By Elgin Writers Guild Vice President, James John Miller
The opening lines of a story have the power to spellbind the reader, or turn them
off altogether. Editors in publishing houses only read the first pages of a manuscript
(one editor admitted to only reading the first eight lines) before deciding whether to
accept the work or reject it. The reader knows quickly whether they’re willing to spend
their precious time with the story.
Those few, important words can create tension and tone:
“On the second Sabbath of Twelfthmoon, in the city of Weep, a girl fell from the
sky. Her skin was blue, her blood was red.” – Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor.
They can establish the voice of the narrator:
“I have walked by stalls in the market-place where books, dog-eared and faded
from their purple, have burst with a white hosanna. I have seen people crowned
with a double crown, holding in either hand the crook and flail, the power and
the glory. I have understood how the scar becomes a star, I have felt the flake of
fire fall, miraculous and pentecostal. My yesterdays walk with me. They keep
step, they are grey faces that peer over my shoulder.” – Free Fall, by William
Golding.
Or introduce important characters:
“Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having
little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I
thought I would sail about a little and see the watery party of the world.” – Moby
Dick, Herman Melville.
Used correctly, they cement the theme:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it
was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of
Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter
of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all
going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the
period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities
insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.” – A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens.
They set the main conflict, and, the writer hopes, hook the reader:
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed.” – The
Gunslinger, by Stephen King
No other words in the entire story are so important – not even the ending (which, in and
of itself, must be excellent).
Pay attention to these first words, and what they say — both literally and figuratively.
They’ll tell you what sort of adventure you’re about to embark upon:
“This book is largely concerned with Hobbits, and from its pages a reader may
discover much of their character and a little of their history.” – The Lord of the
Rings, JRR Tolkien.
And introduce the sort of language and action you may encounter:
“‘We should go back,’ Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around
them. ‘The Wildlings are dead.'” – A Game of Thrones, George RR Martin.
Opening lines don’t write themselves. They’re often the most agonized-over piece of
the entire story. If you have a story you want to tell, and want help writing that perfect
opening line, join the Guild and we’d be more than happy to help you ensnare your
readers with the perfect beginning. Love them or hate them, opening lines are the most
important in your story, and we’d love to hear yours.
Email us at elginwritersguild@outlook.com.