Everything’s in place. The first draft has been written and edited. The plot has been laid out, poked, and prodded from every imaginable angle in my search for holes. Those I’ve found have been plugged. I’ve delved into the past of my main characters in my search for their motivation, the driving force that will move them forward in the face of impossible odds. I’ve explored their fears growing up, tying everything together to lead them to the final confrontation.
There is but one thing lacking before I can begin the final rewrite. A simple little thing really. Comprised of anywhere from five to fifteen words. Something I’ve spent the past few weeks searching for.
I can feel it, hiding right on the tip of my tongue, waiting for me to stumble upon it.
The first sentence of the story.
The first line acts as a crucial hook. Like the curtain of a play rising, offering a balance between invitation and resistance to draw readers in without feeling forced. Setting the tone, the character, and the world instantly. Though some great openings are deceptively simple, proving the line’s power is in its promise of the story to come, not just in its stand-alone brilliance.
Let’s play a little game. What follows are the opening lines of the last five books I read. Everyone who answers correctly will have their name placed in a random drawing and two winners will receive an autographed paperback copy of my novel Cursed. This game will end one month from today, on January 15, 2026.
5 First Lines
1 David Arlen’s daughter woke up ten miles outside Fredericksburg.
2 Blake let himself into the apartment like he did every day after school.
3 Otto woke to the sound of boots on the floor of the foyer below and even before his eyes fully opened, he knew the nightmare had at last spilled over into reality.
4 Dennis Lange’s wife found his text messages and told him to be gone by the end of the day.
5 It was a small town by a small river and a small lake in a small northern part of a Midwest state.
Good luck.
What are some of your most recently read first lines?
Richard Schiver 