Much
has been made about the importance of the very first sentence in a novel. Some
experts grumble if you don’t have that gripping, magic first sentence, no one
will want to bother reading your manuscript or book.
I
don’t know if I have ever purchased a book, or chosen one at a library, based
on the first sentence. An interesting review might catch my initial attention
and send me on a search. The cover might lure me in but more often I pick up a
book based on a favorite author, or a subject that interests me. Next, I look
at the back cover to get an idea of the content. After that, maybe a peek at
the inside flap of the front cover. That is about it for me.
I
took a look at the first sentences I used is some of my published novels and
novellas to see how they fared.
The
Dark Lady: “They say she is the Devil’s spawn, born in a cloud of brimstone and
sulphur on a night when the peaks echoed with thunder and the castle walls
trembled.”
The
Queen’s Pawn: “They are through the city gates!”
The
Queen’s Game: “How can I ever trust you again?”
Knight’s
Bridge: “I stare out through a crimson haze.”
Housetrap:
“I don’t like Elves, never have.”
Dial
M for Mudder: “I don’t like the dark October rains, never have, not since my Cousin
Edward threw me in the mill pond out back of our old shed.”
House
on Hollow Hill: “Bertha Wildwater has been frequently known to say, ‘If you
don’t know where you are going, ask,’ and she often uses her authority to
advise me where to go, asked for or not.”
Alex
in Wanderland: “Alexis came through the door like an unguided missile at the
end of its orbit.”
We're Not in Kansas: "Macy rose to her feet, leaned over, and poured the entire ruby contents of her wine glass neatly over the crotch of his light gray slacks."
Toltec Dawn: My liege, these sources are not guaranteed, but are drawn from the best information available at this time, including fleeing refugees and captured prisoners."
Okay,
so I admit that I sometimes like to throw a bit of drama into the opening. I’m
just not certain it’s the only critical key to landing a purchase.
The
other no-no some experts have been known to throw out is, “Never open with the
weather!” Why not, if it is relevant? I probably would if I thought it was
suitable, or just to be difficult. I notice that I did at least once above.
While
I tend to think the world does not always turn on the opening sentence, the
sooner you introduce the main characters, and the plot, the better. When I used
to run the judging in an annual literary contest where they often had to read
and rank around forty books in a very few months, I instructed them they only
had to read the first three chapters. That was enough to indicate whether or
not it was a possible winner. My personal opinion is that the reader should be
grabbed and well on their way after the first chapter.
How
do you choose a book? Where do you look to see if it is worth picking up?
R.J.Hore
The Dark Lady Trilogy (Volume 1,2,3)
The Queen’s Pawn (Volume 1,2,3)
The Housetrap Chronicles (Volumes 1 to 8)
Alex in Wanderland,
Knight’s Bridge
We’re Not in Kansas
Toltec Dawn Trilogy (Volume 1, 2, 3)
