Writing Tips: How to Write Your First Sentence
There are a lot of people out there who feel that the first sentence of your novel or story is the most important set of words in the book. It is your first and only chance to hook your reader. If they are bored with the first sentence, they will most likely put the book back on the shelf and not read any further. It is the same when a person first meets you. They will make a decision about you within the first 20 seconds. They will also make a decision about your book within the first sentence.
Make your first sentence memorable. Make it something that will give the reader no choice but to read on. If you can do this, you will have passed one of the most difficult steps in writing.
As for me, I like to state a mode of action. I want something to be happening to the main characters that will affect them with a strong emotion. Through this emotion, I can connect with the reader. I can make the reader fall in love with my character. Usually the first sentence is the essence of the struggle (if not of the entire book, it is the struggle that makes the character who he/she is.
There have been times when I describe the evil that the villain is capable of. Usually it is only a fraction of what lays before the heroes of the story, but is strong enough to hook the reader.
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If you have other ideas on how to find story ideas, write a comment. I would love to hear how you are inspired.
