Just about everyone is familiar with this beginning: "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep . . ." (Genesis 1: 1-2 RSV) In a sense we're playing God when we write a story. We create the characters, plot, and setting, turning a blank page-nothingness-into a compelling story.
Not only is your first scene the first impression of a story, it is the doorway that invites your reader on a journey. First scenes are what determine whether or not your reader is going to follow your characters to the end.
Your beginning must accomplish several things:
Introduce your characters
Establish the place and time the story occurs
Introduce the conflict or point at which change begins.
Your opening sets the tone, mood, situation or problem. It actually begins in the middle of things.
Looking at the first lines of Genesis from a purely literary standpoint, the first lines introduce God as the protagonist. The time and setting (simply) is the moment of Creation, same as the point of change. Before God created the world there was nothing. For the purpose of this illustration from a literary standpoint, Nothing was what happened before the story begins. It starts in medius res-in the middle of things.
Let's look at a few opening lines of other stories.
I could tell the minute I got in the door and dropped my bag, I wasn't staying. "Medley" by Toni Cade Bambara
This blind man, an old friend of my wife's, he was on his way to spend the night. "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver
She told him with a little gesture he had never seen her use before. "Gesturing" by John Updike
Something has already happened before the opening line. The first line is actually the middle of the story. Each story has its own history. The plot is affected by something that happened before the first sentence on the first page. In Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter's book, What If? They describe story beginnings: " . . . think of the story as a straight line with sentence one appearing somewhere beyond the start of the line-ideally near the middle. At some point, most stories or novels dip back into the past, to the beginning of the straight line and catch the reader up on the situation-how and why X has gotten himself into such a pickle with character Y."
Take out an old story, or one you've been working on. Look at the opening scene. As yourself: Does the story have a past? Is the current conflict grounded in the history of the story? If you answer no, then you don't know your story's past well enough.
John Irving said: "Know the story-as much of the story as you can possibly know, if not the whole story-before you commit yourself to the first paragraph. Know the story-the whole story, if possible-before you fall in love with your first sentence, not to mention your first chapter."
About The Author
Rita Marie Keller has written and published numerous short stories, articles, and essays. Her novel, Living in the City was released September 2002 by booklocker.com, Inc. She founded the Cacoethes Scribendi Creative Writing Workshop in 1999.
cleaning service near Bannockburn ..My husband is no poet, so when I offer my... Read More
No matter what your fifth-grade English teacher says, some grammar... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More
Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing,... Read More
In my ten years as an advertiser, I've encountered plenty... Read More
When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More
So you want to be a writer, except you don't... Read More
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More
1. Become an EavesdropperListen carefully to the way people REALLY... Read More
First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More
How do you choose a name? Do you put down... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
Productivity begins by recognizing and valuing your brilliance, time, and... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
In this article you will find tips on: How to... Read More
We all need a cheer squad.We all need people to... Read More
Picture this scene.Your hero is sitting in a bar. He's... Read More
Effective screenwriting relies on the good understanding and use of... Read More
Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More
Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More
Since the headline is the first contact your readers have... Read More
Dream that your book can be a number one best... Read More
List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used... Read More
I recently read a book where everything was akimbo. Arms... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Mundelein ..Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored... Read More
People can't believe I did it, but I did. I... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
When you get stuck for ideas, and the words won't... Read More
Golden Rules For New Writers - Things you need to... Read More
When you read a letter from someone, we are immediately... Read More
As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More
Great writing transports one vicariously to realms that the reader... Read More
How to get a lot of traffic to your website... Read More
Recently I was watching the Oprah show and it was... Read More
As a professional copywriter, not only do I do a... Read More
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the... Read More
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think... Read More
At some point, every serious writer is forced to sit... Read More
My bookcase take up one whole wall in the family... Read More
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
Open any book on 'how to write,' and somewhere you... Read More
We all need a cheer squad.We all need people to... Read More
As an editorial professional, I'm sure you're aware of the... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More
1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More
Imagine a three hundred page book was in the author's... Read More
Writing |