A great first sentence and paragraph is very important. It’s a promise, handshake, embrace, and a key. They’re  the most important sentence in a book.

First impressions matter. The opening must not only hook the reader, it must ground us in the world of the story; in place, in time, in character. Landing an effective opening is no easy feat. There is an art in creating the opening sentence in an interactive way.

Reviewers focus on scientifically calculated first lines that will awaken interest. Sentences that can render readers willing slaves to the author.

First sentences are doors to new worlds. Opening lines cast an immediate spell, grab attention, set the tone and foreshadow what is to come.

Most importantly, you don’t want your opening sentence to be forgettable. Make the tone and theme stick in a reader’s subconscious. To make them ponder the sentence’s intriguing insinuations. Entice them to read the entire book.

25 Ideas on how to Start a Story

  1. Man is running from someone or something in the moonlight.
  2. Woman is searching for someone or something in a thick fog.
  3. A loud noise startles a person awake.
  4. Narrator confesses something outrageous.
  5. An unmarked package is left on someone’s porch.
  6. Two lovers explore an abandoned island.
  7. A woman wakes up in a ditch.
  8. Children playing at a park make a grisly discovery.
  9. A person observes a car go off the road.
  10. Someone hears a faint noise and—against their better judgment—goes to investigate.
  11. A man hangs off a rooftop several stories in the air.
  12. Narrator reveals a long hidden regret.
  13. An elderly woman finds a letter she’d forgotten she had.
  14. A child accepts a dare.
  15. Two people searching for a geocache find something they never expected.
  16. A student notices something in the hallway that everyone else fails to see.
  17. Someone fishing alone sees something no one is likely to believe.
  18. Narrator reveals his or her greatest fear.
  19. An elderly man goes into the attic to make sure something he hid is still there.
  20. Two people meet at a science fiction and fantasy convention.
  21. Narrator explains why someone else can’t be trusted.
  22. Someone appears to be trying to avoid detection but is doing a lousy job of it.
  23. Two people meet at a place that they thought was only known to them.
  24. Narrator says he or she is in love.
  25. Narrator says he or she will never love again.

Unleash the novel inside you

with compelling characters,

intricate worlds,

and fine-tuned prose.

“Linda has published twenty books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish. She has mentored many authors and edited their work.” 

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