Story opening examples. 25 Great Book Opening Lines That Will Hook You from the Start 2022-12-11
Story opening examples
Rating:
5,7/10
569
reviews
A good story opening is crucial to capturing the reader's attention and setting the stage for the events that will unfold. There are many different ways to start a story, and the best one for a particular piece will depend on the genre, tone, and intended audience. Here are a few examples of effective story openings in different contexts:
The Hook: A hook is a catchy or interesting first line or paragraph that draws the reader in and makes them want to keep reading. For example: "It was a dark and stormy night, and the only thing that kept me from turning back was the promise of adventure." This opening immediately establishes a sense of atmosphere and intrigue, and sets the stage for a potentially thrilling narrative.
The Character Introduction: Another effective way to start a story is to introduce a main character right away. This allows the reader to get a sense of who the story is about and what they are like. For example: "Sarah was the kind of person who always had a plan. She never left the house without a to-do list, and she always knew exactly where she was going and how she was going to get there." This opening tells us a lot about Sarah's personality and gives us a glimpse into her way of thinking.
The Situation: Another option is to start with a situation or event that sets the stage for the rest of the story. For example: "The bank was crowded and chaotic, with people shouting and pushing to get through the doors. In the midst of all the chaos, one man stood out. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing blue eyes and a calm, confident demeanor." This opening establishes a sense of tension and conflict and introduces a potentially interesting character.
The Setting: Sometimes, setting the stage with a detailed and evocative description of the setting can be a great way to start a story. For example: "The air was heavy with the scent of salt and seaweed, and the waves crashed against the shore with a rhythmic roar. I stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing out at the endless expanse of water before me. It was a place of both beauty and danger, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and excitement at being there." This opening gives the reader a clear sense of place and atmosphere and sets the stage for the events to come.
No matter which approach you choose, it's important to start your story in a way that engages the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the narrative. With a strong opening, you can hook the reader's interest and keep them invested in your story from beginning to end.
150+ Story Starters: Creative Opening Lines (+Free Generator)
Show the reader the weather by describing the feel of their footsteps through the crunch of the snow or the way the rain bleeds through their shirt and soaks their skin. The main character, Iona, is filled with anticipation and hope despite the weather conditions. Why you might not: When this type of opening falls flat, it really falls flat. In a Lingering Question scenario, you invite the reader to ponder something about the event that just transpired. June 26, 2022 The most important thing about writing is When you start writing a story, you need to have a hook.
Next
Great Opening Sentences from Classic Fantasy Novels
Holmes department store, studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste in dress. But the dog was not running or asleep. Oh, and if you need a little more inspiration for your opening lines, check More than ready to get the ball rolling with agents, but just need a little push? I like the contrast with the more formal opening line. Each woman may set her plot in motion, but in each case she is not alive to explain how everyone gets her wrong, or projects their own version of events to absolve themselves too easily. He uses intense descriptions of sound, movement and colour. Examples: "Jarvis stretched himself as luxuriously as he could in the cramped general quarter of the Ares. I haven't changed my sex in eighty three years.
Next
25 Great Book Opening Lines That Will Hook You from the Start
World-building stories can sometimes fall down when they indulge in too much of an expository info dump, as the accumulation of background detail can quickly dent narrative momentum. The more you can begin with the character engaging with the world rather than reflecting on it, often the better position you will be in from a submissions perspective. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. This is especially a good idea when your first chapter reads like a self-contained story. These questions have become paramount in my mind lately.
Next
5 Ways to Start a Story: Choosing a Bold Beginning
The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice. The rest of the story picks at this mystery and uses the imagined score in the ongoing game-playing as a backdrop to the unfolding tale of Fatou, a domestic servant to the affluent Derawals, who has escaped servitude and dodged abuse in Africa only to face privations and hardships in London. So we sat in the house. They could not have had a more perfect day for a party if they had ordered it. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Secondly, that last sentence has four ands in it.
Next
Story Openings: 10 Lessons from Hits of the 2000s
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ThoughtCoChalkboard4-5b2a9ba73de423003688d07c.png)
As he was strolling sadly along the outer boulevard one bright January morning, his hands in his trousers pockets and his stomach empty, M. For a brief explanation of GMC, watch this extract from our monthly writing craft webinars where Opening sentence exercise: Write a few opening sentences beginning with dialogue. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It was filled with sleek silver spaceships, lunar colonies, and galactic empires. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". You can also use a question or an inspirational quote.
Next
Opening Lines For A Story (Great, Effective & Bad Examples)
The Embassy of Cambodia! One of the main ways to do this is by adding With this opening, you need to place the reader in a specific emotional headspace to engage with the rest of the page. Final advice Whether you ought to change your opening and revise is never an easy call. Why you might use this one: If you want to start your story with a bang. You see, we put together a wonderfully fun and creative list of 51 story starter sentences. You have to turn the page to find out more. In the bed of the river there were pebbles and boulders, dry and white in the sun, and the water was clear and swiftly moving and blue in the channels.
Next
51 Story Starter Sentences • blog.sigma-systems.com
I remember that distant sunny day of 13th November Friday, that changed my life. This shows how powerful the opening lines of a book can be. JSESSIONID Used by sites written in JSP. How could she not? I stalk you, etc. Laurie gets cheekier and less innocent with each passing day, as he brings home increasingly hair-raising tales of an even naughtier boy called Charles. They do not perceive deeply.
Next
10 Great Examples Of How To Begin A Short Story
You accomplish this by using Usually, these are words or phrases that elicit an emotional response in a person, including words that paint a vivid picture at the same time. Sudden insight works somewhat the opposite of the Lingering Question. Ling Yun wished she understood what Phoenix Command wanted from her. He stood a little over five foot six, but gave the appearance of being almost cubic. He weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds and had arms like a bear, thick, powerful and covered in coarse black hair.
Next