With as much as I have read in my life I have come to fully realize the importance of opening lines. "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." From 'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy. "It was night again. The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts.' 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' by JK Rowling. The opening line in any novel is designed to draw a reader in. If it captures its audience the novel will most likely hold a reader captivated for the duration. If however an opening line falls short or is unoriginal it can cost the book a reader.I am not saying that all great books have great opening lines or that all bad novels have bad opening lines. In fact some of my favorite books have mediocre first sentences while some of the books I loathe have opening lines that entrapped me. But I do find that an opening line can usually be a good indicator of a really good read. "I could hear a roll of muffled drums." From 'The Other Boleyn Girl' by Philippa Gregory a simple but intriguing opening line, a line that turned into one of my favorite books. The opening line is a doorway into the world of the novel, it's the first step on what is usually an incredible journey.
In my opinion an opening sentence should seduce the reader, the length itself doesn't matter, it is the flow that counts. Is it intriguing? Does it have weight? Does it make you want to jump off the cliff into an unknown world that could consume you? It is a quick and tasty sample of what is to come. Some of my favorites listed above, roll off the tongue take you in and perk your interest. A first line should be a part of the novel as a whole but removed in such a way that it can stand alone and leave a reader begging for more.
I truly love the very beginning sentences of new books. It's just so exciting to begin something new, a new fantastical journey, a glimpse into someone's incredible life. Just thinking about a brand new book and the world inside gives me tingle and the very first taste of that new world is the opening line. It can be very exciting all on it's own. My darling readers I leave you with this thought, do not judge a book by it's cover instead crack open the first page and take a taste of the world you are about to enter by reading that first line and see if it tickles your imagination, spurs your drive to want to know more and seduces you into taking that first leap of faith. Here's wishing you the perfect first sentences readers.
