tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post3009609225545022582..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: Grand OpeningsTerry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-74242505695932558332011-05-27T08:52:47.921-06:002011-05-27T08:52:47.921-06:00authorguy - I admire you for knowing your first l...authorguy - I admire you for knowing your first line so well.<br /><br />Cat - thanks for the brainstorming. I normally don't obsess about my openings when I start writing; more often than not, they're going to change drastically, and I hate to waste too much time and brain power on something that might end up cut anyway.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-88439918891606941532011-05-27T08:25:30.777-06:002011-05-27T08:25:30.777-06:00I actually love trying to write a good first sente...I actually love trying to write a good first sentence. I usually re-write it after I've finished the first draft and then re-write it as many more times as I need until I find the sentence that I think works.<br /><br />As for your first sentence, what bugged me was the cliche of 'chip-on-your-shoulder'. Although it was in a dialog and people do speak in cliches, it jarred me. Why settle for your speaker using cliches when you can create a character that uses original speech?<br /><br />You first character is asking the second to adjust his bad attitude. There are lots of ways to talk about someone's bad attitude. Beginning with cliches: take yourself down a peg, pin your own ears back. Now thinking about making adjustments could lead you to: change that radio station, or tune in a new song, or recalibrate your head. In a police/dective story maybe you would come to: adjust your sights, or aim that gun at a different target.<br /><br />It just seems like fun to me. Thanks for the post.Cat Moleskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-28904288015572728632011-05-27T08:11:24.829-06:002011-05-27T08:11:24.829-06:00I usually get the first line first, and build ever...I usually get the first line first, and build everything off of that. My latest novel is an exception, I showed it to a fellow author and he suggested putting an action sequence in front, which I did. It fit perfectly with the original opening and gave the chapter a darker tinge. The book was about him getting out of that dark place so it worked beautifully.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-905868316883109002011-05-26T13:48:48.436-06:002011-05-26T13:48:48.436-06:00Hart - I've gotten better; I used to get to ab...Hart - I've gotten better; I used to get to about chapter 8 before I knew where my book started. Now I can write 3 chapters and revise from there. I'm sure I'll be tweaking the opening, but it's what I have to do to get rolling.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-47388203067700050492011-05-26T13:36:43.455-06:002011-05-26T13:36:43.455-06:00I'm often tempted to put too much scene settin...I'm often tempted to put too much scene setting into my opening... and it bugs me dialog is technically a no-no. I think you've done it here and I like it fine--I mean YEAH it jumps in in the middle a little, but isn't that what we are supposed to do?--you give a lot of info with just two lines, and I have started with it and think it can work. I normally love the beginning of books, but that first couple pages never are quite as zippy first draft as they need to be.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-88222078615387618052011-05-26T12:09:29.320-06:002011-05-26T12:09:29.320-06:00Wynter -- thanks. I've never been much of a &#...Wynter -- thanks. I've never been much of a 'first line' or even 'first paragraph' hook-writer. I always hope my readers will hang in there for the first page.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-63604788983246002662011-05-26T09:29:59.836-06:002011-05-26T09:29:59.836-06:00Great advice. Openings are definitely the hardest ...Great advice. Openings are definitely the hardest part of the book for me to write. Your opening line doesn't necessarily draw me in but if the rest of the page has something exciting, it could work.Wynterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13611293420659353094noreply@blogger.com