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Openings: An Opportunity You
Can’t Ignore
By Cheryl
Alldredge
“For the better part of my
childhood, my professional aspirations were simple—I wanted to
be an intergalactic princess.”
Janet Evanovich, Seven up
To begin this article, I borrowed a line from best-selling
author Janet Evanovich to grab your interest. Hopefully, the
humorous aspirations of Stephanie Plumb, the character speaking,
got you interested in the possibilities to be found in a good
opening. The first lines of your novel, may well be the most
important in the entire book. More important even than the big
black moment. Why? Because the reader might never get to the
black moment, if they aren’t hooked by the opening. You may have
only a few pages, a few paragraphs, or even a few lines to
convince the reader to invest hours of their time reading your
novel.
There are many ways to approach the opening, but whatever you
choose it had better be interesting. A word of warning though,
don’t go for any old gimmick. If your opening sets up wrong
expectations, the reader will be quickly frustrated. Openings
may shock, seduce your senses, or set an intriguing tone, but
they must always fit the story that follows. The best openings
will do that and more—establish some conflict that will carry
the reader into the story world.
Consider these great openings…
“Ragnor Magnusson was in the midst of swiving the most beautiful
woman in all the Norselands, and he was bored.”
Sandra Hill, Wet & Wild
“For all intents and purposes, Samantha Jean Carlyle was dead.
It was just the when and how of it that had yet to happen.”
Sharon Sala, Deep in the Heart
“Elenor Lyndon was minding her own business when Charles
Wycombe, Earl of Billington, fell—quite literally—into her
life.”
Julia Quinn, Brighter Than The Sun
Do these openings leave you wanting more? Can you tell what
genre or sub-genre each belongs too (even before seeing the
title or author)? Can you identify conflict?
I’m sure you have a few favorites of your own. Be sure to take a
few off the shelf and give some thought to why they work. By
strengthening your own openings you’ll better your odds of
winning readers hearts.
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