First Sentence, First Impressions

The first sentence of your book is the first chance you have to engage your reader. You need to take that chance. If the first line doesn’t do a very good job of raising interest, will people read on to the second?

You don’t need to craft the best line ever seen in the English language, you just need to raise the reader’s interest. Get them early.

Four books plucked from my bookshelf yield the following first sentences:

“She had been running for four days now, a harum-scarum tumbling flight through passages and tunnels.” Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere.

“The Druid stood in the doorway, as still as a figure carven in dark stone, watching the riders come up the hill.” Juliet Marillier, The Dark Mirror.

“I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped.” Iain Banks, The Wasp Factory.

“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory.” Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash.

At first glance, there’s not a lot in common there. However in all cases, these first sentences set a scene, and introduce either the main point-of-view character or prime mover of the story. In addition, each one sets a scene – a desperate chase, a druid’s house on a hill. Each poses a question, such as “escaped from where?” or “who is the Deliverator?” Each draws you into the story while also carrying you through to the next line.

All this in a few short words. Your first sentence doesn’t need to be a paragraph to get things started. Start with what is important to the story as it starts, and take it form there.

My current draft begins with “It was the last day of Danny Sangford’s life, but not the final day of his existence.” I think I still have some work to do.

Happy writing!

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