Good opening sentences in books

Apr 04, 20 i thought itd be fun to look at first sentences from 20 books that have already become classics plus some semirecent hits and a few moreobscure favorites in order to see if the magic was happening right from the start, or if it took the author a little while to get cooking. She states the opening paragraph should be between one and six lines in order to not tire your readers from the first sentence. With my first mates final comments, i knew the men were planning a mutiny. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good. Sep 06, 2019 our selection of wise and witty opening words from 30 brilliant classic novels. Here are my favorite ten gothic horror first sentences, from classics to contemporaries, that hooked me right away. In a 20 interview with joe fassler, horror fiction maestro stephen king reflected on the magnitude of a novels introductory sentence. James joyce reads from ulysses and finnegans wake in his only two recordings 19241929. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in. Opening lines are your bargaining chips, your siren songs, your bait. Its the authors first invitation into a world of their own creation. The bell jar by sylvia plath it was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the rosenbergs, and i didnt know what i was doing in new york.

Theyre not curled up on a comfy sofa with a book and a glass of rioja. All the better if they do, but it is not necessary. Prepare to read the most fascinating article of your life. They have to set the scene, perhaps introduce a character, and more than anything, get us to. Revisit the most memorable and gripping opening sentences of 100 essential books for youngsters from preschool to highschool in the gallery below. And if you havent laid your eyes on any of these best books to read, you will definitely pick your next. What is the best opening sentence you have read in a book. I remember writing and rewriting the opening line to my humor book oh boy, youre having a girl over and over again until i finally felt like i nailed it with this. Opening linesthe first sentence or maybe the first paragraph of a bookhave a lot of work to do. They can be long, descriptive, runon sentences that prepare you for everything youre about to see. If youre a guy and youve opened this book, you either have a daughter, are on the verge of. After an online debate with brian moore over the opening sentence of a tale of two cities best of lines, worst of lines, which i would have rejected for my top 10 first sentences of novels. Writers first line generator start your story with a.

Books with the best first sentences score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. My favorite first line of, probably, my favorite author thomas wolfe, a destiny that leads the english to the dutch is strange enough. There are a lot of opening sentences that announce the start of a. Back covers and dust jacket synopses are all well and good, but nothing tells you what youre in for like a first sentence. Every year, the announcement of bulwerlytton prize is a gift from bad writing heaven. After youve written the entire book report, you can and. See more ideas about books, childrens books and childrens literature. So what is it, exactly, that makes a good opening line. Whether youre writing the first line of your book or simply starting a new chapter, opening lines are tough. Sometimes opening sentences that shouldnt work in theory do work in a paradoxical way, or to establish a characters voice or the tone of the story. You can find some of the great books mentioned above in our collection of 575 free ebooks.

Those first few words or few dozen, in some cases have to pull you into the story and bring you into a whole. The first line should tell the reader what to expect in terms of language, plot and character. It has been sixtyfour years since the president and the consortium identified love as a disease, and fortythree since the scientists perfected a cure. Photographer seemed as good a job as any, and i was hired with just 2 days to spare. After all, these first sentences are supposed to set tone, establish style, lead readers into the world of the book in short.

The 10 best first lines in fiction books the guardian. Jan 19, 2015 25 unique first sentences in books to inspire your own writing. Lists of the best sentences opening, closing, and otherwise. Great opening sentences from science fiction io9 gizmodo. Opening lines quotes quotes tagged as openinglines showing of 275 it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. His conclusions are not clear cut, as he summarizes in his book. Apr 25, 20 20 amazing opening lines in ya sometimes all it takes is a stellar opening line or paragraph.

It should be mysterious and compelling, either poetic or shockingly abrupt. Dec 02, 2011 a novel is made up of many thousands of sentences, but none as deeply important as the opening line. It is the hook that keeps you reading, your introduction to the world the author has created. The first sentence sets the stagehowever long or short the textand hints at the narrative vehicle. Aug 29, 2012 as with pubs and shoes, you know youre reading a great book from the second youre inside it. Inspired by novelist and playwright edward george bulwerlyttons famous it was a dark and stormy night opener, the contest asks writers to submit an opening sentence for the worst of all possible novels although fifty shades of grey has. Jul 27, 2017 each of these examples demonstrate the preceding points about strong opening sentences and paragraphs. The opening paragraph to my second fi griffiths novel, for example, goes like this. The 27 best opening lines in books, from rebecca to the great. Ten awesome gothic first sentences kerri maniscalco. Best opening sentence what book, upon cracking open and reading the very first sentence, immediately pulled you in, shocked you, or generally made you fall in love, at first sight, lets say. But when writing for the web, we need to remember our readers. And now that you dont have to be perfect, you can be good.

