First Sentences
I’m sure everyone has heard the advice about first sentences and how you need a really good one…or you’re doomed.
I’m here to say this is another piece of advice that makes me want to scream.
Yes, you need a “good” first sentence. Yes, it can set the tone for your book. But also…a just okay first sentence is fine too.
I’m assuming your first sentence isn’t going to be terrible. It might not be a masterpiece, but it certainly doesn’t need to be something that you’re stuck on for so long that you never actually write the book.
You’d be surprised how often new writers can’t get past that first sentence.
Or maybe you wouldn’t. Because all of the focus on the “first sentence” even made me nervous initially as an editorial assistant. What if I accidentally acquired a book with a terrible first sentence? How would I find all these transcendent first sentences we were looking for? And if I was so stuck, how must authors feel?
I quickly realized most first sentences are fine. If you don’t hear angels singing when you write your first sentence, you aren’t alone. Our eyes naturally go down an entire page when reading, so I’ve never stopped reading a manuscript on the first sentence alone. And, guess what? If your first sentence in your book isn’t great - and this goes for anything really - a good editor can help you fix it!
So, please try to do what really needs to be done to be a successful author. Write your first sentence and then…move on! Otherwise, you’ll never get to the last sentence. And that one, in my opinion, is when you truly become an author.
Happy writing!
Warmly,
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When I come across collections of "amazing first sentences," they often are telling rather than showing. They summarize the situation or they contain a witty observation. They're great sentences, on their own, but they're almost separate from the story and keep the reader at a bit of a distance.
I’ve written exactly one piece so my thoughts come from being a reader. I think the first sentence just needs to set the tone. It’s just a simple “Start here”.