tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post2180950036645157720..comments2024-03-18T01:49:03.153-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: The First Line HookDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-38531779752869132362011-02-27T21:46:37.547-07:002011-02-27T21:46:37.547-07:00Here's two favorites. From William Gibson'...Here's two favorites. From William Gibson's NEUROMANCER: "The sky over the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." And from Jim Butcher's BLOOD RITES: "The building was on fire and it wasn't my fault."Paul Tevishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13871385215743480164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-34530204914567394372011-02-27T15:10:19.669-07:002011-02-27T15:10:19.669-07:00Something about these first two sentences in "...Something about these first two sentences in "Sunny, Ward of the State" by Sonja Heinze Coryat really grab me. I always woke up when the coughing started in the cellar. These were my mother's lungs announcing the dawn of a new day. I use these same sentences in my latest blog about beginning your memoirs with the "Now" in your life.Eunice Boevehttp://www.euniceboeve.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39605147262853913222011-02-25T12:37:01.104-07:002011-02-25T12:37:01.104-07:00That's OK, Irene--you asked permission :)
Th...That's OK, Irene--you asked permission :) <br /><br />Thanks to you all--I love all the examples. This has been fun.Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32876656384027502102011-02-25T09:30:55.597-07:002011-02-25T09:30:55.597-07:00Darn, didn't intend to leave my comment twice!...Darn, didn't intend to leave my comment twice!! Sorry.Irene Bennett Brownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-83600530866030335592011-02-25T09:28:01.542-07:002011-02-25T09:28:01.542-07:00More than one, please? "She had fallen twice ...More than one, please? "She had fallen twice now and her breath was coming in hot, ragged gasps." From Charlotte Hinger's novel, Come Spring. "Folks around here say the Beaty boys were just plain wild and no good,and that made us all look bad here in McDade." From Lily, by Cindy Bonner. "Abby Reynolds braked her truck on the icy highway, startled by what she imagined she saw off to the side of the road." From The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard.Irene Bennett Brownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42417401347632290902011-02-25T09:27:31.112-07:002011-02-25T09:27:31.112-07:00More than one, please? "She had fallen twice ...More than one, please? "She had fallen twice now and her breath was coming in hot, ragged gasps." From Charlotte Hinger's novel, Come Spring. "Folks around here say the Beaty boys were just plain wild and no good,and that made us all look bad here in McDade." From Lily, by Cindy Bonner. "Abby Reynolds braked her truck on the icy highway, startled by what she imagined she saw off to the side of the road." From The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard.Irene Bennett Brownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66153831720136866102011-02-25T09:19:49.425-07:002011-02-25T09:19:49.425-07:00My very favorite first line? From "Rebecca&qu...My very favorite first line? From "Rebecca" by Daphne DuMaurier, "Last night I dreamed of Manderley..." I may have missed a bit -- is there an "again" in there? I don't know. My favorite LAST line is from "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson, which ends with "...and we who walk here, walk along." Quite possibly the creepiest line in a very creepy book!Lori Orserhttp://www.lorisbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-62279599401419465592011-02-25T07:35:11.474-07:002011-02-25T07:35:11.474-07:00Whooops, should have been Soul of Nowhere. That&#...Whooops, should have been Soul of Nowhere. That's what happens when I'm trying to get out to the ski mountain!<br /><br />JulieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-86621155738616064972011-02-25T07:33:40.905-07:002011-02-25T07:33:40.905-07:00Great article, Heidi. Thanks. One of my favorite...Great article, Heidi. Thanks. One of my favorite first lines is from Craig Childs's nonfiction book: Sould of Nowhere: "I am the man sitting naked in the desert." And of course he follows it up with a terrific first page, first chapter and whole book.<br /><br />JulieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36916900542271751612011-02-25T02:10:31.215-07:002011-02-25T02:10:31.215-07:00Fascinating post! My fave first line is from Du M...Fascinating post! My fave first line is from Du Maurier's The House on the Strand. It's too long to quote here but it has an air of magic about it that grabbed me and drew me in without realising it, although it's much longer and more complex than modern examples.<br /><br />I know what you mean about failing to live up to first lines. I have one short story that starts with a man jumping naked out of a birthday cake. How do you follow that? *grin*Fiona Glasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03906545058188198820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39956661084674762112011-02-24T19:25:11.477-07:002011-02-24T19:25:11.477-07:00Great post, Heidi! I'm a big fan of firsts--fi...Great post, Heidi! I'm a big fan of firsts--first line, first page.<br /><br />Fave first line from one of my fave books is short and sweet: "Jude was dead."<br /><br />It's from Bernice McFadden's Sugar. The first page that accompanies that line just SINGS.Shonell Baconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04827197354857197637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-7243707827562807462011-02-24T18:33:49.428-07:002011-02-24T18:33:49.428-07:00That first line is the toughest!
