I love this opening line to Post Office, the novel that shot Charles Bukowski to fame, because it demands attention in five short words, piquing interest by suggesting drama, turmoil and impending catastrophe. It speaks to a universal emotion and raises an immediate question that propels the reader to wonder: What happened? (Or in Bukowski language, more like WTF happened?!)
I’m getting ready to teach Ace Your Opening Words: The 90-Minute Guide to Writing a Perfect First Line at Narratively Academy next week, which got me wondering: What’s your favorite opening line? What words — from a novel, screenplay, magazine article, poem or anything else — made you say, “Oh, wow, I have to read this!”? Shout out your favorite opening line in the comments.
"In Sicily, every story begins with a marriage or a death. In my case, it's both." -From Scratch, by Tembi Locke. I know it's 2 lines but the couplet works so well as a dramatic hook!
“The year my brother had a psychotic break, i knew nothing about ferns except that I had one and it was dying” - from an essay Little Seed by Wei Tchou in Virginia Quarterly Review
“I was sick—sick unto death with that long agony; and when they at length unbound me, and I was permitted to sit, I felt that my senses were leaving me.” The Pit & The Pendulum
(Too long, but I always loved at least the first 10 words.)
"Ayoola summons me with these words—Korede, I killed him. I had hoped I would never hear those words again"- My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Also, I once opened an essay for a writing workshop about a road trip with "We should have turned right." I don't know why, but the teacher was stunned. I never finished it, but still think about it.
What a coincidence - I was just discussing this same topic with my graduate writing students. Here's one of my favorites, courtesy of John Paul Scotto's essay in The Sun: "I spent my childhood getting more erections than I knew what to do with."
Last Sunday the host of a popular news show asked me what it meant to lose my body."
- From Ta-Nehisi Coates' "Between the World and Me."
I love this opening line because it has the right balance of mystery and intrigue (I didn't quite get what it meant, but I definitely wanted to read more) and I knew right away that this was going to be unlike anything I'd ever read, in both form and focus.
“The day before a stray bomb buried him in the Peruvian jungle, Fernando sat with José Carlos and together they meditated on death.” From War by Candlelight (from the title story) by DANIEL ALARCÓN
This line made me want to read the story right away. There were lots of burning questions in my mind after reading that line—how the hell did that happen? What happened before that moment? And why?
Best opening line for teaching creative writing: I STEAL. (from the short story "Lawns" by Mona Simpson) which I've used for teaching for years that still generates the most discussion because its voice is open to interpretation, as is the character-protagonist, plus it creates immediate suspense and interest. It's the one students and workshop participants tend to select the most as the opening line that would most make them want to read the rest of the work
In my first workshop class in grad school, my now-good friend wrote an essay with the opening line, "In the end, they identified him by his teeth," and I was IN. I think about that line still to this day, all these years later (truly, like every few months), because it just painted such a strong picture and drew me in immediately. I HAD to read the whole thing. (Katie Abbondanza, if you're reading this, ❤️. )
Can I share with you perhaps my worst opening line instead? Fresh out of college, I was working for a regional newspaper in north central Massachusetts. A new big box wholesaler, BJ's, was opening a store in Leominster and my publisher asked me to write a story about it. He handed me a press release and the phone number for their PR person. I called her, chatted a bit and tried to write the story. But I was stuck on how to start it. I mean, it's just a big-box wholesaler opening. How can I get excited about that? I was stuck for a few hours. Then it hit me.
"BJ's, that super-sized wholesaler where dinosaur-sized portions of everything roam free under a high ceiling and low overhead, is coming to Leominster!" The story flowed from there, the repositioned words from their press release, sprinkled with a quote from their PR person, flowed. The story ran. My publisher LOVED it. BJ's LOVED it. And anyone who ever knew me at all who read that line laughed out loud. Pure cheese...
“The redemption of Judah Woodbine began the day he killed his wife.”
“First, I'll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later.”
Ok that’s two lines but they have to go together.
Canada by Richard Ford
"In Sicily, every story begins with a marriage or a death. In my case, it's both." -From Scratch, by Tembi Locke. I know it's 2 lines but the couplet works so well as a dramatic hook!
Thanks for all these great opening lines! For anyone who wants to keep the convo going, and workshop your own opening lines, you can sign up to join Lorraine's class next week here: https://www.narratively.com/p/how-to-write-a-perfect-first-line
"Like most misery, it starts with happiness."
“The year my brother had a psychotic break, i knew nothing about ferns except that I had one and it was dying” - from an essay Little Seed by Wei Tchou in Virginia Quarterly Review
I think the opening line for my coming-of-age memoir-in-progress isn’t bad: WHEN I WAS A KID, THE FBI HAD A WAY OF RUINING THINGS.
