Purple Prose:
first lines

Grabbing the reader’s attention. This is the goal of our first line when we craft our opening chapter. The all-important first line will encourage the reader to either abandon the book or read the next kick-ass line (and hopefully the rest of the book). We spend hours sweating, crying, tearing our hair out, trying to nail that first line. But what about the first line of your blog post? Have you given it the same consideration?

When checking out my overflowing dashboard, three things determine which posts I’ll read and which will be ignored (assuming you aren’t one of my blogging friends). The first is the title. If the title doesn’t spark my interest, then the first line had better be good or else I’m moving on to the next post.

Many of you have your blog connected to your Twitter account. Remember, your opening line is what will show up in your tweet (along with the title). Make it interesting and someone might check out your post. Make it interesting and someone might retweet your post and help grow your followership (on Twitter or your blog or both).

So, what’s the third thing that will snare my attention? Lolcats trump all. Put a lolcat picture in your post and I’m all yours.

Do you pay attention to the first line of your blog posts? What makes you check out a blog post among the ocean of others?

When it comes to grabbing the reader’s attention, a great first page is vital. With agents, if they don’t make it past the first page, well, you know what happens.

With my current WIP (YA contemporary), I knew there was something not quite right about the beginning. But I couldn’t put my finger on it. It had voice, but there was no real connection with the main character. I knew it needed something more, but what?

Then I heard that agents Joanna Volpe and Suzie Townsend are critiquing the first 250 words of volunteers’ novels and posting the feedback on their blog, Confessions From Suite 500. The one rule: You have to study the first page of several novels from your genre. Great. That sounded simple enough.

Four hours later, and a huge stack of novels on my floor, I had studied the first two paragraphs of 38 YA contemporary novels, 15 YA paranormal novels, and 16 winning YA entries from past MSFV Secret agent contests. I compiled the data into tables (did I tell you I’m analytical?) and indicated which first two paragraphs hooked me. Based on the results, I came to this startling conclusion:

The first two paragraphs that made me want to read more involved a combination of introspection and action.

When I say action, I’m talking maybe a sentence or two just to break up the introspection, and it wasn’t big action. And, of course, the introspection wasn’t rambling or long. It got to the point within the first paragraph and was loaded with voice.

My findings also supported what Donald Maass wrote in his Writing The Breakout Novel Workbook. In his workshops , he has the participants read their first lines. After each line is read, the participants put up their hand if they would keep reading:

“Weather effects, descriptions, and scene setting never get a strong response. Neither does plain action—unless there is something puzzling about it. The best first lines make us lean forward, wondering, What the heck does that mean?”

Now remember, these results are based on the beginnings that hooked me. Try this exercise for yourself and see what kinds of openings appeal to you the most. You might be surprised.

(Edit: I've had requests for me to publish the tables. Just click on this link if you want to see them.)

Most of you have probably heard of Donald Maass’s book Writing The Breakout Novel. I ordered the workbook by the same name this weekend and, assuming it’s got some kickass advice, will review it in the New Year.

In this post, I want to focus on his great advice from The Fire In Fiction: passion, purpose, and techniques to make your novel great. Seriously, what is it with all these incredibly long titles for non-fiction books about writing fiction? Geesh!

We all know how important the first line is when the reader checks out the first page of a novel. I mean, who can resist first lines like these?:

Phoebe and her friends held their breath as the dead girl in the plaid skirt walked past their table in the lunchroom. (Generation Dead by Daniel Waters)

Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day. (The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan)

Three things I know this second: I have morning breath, I’m naked, and I’m waking up next to a boy I don’t know. (The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney)

There’s a big difference between death threats and love letters—even if the person writing the death threats still claims to actually love you. (Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead)

We slave, we stress, we sweat, all while struggling to create that perfect first line. But according to Donald Maass, that’s not enough. The first and last line of each scene should be rocking. I know, you’re all groaning. Wasn’t perfecting the first line of the book bad enough? But it makes sense when you think about it. With the scene’s final line, you want to keep the reader from putting the book down. If the next scene has a great line like the first one of the book, then you’ve just enticed your reader to keep reading (assuming she’s enthralled with your story or her eyes lids haven’t drooped shut because it’s 2 am.)

Now, the final line of each scene doesn’t have to be a cliff hanger, but it does have to leave the reader wanting more. Right? And I do think you have some leeway with the first sentences. They can’t all be as great as your first one. But it is worth the tears to make them as strong as you can.

Has anyone tried this technique before, or is it something you haven’t given much thought to?