First Line Checklist

 

THE OPENING LINE of your book is your first (and, if you don’t take advantage of it, last) opportunity to grab your readers’ attention and give them a reason to read your story. That’s a gargantuan job for a single sentence. What makes good first lines work? What about them makes us want to read on?

 

Exercise #1: Write your opening line, then use the following checklist to polish your opening line.

 

Question #1: Does your opening line introduce your protagonist?

 

Question #2: Does your opening line raise a question?

 

Question #3: Does your opening line introduce at least a sense of the setting?

 

Question #4: Does your opening line set the tone for your story.

 

Exercise #2: If necessary, revise your opening line accordingly.

 

Reference: Structuring Your Novel, chapter 1, pages 12-15.