Does Your First Line Lead Down The Right Path?

Have you just written the first line of a story or article? Were you lucky enough to pluck the words right out of the air, or did it take more time, but now you're on the right path? Does your first line intrigue, inspire, hypnotise or shock? 

Sometimes the first line is all you have written, but you know those right words are the seeds from which your story will flourish.

Perhaps you find the first line of a story the hardest to write; you can't come up with those amazing opening words just yet, so you leave it for now.

Writers know how much depends on the impact of the first line, but if those opening words are not coming easily to them, there is only one thing to do. Work at it. Work at it in any way you can. Keep writing, or speak the line aloud and twist and turn the words until the right sounds come out. Try the line out on other people. Take a break if you have to, sleep on it, but never, ever give up. Your first line may get altered a hundred times until it’s right, but you will get there in the end.

And when you find a brilliant first line, you know it, because it pulls you in, makes your eyes water or spine tingle. You may even forget to breathe while everything else pales into 'insignificant.'

When I read a wonderful first line of a novel, I fall so hard, I want everything and everyone to disappear, so it’s just me and the book.

Some of my favourite first lines include the shockingly visual:
‘His children are falling from the sky.’ 
Hilary Mantel, Bring Up The Bodies 

The apathetic, gruesome, but darkly humorous:
“It was the day my grandmother exploded.” 

Iain Banks, The Crow Road

And the thought-provoking:  
“It was like so, but wasn't.” 

Richard Powers, Galatea 2.2

A few first lines I’ve written for my own short stories are:

1. 'I remember the day I realised I was an experiment'
2. 'To kill your spirit, you must make sure there is no hope left; that takes time, but not as long as you think.'
3. 'The one that gets away rarely recovers as well as the one that’s left behind.'

So, what are your favourite first lines and why?

For other great Opening Sentences, see : Science Fiction First Lines 

Nisha P Postlethwaite is the author of The First Sense eBook available from several online retailers. To find out more visit

www.nppostlethwaite.com

And the first line of The First Sense is :

'I never knew the man that left me in my mother, and I hoped he hadn’t passed down any part of himself to me.' 

An author interview can be found on the One Thousand Worlds Blog by the fantastic Richard Earl . On twitter:   @1000Worlds

Also featured on paper.li 

The Calm Between Storms

The whole of Britain was recently battered and drenched by storms and floods, the green land enduring some of the worst weather in an age. 

The English Lake District and Cumbria got off lightly compared to some other parts of the country yet still suffered significant storm damage. 

  

I stole several short walks around the Lake District and Ulverston between storms. The dry spells were few and far between, but much-wanted, visually-stunning interludes.

Here are my photographs:

The Coast Road past Ulverston, where various rocks and debris have been dumped by the tide

The coast at Roa Island south of Rampside village - the southernmost point of the Furness Peninsula in Cumbria






The drive to Roa Island and the storm clouds begin to gather again 

Storm damaged wall, near Beach Wood
Ulverston

Seat buried by storm debris, near
Beach Wood, Ulverston  

Path smashed by the sea,
near the Priory, Ulverston 

View from Beacon Tarn, Torver, near Coniston, Cumbria 

All photos taken on a HTC One X Camera

Nisha P Postlethwaite is author of 'The First Sense' fiction eBook based in the Lake District and Cumbria, available from several online retailers. To find out more visit www.nppostlethwaite.com

The New Year's Resolution

What does 2014 mean for you?

Most of us made New Year resolutions in the last few moments of 2013, laying down our personal promises for 2014. 

Resolutions are born out of many things, usually self-improvement, but for many they are formed after reflecting on the previous year’s events, poignant moments, trials, tribulations, or ups and downs, as ultimately these experiences become the bricks for our next year’s resolutions.

For many people I know, 2013 was a challenging and tricky year, a year of facing demons, soul-searching, introspective thinking and assessment of everything occurring in life to that point. It was a year of throwing things out, burning them down, standing in the ashes and plotting, planning and rebuilding.

2013 was a year of reconnecting and strengthening old connections, sometimes permanently breaking connections, but mostly a year of forming new connections and growing networks.

2013 was sometimes a deeply frightening year, yet also a very hopeful year and a year with many ecstatic moments. It was a year with many dark, dusty corners that needed airing out in order to build things in a stronger, better way.

As 2013 drew to a close, I knew it had enabled me to build the strongest foundations for 2014. In 2014 I will truly nurture and enjoy many of the amazing friendships and connections made to this point – because I am truly lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing, inspiring and entertaining people.

My 2014 resolution is to experience these friendships and connections (and those following) in high definition and in a complete 360 degrees. 

Ultimately, it's all about the people.

Nisha P Postlethwaite is the author of The First Sense eBook available from several online retailers. To find out more visit www.nppostlethwaite.com