The first line to eugenidess pulitzer prizewinning novel is a textbook example of efficient writing. We thought we had seen the worst mother nature had to offer, but she proved us wrong on the final night of our voyage. Manchester had been without the flu for many months. Now it wastes no time in opening the book with the right feeling a mix of regret and menace and mystery. The first sentence is only as popular as the rest of the book, and brevity alone will not make a first sentence great. No second chance, harland coben gordon michaels stood in the fountain with all his clothes on. Read examples from classics and bestselling novels, then get feedback on your own story opening. May 15, 2018 and, personally, if theres one thing i love almost as much as some good quotes, its lists of good quotes. Nabokov reads lolita, names the great books of the 20th century. Be sure to let us know which mustread books have you read. Click to viewyou can tell a lot about a science fiction book from its first sentence. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have e.

The 10 absolute best openings to young adult books hypable. Nov 27, 2015 sometimes all it takes is that totally relatable, extremely weird, or just plain beautiful first line and were in. Contest announced the worst opening sentences in novels. The very first sentence of a story can be extremely powerful. The best 100 opening lines from books is one of stylists most popular piece of content ever. Apr 06, 2016 the 10 most terrifying opening lines from books. Learn how to write a great opening sentence and how to start your story in the best possible way. Yet many celebrated novels do open with lines that establish theme. Having looked through a few thousand opening sentences at the bookstore and online no exaggeration i can generalize a bit. Back covers and dust jacket synopses are all well and good, but nothing tells you what youre in for like a. They range from hardboiled pulp fiction to classics to, well, the bible. That feels awkward, especially so early in the book. In the right hands, a novels beginning alone can make you feel like youve just fallen into a fastflowing river, snatched away from reality and hurtled downhill. Get hooked on some of our favorites with these awesome openers.

Our selection of wise and witty opening words from 30 brilliant classic novels. So i suppose you want to ask me what happened to my tail. It may sound strange that starting a book from the first sentence should require an ending to the first chapter. The writers first line generator will create an intriguing opening for your novel or short story. Apr 28, 2012 our guide to the greatest opening lines of novels in the english language, from jane austen to james joyce. Writing is an act of finetuning, and you may need several revisions. The top 10 best opening lines of novels litreactor. The first sentence of any piece of writing is arguably the most important both in terms. The sea was treacherous that night, and i thought id lose half of my men before sunrise. Great first lines, like the opening montage of a film, lead us into a scene.

We wonder who this impostor is, what their role will be in the heist that is referred to in the chapter title. As adam explained in his website, the original contest started getting a little too unwieldy for his taste, so in turn, he created a contest with entries no longer than 33. Here are 8 famous first lines that teach us how to begin a novel in style. Put the first sentence in the why you added this book field, please. Learning how to start a novel, how to write a great first sentence, paragraph or chapter, is key to writing books that pull readers in fast. May 19, 2017 it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Many great novels open with narration or description that doesnt immediately suggest the themes that will run throughout. Except, probably, the closing linebut thats another post.

Its a great little exercise to use when reading over your own manuscript. In homage to that fact, we asked former stylist contributors to share the opening lines that mean the. There is no absolute rule for first lines other than to craft a good sentence. Aug 07, 2010 a good way to start the opening scene is by jumping right into the action. I need to write reports on several books, i am good at writing most of the report except i have problems writing the opening sentences. Inspired by novelist and playwright edward george bulwerlyttons famous it was a dark and stormy night opener, the contest asks writers to submit an opening sentence for the worst of all possible novels although fifty shades of grey has already been written. The opening sentence of a book can determine a lot of things including whether or not you decide to keep going with said book.

