I was hoping to post this earlier today but no such luck. Brenda Drake has this great contest going on over at her blog and I wanted to let everyone know about it that doesn't know already. So head on over there right this minute and check it out (like really this minute, it ends in less than 12 hours...shoo! But come back. Pa-lease.). Now the cool thing is that you only have to list who you are, the title of your work, genre, and the first sentence. And you can hop around to other blogs and check them out while you're reading all those awesome first lines.
First lines either draw me in or they lose me right away. I can peruse through B&B picking up books at random, and generally, it's the stellar first lines that either make it a keeper or a weeper. It's not something I plan. I'm not always sure what makes it so stellar to begin with. Piquing my interest isn't a hard thing to do, however, keeping me from envisioning rouge monkey's making paper footballs out of your masterpiece is a whole other story. No pun intended.
Those lines can be mysterious, funny, sarcastic, sexy, regretful, or even deep and emotional. But they have to make me want to read on. I've even heard lit agents who say they rarely get past the first sentence of a manuscript (no pressure). So this is why I've rewritten my first paragraph like a gazillion times. Humph. But as far as my first sentence goes...
Title: Will of the Walkers ( I've changed this a gazillion times too and probably will again.)
Genre: YA Crossover/ Paranormal Romance
First Sentence: Freaking babies?
That's it. Short and sweet. But would it make you read on? Be honest. Spare me nothing. And share yours. I'd love to read your stellar first line.
Is this dialogue? Otherwise, I picture babies everywhere, crawling on the floor, pulling over potted plants, yanking on the m.c.'s jeans - and screaming all the while.
ReplyDeleteI have a headache now.
Give me the whole paragraph.
So, I guess that means I would want to read on!! :-) But... I would have to stop if the babies are screaming, a lot. Blech.
I would read the next sentence. I was thinking YA when I read the sentence and then checked and saw that it is. Seems like the voice of a teen. Assuming she's either stuck babysitting or found out she's pregnant. I would be curious to find out. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteA great short hook that arouses curiosity with a hint of wry, off-the-wall humor. Fine first line, Roland
ReplyDelete