Morgan MandelThat first line is the toughest!<br /><br />Morgan MandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21872589345700681262011-02-24T16:28:46.146-07:002011-02-24T16:28:46.146-07:00Great post about something I hadn't given much...Great post about something I hadn't given much thought to. Enjoyed reading these amazing first lines.Sharon - coping with a losshttp://grandmaisawriter.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21259357070023734942011-02-24T15:14:24.319-07:002011-02-24T15:14:24.319-07:00Great! Love your faves.
And yes, the hard work! ...Great! Love your faves. <br /><br />And yes, the hard work! Who was it who said, "Writing is easy, all you do is open a vein."Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-37956476466562896532011-02-24T13:55:39.029-07:002011-02-24T13:55:39.029-07:00How about this one from my friend Jonathan Maberry...How about this one from my friend Jonathan Maberry's YA zombie tale, ROT & RUIN, which has one oodles of awards this past year:<br />"Benny Imura couldn't hold a job, so he took to killing."Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-92033325723408627692011-02-24T11:35:17.295-07:002011-02-24T11:35:17.295-07:00I agree with Helen that it's not easy. As a fl...I agree with Helen that it's not easy. As a fledgling novelist, I get so excited when I feel I'm following the advice of the gurus! I point at an article on this blog or in Writers Digest and go "I'm already doing that!" and am so proud. It's a real boost to my creative ego.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07716190503345068698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-84068868621748870642011-02-24T10:40:03.517-07:002011-02-24T10:40:03.517-07:00Awesome post. After reading Les Edgerton's Hoo...Awesome post. After reading Les Edgerton's Hooked I realized how important it really is. I labor over the first lines. The really hard part tho, is making the entire first chapter live up to it.PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-68268210457175370232011-02-24T10:07:48.784-07:002011-02-24T10:07:48.784-07:00Of course every writer wants an excellent first li...Of course every writer wants an excellent first line, but if it's not followed by excellent paragraphs and pages then you're in trouble!<br /><br />I try to write an opening paragraph that slides my readers quickly into the plot but doesn't toss them into the shocking cold water of the deep end. That sort of beginnings works for thrillers - which I don't write.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11370297313565814562011-02-24T09:58:59.799-07:002011-02-24T09:58:59.799-07:00Oh the agony, the clenched teeth, the tears and sw...Oh the agony, the clenched teeth, the tears and sweat of a first line. Now I must invent some more.<br />Nancy<br /><a href="http://nrwilliams.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium</a>N. R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174506528962095858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73925490022387086162011-02-24T09:55:32.697-07:002011-02-24T09:55:32.697-07:00Such great points, thanks. I'm still reworkin...Such great points, thanks. I'm still reworking my first line!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-75617708583069532502011-02-24T09:52:22.637-07:002011-02-24T09:52:22.637-07:00Absolutely love this! Yes, those zingers are good,...Absolutely love this! Yes, those zingers are good, but like you said, if we don't follow through, we're only shooting ourselves in the foot.Lisa Gail Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03648323153868702165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50849308269443760942011-02-24T09:10:58.900-07:002011-02-24T09:10:58.900-07:00My current favorite is from "Room" by Em...My current favorite is from "Room" by Emma Donoghue:<br /><br />Today I'm five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe, but when I wake up in Bed in the dark I'm changed to five, abracadabra. Before that I was three, then two, then one, then zero. "Was I minus numbers?"<br /><br />She gives us our narrator/protagonist and hints at the world he lives in.Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15584643018505305470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2105277484824021672011-02-24T09:07:05.197-07:002011-02-24T09:07:05.197-07:00My favorite first line has always been "It is...My favorite first line has always been "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" from <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>. It not only captures what the book is about, but it also has that lightly mocking tone that makes me love Austen.Julie Nilsonhttp://julienilson.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88794067588176136292011-02-24T07:44:24.966-07:002011-02-24T07:44:24.966-07:00The first line has to hook. The last line in the f...The first line has to hook. The last line in the first chapter has to hook. The book as a whole has to hook. And people think writing is easy!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-4118380216386352802011-02-24T07:43:31.773-07:002011-02-24T07:43:31.773-07:00I love first sentences, too. Those are great examp...I love first sentences, too. Those are great examples. What a fun writing exercise to take a great line and go with it!Karen Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425141684712829990noreply@blogger.com