 Short Stories: September 27, 2006 Issue [#1288] |
  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: darkin
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Short stories are fiction's appetizers, short bursts of entertainment for the senses, to be consumed at the time.
My name is Darkin, and I’m your guest editor this week for the Short Story Newsletter.
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Opening Sentences
It was a dark and stormy night.
Those few words are the opening line of Snoopy's novel. Charles Shultz must have had a wonderful sense of humor to use that simple line for the beginning of his character's novel. It brings a wonderful mental picture to mind when I read it. I can see the rain falling, the clouds blocking the moonlight from embracing the cold, wet ground.
Of course, over the years that opening has become the butt of most writers, and readers, jokes. And yet, it's still a great line.
The opening line to a story should hook the reader and set up the mood of the story, preparing the reader for a wonderful journey through the writer's imagination.
A bad opening line can turn off a reader and stop them from going any further in the story.
A great opening line can ignite a fire in the reader's mind, propelling them through the tale with lightening speed.
But what makes a great opening line?
Starting your story at the first sign of action is a good way to hook your reader and get them interested in your tale. A great example of this is this opening line:
The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
This one sentence is pregnant with impending doom. You can feel the tension of the one who is witnessing the army waiting for the battle to begin.
Another good way to start a story is with a secret, something to bring the reader into your confidence. Here is an example of that:
You better not never tell nobody but God. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A secret kept from all but the ears of God. What could be so terrible that only God should hear it? This one line made me read this novel in one sitting. I had to know what that secret was.
Romantic interludes are another good way to start a story. An example of this is:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Romance is alive and well in written works. Readers love to see two characters brought together by love, then ripped apart by circumstance until they finally find each other to live out their lives together.
Writing a strong opening line is only the beginning. Writing a story that keeps the reader reading is just as important.
Thank you for taking the time to read. Happy Writing!
darkin
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Here are some short stories I found while traveling the highways and byways of Writing.Com!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Thank you terryjroo for the following contest suggestion
Here is a game for all you fiction readers out there...respond to this e-mail in the box below and tell me who wrote the following first lines:
 It was a pleasure to burn.
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
Through the fence, between the curling flower spaces, I could see them hitting.
Just send me the book and author for each line. The first 20 readers who respond with the correct answers will receive 1,500GPs!
Thank you for allowing me to enter your world. If you have any comments, or questions, feel free to drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you!
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