McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Beginnings
Donna:
Nice! Intriguing opening and you don't tell us the name of the book! ???
--- Quote from: Mickey Finn on July 10, 2006, 09:41:13 PM ---
--- Quote ---The book sits on my nightstand, innocent in its trappings: a simple diary, encased in a simple cloth, the muted floral print stained and dirty. The small brass lock is jammed in the open position. The whole ensemble gives the impression of a child's diary, lost in the sandbox in school.
It scares the hell out of me.
The mist comes and we dare not separate. That was how we lost Charles.
--- End quote ---
It's a story within a story, so both opening lines had to grab the reader.
--- End quote ---
Mickey Finn:
It's not a book, it's the story I won the Fencon contest with ;)
It used to be posted, but not any more...I need to get with Hastur and get it up, plus a few pics I've promised.
Dayna Barter:
I think that a killer opening line can go a long way toward encouraging me to read the rest of the book, but what follows needs to be good as well. I'll usually give a book the first chapter. If it hasn't hooked me by then, I put it down.
Having said that, I do think that the killer first line is WAY more important to a first novel than it is to later books in a series or from an established author. Good authors build up an account of "good author credit" with me. I'll spot them a slower opening if I've already read several of their books and enjoyed them. But for a freshman author, a boring first chapter is the kiss of death.
Mickey Finn:
Strangely, I felt that way about Terry Pratchett. My first book of his was Mort, and I couldn't get past the first chapter.
Years later, I picked up Soul Music, and devoured every book of his I could find.
Amber:
--- Quote from: Mickey Finn on July 11, 2006, 12:25:10 PM ---Grave Peril worked the second time I read it, but the first time, I kept feeling like I missed a book somewhere along the line, where Michael was introduced.
--- End quote ---
Grave Peril is the one book of Jim's where I just do NOT like the structure. I don't like the whole flashing back and forth thing. It bugs the hell out of me. *grumble*
As for beginnings of books- the opening of Dead Beat has got to be one of my favorite openings EVER. All the way up to the "for freaking caine" line. It's ranked in my mind just slightly above flaming monkey poo. ;)
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