First Impressions

There's a lot of talk in the writing world about the opening line. Just like approaching a member of the opposite sex, those first words can apparently make or break you in the eyes of agents, editors, and readers. And they could quite possibly haunt you for the rest of your life.

We're taught in the early stages of writing that we need to hook our readers immediately and make them want more, and that we're supposed to do this in a single, solitary sentence.

There is a plethora of information available on the subject for those who seek it. From writing workshops to internet blogs, it seems everyone has an opinion on how to craft the perfect opening line. Unfortunately, a lot of these sources contradict one another.

Some say scene description at the start will kill your novel. Others say it's crucial to world building.

One says to never open with dialogue. Another says doing so will make your work stand out.

It's enough to drive a writer insane. Or at least make us question why we ever decided to embark upon this potentially soul-crushing adventure in the first place.

Like every writer I struggle with the opening hook, but I've found that if I don't fret, just let it go and write my story, something great will pop into my head before I've typed The End and break out into my victory dance.

Bloodletting starts with Olivia was afraid of the dark. I can only hope I nailed it. I think I did. But Bloodletting is revised and polished. Query letter has been perfected and submitted to agents. Now it's time for me to move forward.

My current obsession begins with She never cut deep enough to finish the job, just enough to create a God-awful mess. I like it now, but who knows, by the time I'm done I probably will have changed it a hundred times.

I'll admit, it's been a good writing week for me. My creativity is flowing. I'm not contending with bouts of "everything I write is crap" melancholia. So, just for fun (and since we don't have to worry about my sinking into an abysmal depression) I'm going to post the first oh-so-important line of some of the novels and short stories I've written.

I'm the first to admit that a lot of these are downright awful, but read them anyway. Then let me know (via the comment button below) which one hooks you and makes you want to see more, and which ones should suffer the wrath of my delete key.

1) I was never one for granting second chances, so when he begged for one - when he swore up, down, back, forth and sideways that it would never happen again - I wasn't too inclined to give him one.

2) If Alyssa had learned one thing today, it was that cleaning a toilet in a mini-skirt and her favorite stilettos was not something she ever wanted to experience again.

3) Back home, I had dreamed of America often.

4) The door at the opposite end of the long, narrow corridor was slightly ajar, which only served to exacerbate his anxiety.

5) The river was just about the only thing moving, it's violent and turbulent routine unabated by the scene growing along its bank.

6) There was a time, centuries ago, when vampires were worshipped as gods.

7) Lexie's eyes grew wider, her eyebrows reaching towards the sky.

8) The corners of the envelope, adorned with silver embossed doves flying beside cascading ribbons, declared it to be a wedding invitation.

9) She was light in his hands.

10) The scent of bacon frying filled the kitchen.

11) From the corner of the room where it had been unceremoniously tossed, the digital clock cast an ominous red glow across the bare walls.

12) "Have you been drinking already?"