Everyone talks about first lines and how important they are for establishing voice, setting the tone, hooking your reader and never letting go.
It’s intriguing to see how first lines change or don’t. I checked out some of my first and last lines from my books and they are below and we’ll be talking about first lines for a few posts. This is just the first one.
But before we do, let me ask:
Do you have any favorites from books?
What was it that grabbed you?
Do you do that in your own books?
How Do You Make A Powerful First Line? What are the Traits?
- You make it mysterious.
- You make it have a strong voice.
- You make it surprising.
- You make it goofy or funny.
- You make it understandable.
- You make it authentic.
Here are Some Examples From My Books
Mostly they show how my first lines changed or didn’t. And how they met those above qualities or didn’t. Just like all of you, I’ve learned and evolved or devolved during these years.
Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend
Original:
He wants to know why it happens.
Final:
He wants to know why it happens.
Love (and other uses for duct tape)
Original:
You think you know people and then it turns out you don’t.
Final:
You think you know people and then it turns out you don’t.
Girl, Hero
Original:
Dear, Mr. Wayne, My mother’s got a man coming to see her.
Final:
Dear, Mr. Wayne, My mother’s got a man coming to see her.
Original: My parents drove me to the airport with the air conditioner on full blast.
Current: Everybody has fears, right?
Original: The dog raced through the Maine woods, keeping up with the little car speeding down the rural road.
Revision For a Long Time: “Remember, you’re not special, Annie,” Mrs. Betsey said.
Final: “Remember , you’re not special, Annie,” Mrs. Betsey told the small girl next to her as they stood on the rickety wooden step of the trailer.
Weird (not published yet, YA paranormal)
Original: Blake and I lie naked on the grass in my backyard, looking up at the sky and we’re all lazy feeling, because, yes, we had sex, and no, having sex is not a big deal.
Current: Blake and I lie naked on the grass in my backyard, looking up at the sky and we’re all lazy feeling, because, yes, we had sex, and no, having sex is not a big deal.
Original: I wake up scared.
Current: I wake up scared
The Fae (not published yet, MG fantasy)
Original: The first cat shuddered and stalked through the yard to sit under the biggest maple tree.
Current: Somebody had locked him in.
How about you? Have you ever gone back and looked at your first lines then and now. It’s kind of scary. Seriously. Do you want to share?
Sharing is good.
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One of our newest LOVING THE STRANGE podcasts is about the strange and adorably weird things people say?
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