How to write a great opening sentence for a novel jericho writers. First sentences of great books 20 books that have become. They use images, lighting, and tone to set the mood that the rest of the opening pages will take. Theres nothing better than humor to break the ice, whether its an opening line of a speech or the first sentence of a book. The 23 most unforgettable last sentences in fiction a book s final lines can make or break the experience. If youre a guy and youve opened this book, you either have a daughter, are on the verge of having a. In looking for the best opening lines, we took all of this into consideration. I quit my job on the spot and had precisely 14 days to find a career i liked better. This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. The 23 most unforgettable last sentences in fiction.

There is a formula to compelling opening lines and it is about creating a story within a single line even if it is not the story that will ultimately be told. This was my fifth trip to the dreaded room in one week, and dammit, i was the teacher. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Our literary heroes may write lengthy first sentences. An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story, he said. Great opening sentences from classic fantasy novels. She hadnt been known as jannine since she was a girl.

Oct 14, 2014 ten awesome gothic first sentences october 14, 2014 september 23, 2015 kerri maniscalco theres nothing quite like setting the mood and atmosphere of your novel from the very first line. Here are some opening lines that catapult the reader into the story. Having that in mind, weve rounded up the first lines of some of the worlds most famous books, and they stand as excellent examples of how a short sentence or two can set the tone for an entire story and define its legacy for decades to come. In a single sentence, he manages to set up the novels ohsointriguing premise icymi, the book is about a hermaphrodite, as well as the time period and place. Aug 22, 2015 clever, intriguing first lines in picture that hook the reader. His conclusions are not clear cut, as he summarizes in his book nabokovs favorite word is mauve. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a. Jane austens first line gets us right in the thick of the complicated world of 19 th century social life, and introduces us right away to her slightly cheeky tone. Liternauts how to write the first paragraphs of your novel. The opening sentence and paragraph do not truly need to stand out. Theyre what get me excited to begin a new story, both as a writer and as a reader. Good story openings are challenging to write but an inviting or catchy first sentence reels readers into your fictional world. It makes sense, then, that youll write different types of topic sentences for different types of papers. Theyre what get me excited to begin a new story, both as a writer.

The author tantalizes you with incomplete knowledge. When the first bullet hit my chest, i thought of my daughter. Adam was inspired to create his own contest after borrowing the idea from the annual bulwerlytton contest, which also celebrates the worst opening sentences of novels. They make us ask questions, they reveal curious characters, settings andor actions. Its for a high school book report but all the opening sentences sound grade school level, like. We like to hear stories from people who sound interesting and unique, and perfect first lines introduce the reader to a. How to write a great opening sentence for a novel jericho. A storys first sentence sets the stage for the literary behemoth that lies ahead. Dont worry if your first attempt at writing an introductory paragraph is less than perfect. Writing the first line to your book is an incredibly daunting task.

How to start a novel first lines, first paragraphs now novel. But some experts advise that it can help you stay on track and find some sense of direction for each chapter, including the very beginning of your novel. Patricia highsmith also recommends you not begin with a paragraph thats too long. Write a great first sentence and introductory paragraph. None of those are good opening sentences though none of them are terrible. As you teach writing and journaling in your own classroom, we pulled together some of the most memorable, fun, creative, and best opening lines books. In a wellconstructed first paragraph, that first sentence leads into three or four sentences that provide details about the subject you address in. Good lines are what matter, not their location in the book.

Of the top five most commonly selected lines users were given three options per match, only two of those lines were highperforming. In the span of just a sentence or two, you must convince readers that your story is worth their time. And, in most cases, it doesnt take long to get something that puts a scrap of meat on the readers dish. And with so many books to read, the competition between them is wast. Theres nothing quite like setting the mood and atmosphere of your novel from the very first line. The idea is to start your book report by identifying your general theme so that you can move on to the body of your essay. These first lines are inspired by analysis of some classic openers. Any shrewd writer knows that the opening line must be treated like prime real estate, where every word is precious and you only. As you teach writing and journaling in your own classroom, we pulled together some of the most memorable, fun, creative, and best opening lines books for children and teens have to offer. People were not particularly good at predicting what opening lines work best. The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers. A strong story opening immediately makes you want to know more. First sentences, of course, have different functionsto amuse, to frighten, to mystifyand the mechanics a writer uses to achieve this connection vary from genre to genre.