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What do you think of your novel opening? That first sentence of your story. The one the agent will read and within 6 seconds she/he will make a decision based on those words. Those first very important words. 

These beginnings have to make you remember. Make you  imagine. Make you want to read more and more. 

I have struggled over my beginning with SEVENTY TWO HOURS. That first sentence. UGH! So many rewritten first sentences, first paragraphs, and first pages. 

I finally got mine. Or did I ? ^_^ See? That's my struggle. As soon as I would rework the sentences/paragraphs/pages, I would question what I wrote, send said junk to Beth, where she would tell me what the problem might be. Then, I would start anew. 
 

Of course, you know my personal favorite:

"The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it." Oh man! That is sooooooooo good!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Or:

"Marley was dead: to begin with."

"I am Sam. Sam I am.

"TRUE! - nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?"

"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin."


"He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish."


Did I mention I finally got mine? Maybe... ^_^

 

First Draft-itis

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First draft-itis. I have it. Can't shake it. 

 This is ONLY known to writers. It starts when you KNOW that you KNOW the next book you will  be working on. In other words, you have your idea, you've mapped out the way you THINK the story should go, you may have done a character chart, (I didn't have to on this one) and you are ready to type those AWESOME first words, CHAPTER 1. Well, some writers don't put their book into actual chapters until it's finished, but you know what I mean. ^_^

This is MY moment! I get to have that time in my writing life when I try to ruin the lives of my main characters in every way possible, only to play hero to my wonderful characters at the RIGHT moment and pull them to safety. I am their hero, yanno. They end of lovin' me. Uhhuh.

So...as I type those awesome, tremendous first words, I leave you with this: GET MESSY WITH YOUR FIRST DRAFT! HAVE FUN! I know I will! =)

"You can't wait for inspiration.  You have to go after it with a club."  Jack London

Questions or comments about the title post?