Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.This week's topic:
First Lines
First lines are so, so important to me. The perfect first line can set the tone, voice, and the stage for the entire novel. I love opening a book, reading the first sentence, and instantly falling into the story. First lines really are like pick up lines. I usually know within a few sentences whether its a match or not.
Some of my favorite first lines:
"My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die." --Jellicoe Road
"Wait--did you--you just yawned!" The vampires arms, raised over his head in the classic Dracula pose, dropped to his sides. --Paranormalcy
These are some of my own first lines.
Middle Grade WIP:
Berwyn stole my biscuit at dinner. Again.
YA WIPs:
“I didn’t say that!” I cradled the cordless between my shoulder and cheek to free up a hand for digging.
I killed my first boyfriend at the age of fifteen.
10 comments:
I killed my first boyfriend at the age of fifteen ?!?!?! I so have to read that! great line :)
I agree! Love your last first line!
"I killed my first boyfriend at the age of fifteen."
Which one is this?????????? I also <3 your CC opening line lots and lots :)
Yes! Jellicoe Road has one of my favorites too. Ditto everyone else on your last opening line. It's fabulous!
What the???? Why are you hiding things from us??? But, oh man, grape slushies is so good, too.
Okay, your first lines are SO great. They all made me simultaneously crack up and REALLY want more. "I killed my first boyfriend at the age of fifteen" is insane. And the gummy bear one sounded exactly like a middle grade novel should. Awesome.
Mole is my new favorite. Anybody who is willing to bet a slushie over gummy bears has got to be awesome. :) All of those opening lines were really great!
Oh, I want to read what comes after your first lines! I love the MG ones in particular!
I just downloaded a sample of Paranormalcy and was also struck by that first line--so much about the story and its direction and tone are in that one line.
I'm with the majority here - your first lines ROCK.
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