A FICTION PHARMACY PRESCRIPTION:
DX = Stuttering Start
Hook Your Readers on the First Page
Convincing your readers on the first page that they just have to continue reading to find out what happens next is a must for fiction writers. You can do this two ways:
1) A burning question
2) Intense Action
Both of these story-starting techniques give readers a teaser to entice them to read further.
Here are a few examples of beginning sentences that pull readers in with either a burning question or intense action:
1) An icy finger of fear tickled the back of my neck.
2) The echo of the bomb still rung in my ears.
3) I hesitated to knock on the door; would my birth-mother accept me?
4) The castle loomed ahead, dark and dreary, with the scent of black magic thickening as we approached.
5) A shriek from the back of the room told me I'd just been spotted.
6) When I saw my former boyfriend, I veered to the opposite side of the street.
7) The king's announcement brought silence to the room.
8) John ducked under the oncoming punch.
9) If looks could kill, the daggers from her eyes would cause my death.
10) A bullet whizzed past his ear.
Are you ready to read more about any of these stories?
Their beginnings are quite enticing, aren't they!
Backstory can wait. Scene description can come later. Even introducing the character can be put off for lines such as this. None of these will pull in a reader as much as a burning question or intense action from the very first few words of the story.
Now it's your turn. What does your novel start with? Try adding in something at the very beginning to tantalize the readers. What is the burning question you main character must find the answer to? Where can you put your protagonist that would create intense action or emotion for your character? You are the author. Make it happen!
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