How to Write the First Sentence of a Book
Begin with an aphoristic observation., Start with a concise fact., Open with a deceptively complex statement., Use the first line to establish an element.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Begin with an aphoristic observation.
Many classing novels open with a universal truth being mused over by the narrator.
For example, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy begins with the line, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”Think about what your novel is about.
Is it addressing family relations? Personal struggles? A person's capacity to be his/her own downfall? Once you've narrowed down the larger issue(s) at play in your novel, you can begin to think about that issue in a more poetic way.
Try to arrive at some type of universal truth on your subject.
If you can't come up with your own, you can always quote a famous aphorism.
For inspiration or to find a strong aphorism you can quote, try searching online.
You might start with MIT's compilation of Hippocrates's aphorisms, which can be found at http://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/aphorisms.html. -
Step 2: Start with a concise fact.
If aphoristic observations don't fit with your narrator's voice, you might try opening with a concise statement from the narrator.
Many classic novels open this way, including Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man ("I am an invisible man.") and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 ("It was a pleasure to burn.").Think about what kind of personality your narrator has.
Delve deep into his biggest triumphs, his greatest struggles, and his ultimate downfall (if he has one).
Put yourself in your narrator's shoes.
How might he/she bring a reader up to speed in one or two concise, all-encompassing sentences.
It may be helpful to imagine yourself as the narrator having a conversation with an unseen partner, perhaps over coffee or drinks.
What would your narrator say in a moment of absolute truth that would make for a jumping off point in your story? , Some authors of well-known novels have chosen to begin their books with a simple fact that carries a larger significance.
Try to start with an observation that appears simple on the surface, but after the reader has finished the novel it will become clear that this sentence carries a lot more weight than it seemed.This type of opening line may work best if you finish a draft of your novel, then return to rewrite the beginning during the revision process.
You'll need to know what happens and how each character develops on the page in order to give a meaningful, complex statement in the opening line.
As you read through the first draft of your novel, think to yourself, "Where does the key to the main character's psyche, struggle, or ultimate victory lie?"
A classic strategy for writing the first line of a book is to establish some literary element that will carry the reader into the narrative.
You can use the opening line to establish the mood of the book, introduce the narrator's voice (or a main character's voice), or frame the time and place in which the book takes place.There's no right or wrong method here.
You may have to play with different establishing elements until you find the one that works best for your book.
Think about what would work best to orient the reader into your book, and go from there. -
Step 3: Open with a deceptively complex statement.
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Step 4: Use the first line to establish an element.
Detailed Guide
Many classing novels open with a universal truth being mused over by the narrator.
For example, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy begins with the line, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”Think about what your novel is about.
Is it addressing family relations? Personal struggles? A person's capacity to be his/her own downfall? Once you've narrowed down the larger issue(s) at play in your novel, you can begin to think about that issue in a more poetic way.
Try to arrive at some type of universal truth on your subject.
If you can't come up with your own, you can always quote a famous aphorism.
For inspiration or to find a strong aphorism you can quote, try searching online.
You might start with MIT's compilation of Hippocrates's aphorisms, which can be found at http://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/aphorisms.html.
If aphoristic observations don't fit with your narrator's voice, you might try opening with a concise statement from the narrator.
Many classic novels open this way, including Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man ("I am an invisible man.") and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 ("It was a pleasure to burn.").Think about what kind of personality your narrator has.
Delve deep into his biggest triumphs, his greatest struggles, and his ultimate downfall (if he has one).
Put yourself in your narrator's shoes.
How might he/she bring a reader up to speed in one or two concise, all-encompassing sentences.
It may be helpful to imagine yourself as the narrator having a conversation with an unseen partner, perhaps over coffee or drinks.
What would your narrator say in a moment of absolute truth that would make for a jumping off point in your story? , Some authors of well-known novels have chosen to begin their books with a simple fact that carries a larger significance.
Try to start with an observation that appears simple on the surface, but after the reader has finished the novel it will become clear that this sentence carries a lot more weight than it seemed.This type of opening line may work best if you finish a draft of your novel, then return to rewrite the beginning during the revision process.
You'll need to know what happens and how each character develops on the page in order to give a meaningful, complex statement in the opening line.
As you read through the first draft of your novel, think to yourself, "Where does the key to the main character's psyche, struggle, or ultimate victory lie?"
A classic strategy for writing the first line of a book is to establish some literary element that will carry the reader into the narrative.
You can use the opening line to establish the mood of the book, introduce the narrator's voice (or a main character's voice), or frame the time and place in which the book takes place.There's no right or wrong method here.
You may have to play with different establishing elements until you find the one that works best for your book.
Think about what would work best to orient the reader into your book, and go from there.
About the Author
Steven Morris
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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