A writers’ group I’m involved in often plays a game where we share the first line of our work-in-progress. I’m always so intrigued and impressed with what these talented writers share. So let’s do the same here. Whether your work is fiction or nonfiction, go ahead and share your first line! And please, ONLY the first line. It’s a great way to see if it’s effective.
I’ll start:
First line of my current fiction Work=In-Progress:
Well, at least this would prove that my mother was wrong all these years: stepping foot in the kitchen was going kill me!
Bestselling Books in 1974
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Karen, first line ONLY, per instructions.
“I didn’t order another drink” said the young US Army soldier to the pretty cocktail waitress in the sexy but tasteful outfit, after all, this was a class hotel.
Terriffic blog query. Investigates creativity and ability to follow simple directions all in one easy request! Genius!
Loved your first line. I don’t personally know of any women who were killed by stepping foot in the kitchen but I know more than a few of their loved ones who nearly were as a result. lol
They whispered hurriedly into unsuspecting ears while swords destined for their tongues swung mercilessly overhead.
Outside, the hot urgency of survival pulse.
Thanks so much for letting us share! The first line of my latest novel (Miranda Warning, an Appalachian mystery just released June 20th), is this:
“I chose the day I would die.”
I love first lines and I always want mine to be real zingers. 🙂
Thanks for starting this, Karen! It’s always fun to see what other people come up with.
So, here are mine:
From my novel-in-progress, Inconceived —
The second time I went to the Nashville Women’s Clinic, someone went with me.
***
And from my nonfiction WIP, Spinstered —
This is a love story.
My name is Emily Burns and this is the story I never intended to write.
I love this!!! Hooked me.
There are some fantastic first lines here! I haven’t gotten to the stage where I’m focused on the first line just yet, but here’s the first sentence in Scrivener at the moment:
“With classical music softly filling the air around her, Melody Harrison polished off her peppermint tea and placed her mug in the sink.”
from WIP Greater Still
First line from A Lily Among Thorns
Lily’s body twitched as her eyes popped open, a shiver of fear traveling down her spine.
The first line of my WIP- Home Field
“Mom, can we stop soon?” A child’s drowsy plea sounded from the back seat of the Jeep.
Having traveled with small children in the car, this caught my attention immediately, Laurie.
WIP: In the sky there was a horse.
Everyone lives by rules—either self-imposed or made by others.
Cinderella is dating Peter Pan, again.
Sounds fun, took my interest and made me wonder about them and where they are headed.
Intriguing and funny!
First line of work in progress (historical novel):
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trying this again — 1st line of WIP, historical fiction:
IN THE EAST, in a country washed by sunglare and by slender rivers that drop from distant mountains to gash the desert flats and seek the sea—there in the East one early morning a child always restless was seized by a sudden stillness.
I really liked this and I don’t usually like a really long first line. If it were me I would start with ‘In the country”. I felt like I was there. I could see the layout of the land and I loved your descriptions and you put the character right in it. If I can feel it, I am hooked.
“I had a very happy childhood, until I started remembering it.” — It’s not part of a WIP yet, but I love the line.
Opening line from my current WIP: I curled into myself, screams dying to moans.
“This would be the summer that changed Chloe’s life forever. At least, that was what the brochure promised, and she should know for she’d read it enough times over the past seven months to have it memorised.”
Hafton Valley, Oregon
The best parents a guy could ever have and I killed them–death and a half, the worst kind—twice–you hear me, God, if you are even real–I didn’t want them dead.
From my Figleaf Mystery about a young Oregon policeman who owes an Arab sheik a million dollar favor.
The theme is human trafficking of preschool boys from third world countries to be racing camel jockeys because of the boys low weights.
Wow! These have been some really good first lines. Here’s mine from Christmas in Stoney Creek.
Scruffy and somewhat dirty as well as odourous, the old man shrank into the corner of his seat on the train.
“Abandoning her at Conklin House hadn’t been Father’s intention, and like the good girl she was, Lorna Caine had vowed forgiveness that first summer.”
I’m late posting as I was gone last week, many of these first lines are intriguing. They’re spurring my own creativity and urge to write.
Flimsy paper coloring books bursting with partially shaded images packed the shelves of a child’s room: my room, each page within bearing witness to a minor flaw. -the art of God {excerpt}
so, i’m working on my very first manuscript for a non-fiction inspirational memoir. here goes!
If I may be so bold, I would say that my husband and I, like Isaiah, came face to face with the Holy of Holies and we are not the same.