😹
Maybe it's because I love whales, but one of my favorites is the iconic, "Call me Ishmael."
“We will have the money, or she shall die!”
“I was sick—sick unto death with that long agony; and when they at length unbound me, and I was permitted to sit, I felt that my senses were leaving me.” The Pit & The Pendulum
(Too long, but I always loved at least the first 10 words.)
“When I was little I would think of ways to kill my Daddy.” From: Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons.
Three come to mind:
"Either forswear fucking others or the affair is over" -- "Sabbath's Theater" by Philip Roth
"Fred Wagner began his career of public invisibility in a large midtown post office." -- "Being Invisible" by Thomas Berger
And for one that made me laugh out loud (a nice achievement for a first line):
"This may be hard to believe, coming from a black man, but I've never stolen anything." -- "The Sellout" by Paul Beatty
The opening line of "The Gift Of The Magi" by O. Henry: "One dollar and fifty cents. That was all."
“This is what happened.”
Stephen King’s The Mist
It's so perfect.
"Ayoola summons me with these words—Korede, I killed him. I had hoped I would never hear those words again"- My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Also, I once opened an essay for a writing workshop about a road trip with "We should have turned right." I don't know why, but the teacher was stunned. I never finished it, but still think about it.
It does sound really ominous! In the best way.
What a coincidence - I was just discussing this same topic with my graduate writing students. Here's one of my favorites, courtesy of John Paul Scotto's essay in The Sun: "I spent my childhood getting more erections than I knew what to do with."
the phrasing in that is just gold. Something about "knew what to do with" makes it perfect.
I know, right?! I love Scotto's writing so much.
Incredible! And love the coincidence.
I just sent my class the link to this seminar. I hope there will be some takers!
I still love the classic "People are afraid to merge on freeways in Los Angeles."
Reading this after just getting off a Los Angeles freeway…and I can relate.
Less Than Zero! Love it, too.
"Where's Papa going with that ax?" -- Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Such a classic!
So great! I recently reread this with my daughter and I was totally blown away by this book in a new way as an adult.
Hard agree! It's a genius bit of storytelling.
"Oh, the games families play with each other." From A Reason To See You Again by Jami Attenberg.
Oh I love this!
https://honeymoonatsea.substack.com/p/three-new-books-i-recommend
Ooh lovely, I’ll have a read!
It's a fabulous book. I'll post my review
"Son,
Last Sunday the host of a popular news show asked me what it meant to lose my body."
- From Ta-Nehisi Coates' "Between the World and Me."
I love this opening line because it has the right balance of mystery and intrigue (I didn't quite get what it meant, but I definitely wanted to read more) and I knew right away that this was going to be unlike anything I'd ever read, in both form and focus.
“The day before a stray bomb buried him in the Peruvian jungle, Fernando sat with José Carlos and together they meditated on death.” From War by Candlelight (from the title story) by DANIEL ALARCÓN
This line made me want to read the story right away. There were lots of burning questions in my mind after reading that line—how the hell did that happen? What happened before that moment? And why?
Best opening line for teaching creative writing: I STEAL. (from the short story "Lawns" by Mona Simpson) which I've used for teaching for years that still generates the most discussion because its voice is open to interpretation, as is the character-protagonist, plus it creates immediate suspense and interest. It's the one students and workshop participants tend to select the most as the opening line that would most make them want to read the rest of the work
In my first workshop class in grad school, my now-good friend wrote an essay with the opening line, "In the end, they identified him by his teeth," and I was IN. I think about that line still to this day, all these years later (truly, like every few months), because it just painted such a strong picture and drew me in immediately. I HAD to read the whole thing. (Katie Abbondanza, if you're reading this, ❤️. )
I love this! Thanks for sharing.
That is GOOD.
Right?!
She came too early
This definitely makes we want to read more because the meaning of the line can be interpreted in several ways, and intrigues in each case.
Love that. What's it from?
Can I share with you perhaps my worst opening line instead? Fresh out of college, I was working for a regional newspaper in north central Massachusetts. A new big box wholesaler, BJ's, was opening a store in Leominster and my publisher asked me to write a story about it. He handed me a press release and the phone number for their PR person. I called her, chatted a bit and tried to write the story. But I was stuck on how to start it. I mean, it's just a big-box wholesaler opening. How can I get excited about that? I was stuck for a few hours. Then it hit me.
"BJ's, that super-sized wholesaler where dinosaur-sized portions of everything roam free under a high ceiling and low overhead, is coming to Leominster!" The story flowed from there, the repositioned words from their press release, sprinkled with a quote from their PR person, flowed. The story ran. My publisher LOVED it. BJ's LOVED it. And anyone who ever knew me at all who read that line laughed out loud. Pure cheese...