."
Writing novels and short stories is a trade. A profession. Not a philosophical exercise.
OK – we have all read excellent novels and short stories which did not have a good opening line, which proves again there is no one way to write. In the epigraph in Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury quotes Juan Ramón Jiménez – "If they give you ruled paper, write the other way."
www.oneildenoux.com
Happy Bastille Day! Lets hope one of the French riders wins at Le Tour today.
ReplyDeleteGood advice, O'Neil, as always. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite opening line is "they shoot the white girl first." Toni Morrison, "Paradise"
ReplyDeleteEve. Away from her desk
Eve, Morrison's line tops my three-page list of favorites, too. A recent one is "When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist." That's Circe by Madeline Miller.
ReplyDelete