Writing to the Heart of the Matter means evoking emotion from every word, every sentence and every paragraph. And, most critical of all, is the first sentence.
The first sentence determines if any of the rest of your writing is read. It sets the stage for everything that follows. Whether you write family histories, genealogical mysteries or business memos, the first sentence creates the tone. The first sentence is your port of entry. Does the reader want to continue, or do they jump ship?
How can you tell if the first sentence works? Read. Read more. Read often. Read all genres.
Discover what drags you into the story. Go to a library and browse the new releases. Pick up one after another and read to find out what the writer does to draw you into the book.
Chances are you will prefer sentences of the books you like to read. Over the next few weeks I will share with you some of my favorites. Yet each writer's first sentence is where imagination begins.
Over the next few weeks I will share with you some of my favorite first sentences. In the meantime, write your own first sentences, or review what you have written before. And, consider, would you continue to read it if you didn't know what was going to happen next?
