Opening Lines
August 31, 2023
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” (Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier)
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.” (Little Women – Louisa May Alcott)
“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling)
First lines, as illustrated above, can make or break a book. They set the tone and entice the reader to come on a journey of imagination. If they don’t do their job, the reader will likely put the book down.
Each of the above quoted first lines provide the reader with information that allows imagination to flesh out the characters or raises a question about the circumstances being alluded to. Specifically, in Rebecca, we wonder why it is a dream and what happened the first time the speaker went to Manderley.
We also immediately know the story will be told looking back to the past. Little Women’s first line makes us ask why there won’t be presents, who Jo is, and sets the time of year that the story begins. The final first line, from Harry Potter, alerts the reader that normalcy is at issue. As the Dursleys defend being normal, the reader instinctively inquires who or what isn’t normal and why it is important.
Although I don’t lay claim to the power of these famous lines, my first line in SHOULD HAVE PLAYED POKER is designed to make the reader chuckle, thus cementing a specific thought/action in the reader’s mind.
“The first time I thought of killing him, the two of us were having chicken sandwiches at that fast-food place with the oversized rubber bird anchored to its roof.”
From that line, I go on, as the other authors do, to use the next few paragraphs to develop the key characters and the plot line:
“I know the one.” I hand a cup of coffee across my desk to a woman I have not seen in twenty-six years.
With her free hand, Charlotte Martin pushes back a gray strand escaping from her ponytail. “It didn’t seem like the right thing to kill him in a place they close on Sundays. Besides, Carrie, being a lawyer, you can understand I didn’t want to do prison time. I decided it would be better to divorce your father.”
These few paragraphs tell you about the two characters in the present, how they have interacted over the years, and provide a motivation for actions that were taken in the past.
For a chance to win a copy of SHOULD HAVE PLAYED POKER, tell me what you think about its opening line and first few paragraphs – how did you react? Are there other lines in books that you think are masterpiece openings?
Our September contest starts on Sept. 1 and goes thru September T-3. To enter after Sept. 1, CLICK HERE
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Posted in Let's Talk, with Debra H. Goldstein • Tags: cozy mystery, Debra H Goldstein, Opening Lines, Should Have Played Poker | 25 Comments
The first line is catchy. Then you go on to reveal the couple got a divorce instead, and this is the narrator’s mother or stepmom. It is intriguing enough to make me want to read on to learn more about these characters. I struggle with first lines, indeed first chapters, myself.
First lines and first chapters are hard…. but when they work, they engage the reader. Thanks for your observation about Should Have Played Poker’s first line.
Hi Debra, I also take a lot of time crafting the first few paragraphs of a new mystery. I agree that it sets the tone for the book.
And that’s why your books always have a great tone!
I thought it was captivating, with a lot more questions lurking in my imagination! I wanted more!
Glad to hear.
Yep, we do agonize over first lines, opening paragraphs, first chapters. These beginnings set the tone and have the important job of making the reader want to know more. I like your examples, and “Poker’s” beginning is both offbeat and intriguing!
Thank you. I agree, if the first parts don’t work…the reader does’t want to know more.
I found it intriguing, and I wanted to know more.
I agree. If the first parts don’t work, it won’t get read. I’ll give a new book a chance by reading the first few chapters. If I haven’t gotten into it by then, it’s not happening.
Barbara, you are not alone!
That’s good to hear!
Yes, first couple lines always get my attention, and would make draw me into the story see how it evolves from there. The first line of Should Have Played Poker got me entertained, and the few paragraphs introduced me the characters and what are they up to!
my goal entirely. Thanks for telling me I succeeded.
First lines can definitely get my attention to read on. But, it doesn’t have to be a decision that would or would not stop me from continuing to read the book.🥰
Glad to hear, but not everyone is as generous as you.
I rewrite my first lines countless times. It’s an art unto itself!
amen!
interesting lines
If it catches my interest, I know it will be good.
That opening sure did grab my attention.
That’s good to hear
That’s good to hear!
This week’s winner was Nancy (Nancy .. plain … not Nancy Cohen).
The first line really grabbed my attention. I also like that it segues into getting to know the main characters. It makes me want to know more.