What makes us want to keep turning the page? Why do we want to get invested in a story? When I was in graduate school at Illinois State University (Go Redbirds!!!) I would talk to friends of mine and we would discuss what it was that made people want to read a story. When picking up a book at your local Barnes and Noble, why pick up Book A instead of Book B? What was it about this text that caught my eye over that text? For me, when I read the first few paragraphs of a book story, that can tell the tale.
When I was first writing stories (on a notepad in my bedroom before bedtime), I always thought that whenever you start writing, you start at the beginning. At that time, I knew all there was to know about writing and no one could tell me anything (I long for those days, I think I’ve gotten stupider over the past few decades). Where does a story begin? Most European/American writing is linear. You begin in a chronological order and continue until the story ends. However, a lot of stories have broken that tradition. Take a look at Pulp Fiction: a film about several intersecting storylines that converge/diverge at different points in time. How about Memento (a murder mystery done backwards)? The myth of “beginning at the beginning” has long been debunked. This makes me think of the ingredients of a good opening.
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…”
“Call me Ishmael…”
“In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth…”
Whether it the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities, Moby Dick or the Bible, each of these lines represent a different way to involve the reader. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…” This opening line makes me want to read about a different time, a different world, and a whole new story. It makes me wonder the possibilities that are endless with a story.
“Call me Ishmael…” This line makes me wonder about this narrator. I want to know who Ishmael was, what did he care about, and what put him on a ship ran by a madman. It wasn’t the story that made me want to read this novel called Moby Dick, it was Ishmael and Ahab.
What greater line evokes an epic grandiose feel than the opening words from The Bible? The opening passage induces an atmosphere of awe and discovery. It lets us know that the words that are within its pages will educate and entertain. No matter if you see the Holy Bible as a religious text or a collection of stories there is no mistaking the power and lush reality that it conjures for a reader.
Here’s a quick exercise: close your eyes and imagine what comes after “Once upon a time” or “It was a dark and stormy night.” These lines (albeit cliché), are still powerful lines that can vividly call to mind a wooded glen where elves and fairies traipse through life granting wishes, harboring secrets, or even telling a tale as old as time. Or, they can cause our hearts to speed as we imagine rain showering over us while moving timidly through a midnight forest hoping that something within the shadows does not grab us and pull us away into our deepest, darkest nightmares. That is the power of an opening line.
When it comes to writing (whether they are essays, novels, short stories, etc.), I sort the pieces into two categories: character driven and plot driven. Those that have compelling protagonists, whose evolution/development tend to become a driving force of the story, are referred to as character driven. Works such as Forrest Gump, Batman Begins, Fight Club or Atlas Shrugged are excellent examples of excellently written character driven pieces. Stories that have plots that are quite complex, and tend to overtake our attention are plot driven. Stories such as The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan, or the Odyssey are great plot pieces. With beginning lines, the writer can show (without stating verbatim) if the piece is plot driven or character driven. However, before you even sit down to write an opening line, it is important to ask yourself if your work will be focusing on the character or the events that occur.
An opening line can be what makes the difference between a character that I want to continue to read about, and one that I decide to place back on the bookshelf. Opening lines can act just like first impressions. They are great to break the ice, and can introduce you to a new friend. Just remember to think of the appropriate way to introduce them. Whether it is a person or a plot, readers want to be teased enough to want to learn more.
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