tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post6023526475441647391..comments2023-11-03T05:49:10.841-04:00Comments on Storytelling Rules: First Lines of NovelsMaureen McGowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-76134447341353146172012-06-07T20:58:12.611-04:002012-06-07T20:58:12.611-04:00One of my friends had the copy editor change her f...One of my friends had the copy editor change her first line. It was her first novel. She called me in a total panic. I taught her all about "stet."<br /><br />I do think first lines often come from a place of total magic. That said, I one time not only cut the first line, I cut the first 35 pages from a manuscript. I was totally in love with the scenes, but they were back story and didn't belong. Crushing.Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09803986849921870941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-59196845734558348132012-06-07T14:11:06.640-04:002012-06-07T14:11:06.640-04:00i feel my beginnings are weak. I'm a rewriter....i feel my beginnings are weak. I'm a rewriter. Always the beginning gets rewritten. :PBethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00256853329068994102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-67125055138023639552012-06-07T09:31:26.494-04:002012-06-07T09:31:26.494-04:00Sometimes we overthink it. I usually go with the g...Sometimes we overthink it. I usually go with the gut for that first line. I've taken an opening paragraph and worked it in workshops and I hated what I ended up with - my first beginning was my soul speaking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-15826807588989214332012-06-06T17:05:04.861-04:002012-06-06T17:05:04.861-04:00That's a great line, Steph.
I took the plunge...That's a great line, Steph.<br /><br />I took the plunge yesterday and started the manuscript w/o a magic first line. Maybe this book will have a magic ending line? One can hope.Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-74475943613055700232012-06-06T11:57:08.016-04:002012-06-06T11:57:08.016-04:00That is a great first line, and they are tricky, b...That is a great first line, and they are tricky, but you, generally don't change a ton about your books, structure, basic plot elements, turning points all basically remain the same. <br /><br />I on the other hand have reworked first lines in every book and am still not satisfied..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-44734199603156999102012-06-06T09:23:07.311-04:002012-06-06T09:23:07.311-04:00Love it... your a first line magician!
But it was...Love it... your a first line magician!<br /><br />But it was crazy - as a I was reading this... I realized I've never changed a first line either. <br /><br />Never. Every other sentence can change but I never seem to touch that one.<br /><br />The first line of my current WIP... Dying sucked. <br /><br />Probably cliche, but probably going to be there come release day.Stephanie Doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448686465587131952noreply@blogger.com