What is the point of the first sentence of any novel? To get the reader to buy the book, of course.
Sure, that’s what the summary on the back of the book is for. But most people flip through the pages of a book before deciding whether or not they want to buy. Some people actually begin reading the story.
Shocking, I know.
So, if you want to grab your reader at the first chance you get, that chance is the opening sentence.
Most mysteries start off dramatically. I mean, if you’re writing a murder mystery I think that deserves a dramatic beginning, don’t you think? Someone was killed, that’s kind of a big deal.
Here are three ways to open your novel:
1. The Crime
Depending on the point of view, you can start the story off with a bang. Show the murder. Show the robbery. Show the criminal…
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