tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post2414504896745488150..comments2024-01-04T15:58:30.280-08:00Comments on My Turn To Write: Great Author Meme...What Do You Say With the First Line of Your Book?Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10241398166886138241noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-29875800336878567682011-01-27T21:56:43.752-08:002011-01-27T21:56:43.752-08:00It took me like a week to join the meme party, but...It took me like a week to join the meme party, but I finally did. Here's mine - <a href="http://avamarch.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-lines.html" rel="nofollow"> Opening Lines</a>Ava Marchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07728101223255398162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-10089262634170278562011-01-15T15:27:37.628-08:002011-01-15T15:27:37.628-08:00I've never heard it said you shouldn't sta...I've never heard it said you shouldn't start with dialogue and personally I think those so-called rules are usually nonsense. Nice job!Shawn Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15465277365345512695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-81791283882396895452011-01-15T10:15:21.389-08:002011-01-15T10:15:21.389-08:00I like to start with dialogue/monologue. As you, I...I like to start with dialogue/monologue. As you, I also think it gives a sense of immediacy and is intended to pull you in. Mostly that works for me. Endless paragraphs of info bores me. <br /><br />Meme indeed! I'm gonna out the start on my stories on my blog too, because this was cool! :)Eco Minimalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03945665293567078897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-51219303275412364452011-01-14T23:56:33.411-08:002011-01-14T23:56:33.411-08:00Your opening lines pull me in right away, so you d...Your opening lines pull me in right away, so you definitely succeeded :) Quite a few use dialogue, but the ones that don't pull me in just as much (or vice versa, depending on how you look at it). And they all set an immediate mood. <br /><br />Um...now you're going to have me looking at my opening lines. I think of myself as more of an opening paragraph kinda girl than an opening liner, but it will be interesting to see if that's actually true.Ava Marchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07728101223255398162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-64985879526422943292011-01-14T21:31:26.235-08:002011-01-14T21:31:26.235-08:00Devon, wow, these are all very vivid. I'm with...Devon, wow, these are all very vivid. I'm with Eyre on probably liking the Remarkable Restraint one best of all. There's so much subtext in that opening line. I mean, this poor guy has problems. He's going to have an interesting story. <br /><br />I also like the one for Making His List. I'm guessing that this is probably a young child who is waking up our hero – but what if it's not? What if it's a gnome or a talking animal or something? I mean, I don't know that this isn't a paranormal. It's intriguing!<br /><br />I definitely notice a pattern of opening on immediate action – either a line of dialog, or some physical event in mid-progress. It could be a mild physical event like Vance pausing while raking leaves to enjoy his surroundings in Pride and Joey. <br /><br />Or it could be a shocking physical event like Erica getting grabbed in the shower in Falling for the Other Brother (and I immediately assumed a life-threatening scene like from Hitchcock's <b>Psycho</b> movie, but I just now realized that this could be an erotic encounter with the other brother!).<br /><br />You said, <i> I've heard you aren't supposed to open with monologue/dialogue, but I do tend to do that, don't I? I think it gives a sense of immediacy and is intend to pull you in right away. But do you guys agree?</i><br /><br />I'm no expert. Just speaking for myself, I'm a little uncomfortable with first lines that open with dialog. It's a very subtle thing and it's not anything that's going to make me stop reading. <br /><br />But, weird as it is, I tend to feel excluded by the characters, or at least unable to sink into the scene as fast and as thoroughly as I could with a beginning that puts me into a non-talking viewpoint (good examples of that: A Pint Light, and Remarkable Restraint, both of which draw me right in).<br /><br />If something opens with dialog, the faster I get some context as to what's going on, the better I do. So, I’m more comfortable with the first lines from Through the Red Door, Making His List, and Spring Training, where it's obvious what's going on from what's being said.<br /> <br />I'm less comfortable with the opening dialog from Rough Riders, A Detour Home, and One Wild Wish, because I have to keep reading while feeling kept in the dark. And yet it's silly on my part because I'm sure you give us full context within about four lines maximum, and probably sooner than that. But it is this weird little reaction in my subconscious as a reader.<br /><br />Thanks for doing this, Devon! This has been fun to read these lines and think about it.Average Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03955137026396047753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-46258241733945000132011-01-14T20:58:26.819-08:002011-01-14T20:58:26.819-08:00LOL at Eyre's comment about Snoopy!
The sente...LOL at Eyre's comment about Snoopy!<br /><br />The sentence from Remarkable Restraint was my favorite, too.<br /><br />And I haven't thought very much about openers. I know a few of the famous ones (for books I haven't read!): "Call me Ishmael." "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Etc.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959009113795804133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1947610883726622306.post-35032173903302829812011-01-14T17:27:29.485-08:002011-01-14T17:27:29.485-08:00I think your opening lines are just fine. I espec...I think your opening lines are just fine. I especially like the beginning from <i>Remarkable Restraint</i>. I definitely need to read that now.<br /><br />I know Snoopy began his novel with "It was a dark and stormy night," but someone told me/I read somewhere that authors should try to stay away from beginning with weather descriptions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com