Opening Lines

Daleno

Hey folks,

I'm interested in hearing your opening lines. I'm a firm believer in the first line as a gateway into the story and I like for mine to give as much detail, without going over the top with it. I used to prefer to open with dialogue, but have since changed my viewpoint.

Here's one of mine:
This would not be the first time I would be suspended for ignoring that boundary that named me teacher and not friend.

Feel free to post as many as you like and tell us you're method or ideas about opening lines.

Cheers,
-Daleno

D for Dubious

In terms of opening lines the best I've ever come across was the one in Old Man's War.

Antilles

Daleno wrote: »

Here's one of mine:
This would not be the first time I would be suspended for ignoring that boundary that named me teacher and not friend.

That's one seriously unwieldy opening line, imo.

Mance Rayder

James Herbert's 'Creed'

"Demons today are a shoddy lot ..."

"The first thing you need to know about Joseph Creed is that he's a sleaze of the First Order - maybe even of the Grand order, considering his trade."

Daleno

Antilles wrote: »

That's one seriously unwieldy opening line, imo.

You think? I find it rolls quite well, but then again, I would say that. I'll have a look at it later and see if I can make it flow better.

Opening lines are the ruddying hardest part of writing anything, I find. Usually when I get the opening line just right, then the rest of the story goes from there. Sometimes when I'm stuck for inspiration, I would actually do a Google search for opening lines, because when I find one that hooks me, it makes the rest easier.

One of my own personal favourites

He ran through puddles of mud saturated with blood, his feet making squelching noises with each hurried step.

Mance Rayder

I agree with Antilles here. It's not fluid enough.

Daleno

How about:

The last time I got caught I almost lost my teacher's license.

damselnat

Opening lines are key, I always struggle with them One of my favourites is from The Meaning of Night:

"After killing the red haired man, I took myself off to Quinns for an oyster supper."

Antilles

Daleno wrote: »

How about:

The last time I got caught I almost lost my teacher's license.

That's much better.

pickarooney

It had nothing to do with Billy Joel.

pickarooney

Daleno wrote: »

How about:

The last time I got caught I almost lost my teacher's license.

It doesn't convey the same meaning as the first version. This one doesn't tell us that you've just been caught again. What's a teacher's license? Is it a licence to teach or the licence of your teacher? Is the American spelling deliberate?

Antilles

pickarooney wrote: »

It doesn't convey the same meaning as the first version. This one doesn't tell us that you've just been caught again. What's a teacher's license? Is it a licence to teach or the licence of your teacher? Is the American spelling deliberate?

That information can be put in the following lines. The opening line should be succinct and intriguing.

pops

First day of the new life. John Banville's The Untouchable

It immediately makes you wonder what happened with the old life.

pickarooney

Antilles wrote: »

That information can be put in the following lines. The opening line should be succinct and intriguing.

True, but this one was neither.

Daleno

If I'm honest posting here has confused me more than helped. I think I'll just go with it on my own and if I fail I fail.

On topic:

The man in black feld across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.
Stephen King, The Gunslinger

Love that opening.

EileenG

"You're going to leave me here on Earth? Alone?"

I love, but can't claim credit for, "We were watching telly the night my nan burned the house down."

Ah hell, http://www.eileengormley.com/2011/09/how-many-of-these-first-lines-can-you-name/

sillo

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

pops

sillo wrote: »

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

George Orwell 1984?

"It was the day my Grandmother exploded." Iain Banks, The Crow Road.

sillo

pops wrote: »

George Orwell 1984?

Correct!
Another for your troubles (no prizes forfiguring this one out though):
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.

The Mad Hatter

sillo wrote: »

Correct!
Another for your troubles (no prizes forfiguring this one out though):
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.

The DaVinci Code?

sillo

hah!

pops

sillo wrote: »

Correct!
Another for your troubles (no prizes forfiguring this one out though):
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.

Nabokov's Lolita - have to admit I've never read it though.

sillo

pops wrote: »

Nabokov's Lolita - have to admit I've never read it though.

One of the best books i have ever read - I really recommend it.