Good First Lines (paragraph, quote, words)

[oregonwoodsmoke]

It's a positive thing if the opening line grabs attention, creates curiosity, or is simply enjoyably well writren.

I like this one:

"I died first, so I made cookies".

That's Patricia Briggs, first words and entire first paragraph in Silence Fallen. Of course, because it is Patricia Briggs, it could mean darn near anything. You've got to read to find out.

Share your favorite first lines.

[Hulsker 1856]

"It was a dark and stormy night."

[couch coyote]

Originally Posted by Hulsker 1856

"It was a dark and stormy night."

LOL, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the quote that will live forever! He also said, "Words, however, are things." (Is this deep, or is my brain just shallow??)



My favorite: "I don't think my stepfather much minded dying. That he almost took me with him wasn't really his fault."


- Dick Francis, To The Hilt

[Mightyqueen801]

"Call me Ishmael". - Moby Dick

"Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were." - Gone With The Wind

"The earth was not supposed to move." - Clan of the Cave Bear

[suzy_q2010]

"Ryan was nearly killed twice in half an hour."

Patriot Games, Tom Clancy

[grampaTom]

"The small boys came early to the hanging."

Ken Follett, Pillars of the Earth.

[Seagrape Grove]

Originally Posted by Hulsker 1856

"It was a dark and stormy night."

LOL. You beat me to it.

[banjomike]

Call me Ishmael.

[ogre]

Two novels that have been staples of high school English classes for decades have memorable openings;

"Mother died today. Or maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure."
(Albert Camus, "The Stranger")

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."
(J.D. Salinger, "The Catcher in the Rye")

[kokonutty]

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…" - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities


(Sounds like he wrote it today.)


The closing line's not too shabby either.