tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post3234906535770935905..comments2023-11-16T02:21:20.565-07:00Comments on Myself as Written: Best First Lines of NovelsCharlie N. Holmberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546802577363686054noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-74622587298361243702011-11-22T01:05:12.509-07:002011-11-22T01:05:12.509-07:00My current project begins
"Reese ran from the...My current project begins<br />"Reese ran from the hangar, adrenaline pumping her legs faster than they'd ever gone before."<br /><br />You might not even see this for a while since I'm posting so late, but I thought as long as we're sharing...Eileen Rhoadarmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05934680476041554606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-88957757833680922222011-11-18T08:03:19.474-07:002011-11-18T08:03:19.474-07:00I LOVE first lines. It's amazing to see what y...I LOVE first lines. It's amazing to see what you can capture in so little. Love it. Great post!Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03237422917705115205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-90852561515576569502011-11-17T08:58:41.155-07:002011-11-17T08:58:41.155-07:00I think I'll always have that line from Pride ...I think I'll always have that line from Pride and Prejudice tattooed across my forehead. I love that book. I love the first line from Wither. If I remember right, all it is, is this: I wait. So short, but immediately I wanted to know what was going on.i'm erin.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13729541389129887477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-53182814210153483292011-11-16T20:43:06.230-07:002011-11-16T20:43:06.230-07:00As someone who believes in choosing words carefull...As someone who believes in choosing words carefully, I think first lines are important. Well, every line is important, but the first one is going to really impact your reader in a subconscious way. It will tell them how to approach the book and the characters. <br /><br />"Howard Roark laughed. He stood naked at the edge of a cliff." --The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand. (I know, it's two lines, but it's so great!)<br /><br />And this one is a good example of putting your reader right into the story, making what has already happened in the characters' lives real and bringing them up to speed on it:<br /><br />"They were supposed to stay at the beach a week, but neither of them had the heart for it and they decided to come back early." --The Accidental Tourist, Anne Tyler.Leah O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01320943065832032691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-56266848938447190112011-11-16T12:38:43.060-07:002011-11-16T12:38:43.060-07:00Chuck, I think you'd enjoy this. Mom and Dad&...Chuck, I think you'd enjoy this. Mom and Dad's newspaper tends to publish these after the contest. http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/Lee Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05206405942473108897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8852474824982150984.post-28785249877803497572011-11-16T11:55:24.368-07:002011-11-16T11:55:24.368-07:00#59 is because it's from Catch-22, and it'...#59 is because it's from Catch-22, and it's a requirement to put Catch-22 on any literary list. <br /><br />Honestly, that list seemed more like "here are a bunch of famous books and oh, what a surprise, their first lines are actually pretty good." :P<br /><br />And hey, I made a blog post about first lines a while back and how I think authors and readers dwell too much on them. But I won't be shameless and put the url, instead I'll put the first like of Effulgent Corruption. <br /><br />"Drake's second life began as his first: naked, screaming, and with excruciating pain racking his entire body."Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419408922469359932noreply@blogger.com