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- Apr 1, 2008
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Recently, I have been paying closer attention to the beginning of short stories, and I am fascinated by the way some writers can draw you in from the first line. It's brilliant. However, my first lines are not brilliant. I am finding it difficult to come up with great opening lines. It's usually in the second or third paragraph that things start to get interesting. But I want to write gripping first lines.
It's also not a matter of cutting out the less-exciting opening and starting a little later down the page. I think it's more that I am not saying things in the most interesting way from the start and I don't know how to get better at this. Even once the story is done, I'm not sure how to go back and jazz up the beginning.
I make up my short stories as I am writing. I believe my stories are starting in the right place for the most part, but I just don't seem to be able to nail the first line. Do you guys write gripping first lines? Did you always? How can I get better at this?
It's also not a matter of cutting out the less-exciting opening and starting a little later down the page. I think it's more that I am not saying things in the most interesting way from the start and I don't know how to get better at this. Even once the story is done, I'm not sure how to go back and jazz up the beginning.
I make up my short stories as I am writing. I believe my stories are starting in the right place for the most part, but I just don't seem to be able to nail the first line. Do you guys write gripping first lines? Did you always? How can I get better at this?