Award-Winning Author Ellen Jackson

Three main tasks need to be accomplished in the first paragraph of your story. First, you want to create an intriguing or exciting first sentence that draws your reader into the story. Second, you begin introducing the characters. Third, you show the characters in action or give a hint of the story problem.

Think about where your story actually begins. An obvious place to start is where the different characters' various stories connect or when the conflict is first detected. If your story doesn't fit so neatly into that mold, never fear. Writers often go back and rewrite their original beginning later in the story writing process. Sometimes the moment when the real story begins isn't obvious at first, and even experienced writers often discard their first pages or chapters.

Creating Sizzling First Sentences

Most of us wouldn't show up at a formal party in our bathrobe or wear our old grubbies on a blind date. Everyone knows that first impressions are important. That's why the first sentence is the most important sentence in your story. How many times have you opened a book, read the first sentence, and either put the book down or decided to keep reading? Children do the same thing, and your goal is to keep them interested in your story. For this reason, your first sentence must be captivating or intriguing. You can hook your reader's interest in one of four ways:

By using humor
By building excitement or tension
By creating a mystery or a problem
By challenging (or reversing) the reader's expectations
Here are some examples of each method:

HUMOR

EXAMPLES:

On a warm, wonderful day, I, Alonzo Lizard, was taking a bath–a sun bath, that is–on the family rock.

Cedric hated his Very Noticeable Nose that went everywhere with him and got way too much attention.

TENSION AND EXCITEMENT:

EXAMPLES:

"EEEeek!" shrieked Mom, as a skunk scrambled out from Darren's closet.

At first I didn't see the flying saucer hovering outside my bedroom window.

MYSTERY OR STORY PROBLEM

EXAMPLES:

Ned's family seemed ordinary enough–during the day.

When he first saw the old mansion, Sebastian wondered how he would have the nerve to stay overnight in a haunted house.

CHALLENGING EXPECTATIONS

EXAMPLES:

Little Goblin was afraid of many things, but most of all he was afraid of boys and girls.

In the land without color, children watched black and white television and ate vanilla ice cream.

Now it's your turn. Try writing four different opening sentences–using humor, excitement, mystery, and reversal of expectations. Don't worry about writing a story to match the sentences. You are only practicing.

INTRODUCING YOUR CHARACTERS

In the first sentence or two, you will probably want to include some information about your main character. Who is your story about? Is your main character an animal, a child, or a toy? You don't have to give this information directly, but you need to indicate it in some way.

The main character doesn't have to appear in the first paragraph–sometimes you may want to introduce other characters first. Perhaps you've chosen a secondary character to comment about the main character. This description can serve two purposes: it shows how the main character appears to others, and it makes the reader anticipate meeting the main character for the first time. For example, in most versions of Snow White, the opening describes Snow White's mother pricking her finger with a needle and thinking about the daughter she would like to have.

But in most cases, you will begin with one main character interacting with others. If you're opening with a scene that includes several characters, make sure that one is singled out as the primary point of view character. If you begin with a group of characters, you want to avoid a group point of view.

Not this:

Lisa, Kevin, Rachel, and Jeremy were playing soccer in the park. But no one seemed interested in the game. They were all thinking about their friend Benny who was in the hospital.

But this:

Lisa got the bad news right before the soccer game. Her friend Benny had been taken to the hospital.

You should lavish special care on the opening because it will make or break your story. You want to make a good impression on your readers, and they will judge your story on the opening. Just as the first few seconds of an interview often determine whether a prospective employee gets a job, the first sentence determines whether or not your reader will want to read your story. If the opening isn't lively, engaging, or mysterious–you won't keep your audience.