 Short Stories: April 16, 2025 Issue [#13077] |
This week: At The Beginning: The Opening Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
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2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
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This newsletter is about openings
Nobody died that year.
— Renata Adler, Speedboat (1976)
I lost an arm on my last trip home.
— Octavia Butler, Kindred (1979)
Once a guy stood all day shaking bugs from his hair.
— Philip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly (1977)
I get the willies when I see closed doors.
— Joseph Heller, Something Happened (1974)
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 (1951)
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Your Opening Sentence
A strong opening sentence can immediately grab a reader's attention and set the tone for the rest of the story. Here are some strategies for crafting a compelling opening line:
1. Introduce the world and characters:
Start with a hook: "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen,"
Create mystery: "The King is dead."
Introduce the narrator: "Call me Ishmael."
Establish a setting: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."
2. Engage the reader with a question or claim:
Pose a question: "What's going to happen?"
Make a claim: "This book will change your life."
3. Showcase your writing style:
Use vivid language: "It was a pleasure to burn."
Introduce a unique narrator: "Mother died today."
Start with a memorable image: "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board."
4. Consider the type of story:
For a suspenseful story: "The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling."
For a humorous story: "I write this sitting in the kitchen sink."
For a romance: "It was love at first sight."
5. Keep it concise and impactful:
Short and sweet: "The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created."
Powerful and evocative: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
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Worth The Read
| | | Aussie Gold (13+)
You can get anything you want in Alice, except an honest game [6-9-12 Daily Flash Fiction]
#1872883 by Soldier_Mike  |
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DEAD LETTERS
Quick-Quill 
When I joined WDC a long time ago, I learned that perfecting the short story is a part of learning the craft of writing. What I realized as I wrote stories in all genres to stretch my abilities has stood me in good stance all these years.
foxtale 
Don’t put on your beret. Just tell a story, an actual story. Quick, while they’re still listening.
That is a powerful ending. A bit of humor, succinct, and a nod to our ego that we forget to check at the door!
Legerdemain 
Hey Bill, thanks for featuring my story "Last Chance" in the short story newsletter! You rock!
Sumojo 
Thank you for including my story in this week’s newsletter.
Cheers Sue
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