When it comes to the first line of a book, there seem to be a few different theories floating around. Each one deserves it's time in the spotlight so I will discuss these theories and their pros and cons over the next few blog posts. The first discusses that old adage of 'hook your reader' and 'make that first line a killer'.
The Fish Hook in the Cheek
This is the idea that a first line should grab the reader like the titular fish hook. It should entirely prevent the reader from looking away, putting down the book and wandering out of the bookstore. It should, in fact, drag the reader to the counter where he or she will slam down their hard-earned cash, thank the cashier and hurry home, all without having looked up from the page. This theory states that you, the writer, should spend hours painstakingly crafting that first sentence until it jumps off the page and gives you a Roger Rabbit-esque kiss.
First Lines that Do It Right:
Rebecca - 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.'
Mrs Dalloway - 'Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.'
1984 - 'It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.'
There is a commonality between these lines. They each introduce something new to the reader and leave them with questions, be it a place, character or event. If you only had these lines, what questions would you come up with? What the hell is Manderley? Why is this person dreaming about it? Again?? Who is Mrs Dalloway? Why is the buying flowers? Why is she specifically buying them herself? How is a clock striking thirteen? What kind of place has 13-hour clocks?
With your first line, try to think of what a reader, if given just your sentence, would question. Does it make you want to read on or does it leave you cold? Then give it to a reader, a friend, relative, online forum, anyone. All feedback is good feedback.
The downside of new writers trying to make that first line sucker punch a reader is that one can spend so much time making those first ten words perfect, that the other 80,000 do not live up to the hype. I believe a novel should be the same standard throughout. I've read so many that start off so well, the first three chapters are incredible but after that the writing flounders, the plot turns sluggish and I leave the characters feeling disappointed.
This happens because so many new writers concentrate on the first line or first three chapters because that is what is sent to an agent or publisher and that small section of the whole is what 'sells' the book. If you have an amazing first line, great, good for you, but make sure the rest of your work is of the same standard and has received the same amount of attention from you. Yes it will take a while, yes it will be difficult, but that is what writing a book is all about. How do you do this? You edit. You edit like your life depended on it. You cut. You re-write. You bang your head on your desk until that first line is just a taster, not the pinnacle, of wrting within. Stop concentrating on selling your book and instead concentrate on writing it.
