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The Science of the First Sentence
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The cover of a book is its first impression on the reader. We always judge books somewhat on their covers, despite the old adage. But your first sentence is just as important. It's like meeting a really beautiful person. Your first impression is generally favorable simply because that's how our brains are wired. Yet it's not until they open their mouths that our opinion is fully formed. That's because the cover and the first sentence work as a team. One brings physical allure, the other intrigue and substance. Which is why it's critically important that your first sentence be interesting, gripping and above all else, short. Author Elmore Leonard has complied his own list of rules for writers. While I find most of them completely abhorrent or just down-right silly, he has one that I agree with: Never start with the weather. That's true, if not for the reasons he presents. (My next post will be picking apart the mess he's trying to create in the aspiring writer's head, so forgive further silence on the matter until tomorrow).  The reason you don't start with the weather is because it takes too much space. You can describe the weather, briefly, in the first page if you like. Nothing wrong with it in the world if it makes sense in your context. But what really grips a reader is action. A short, immediate statement that something has just happened. You don't generally want to begin by explaining everything the reader needs to know about the characters and the setting. Let that come out in their actions, their speech and the way they use or are affected by their environment. Rather, use the first line to convey action. It's far more exciting if the reader enters the story in the middle of something happening. It doesn't have to be a huge, climactic event. But don't start by saying, "Well, in about 20 pages things will get moving, but for now let's explore the way the wind is moving through the flowers that lead across the garden path towards the manor house." Instead, think about having a character pick one of the aforementioned flowers. Let the character's unique perspective shine through the way he/she views the flower, or their reasoning for picking it. This might be the worst example I've ever provided, but I'm trying to be as genre-neutral as possible. So let's go with it just a moment longer and then you can play with it on your own terms and see if this makes sense for you. Compare, as first sentences go, these two, based on the example. Keep in mind that all the exposition and explanation you need can be provided in sentences 2, 3, 4, 2591, etc.:  "The summer breeze breathed across the orange blossoms, carrying with it the faint memory of spring and alluding to the ready embrace of a new Savannah morning."vs. "The stem snapped." The second can then be followed by an introduction of the first character you meet. Simply by adding something about his/her name and what he/she was doing outside...which can lead to their thoughts on their mother, or dog or whatever. The Bottom Line: In a novel, you have all the space in the world to talk about whatever you like. It might not always be gold, but you don't have to cram everything the reader needs to know into the first line. Yank them in, then gently reassure them that they're somewhere they want to be. |
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A Grim Sacrifice: Editing and Pacing
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One of the most likely and difficult things an author is asked to do is to cut either entire scenes or sections of text to "tighten" up the writing and increase the pacing. When first asked to do this, most authors balk, and understandably so. It's not exactly like those scenes didn't play into the delicate ballet in your head when they were conceived, or that they were just fluff added in for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, sometimes an author's planning and reasoning abilities are flawed. Not that the scenes in question aren't important, but they might not serve the novel as well as they could. And painful though it may be to slice and dice your months and years of effort, it can be a blessing in disguise. So, instead of clutching your manuscript tightly to your chest and refusing to budge, consider these two thoughts from someone who's had to do this...a LOT:  1. You know your plot. You know where it's headed and, if you're planning sequels you may know character arcs that will carry you into later books. However, your editor/readers don't know this. In fact, they don't care. For one thing, the novel could be a flop, at which point there isn't a sequel to be concerned with. The Bottom Line: Each novel needs to be a self-contained piece, at least generally. Too much effort spent on foreshadowing things much later in the book or in later books can slow your writing down and confuse your readers. Foreshadowing is fine if done here and there, but be careful not to be too cryptic. 2. You don't have to show and explain everything. The Bottom Line: Go ahead and write whatever you want. But when it comes time to edit, realize that you might not need to keep it all. Sometimes you can get an easy increase in your pacing by "trimming the fat", if you will. For example, two characters can be heading from Location A to Location B. You don't have to show them getting into a car, having a conversation all the way there, getting out of the car and then walking up to the door. Unless everything that happens from A to B is useful and moves the plot forward or colors in your characters, consider having them agree to head to B and then cut to arriving at B, etc. |
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Guy's Rules for Writers
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I've given this out as a handout a few times and it generally goes over pretty well. These are the rules I created for myself as a writer. They might be really useful, they might seem like total rubbish - either way, here they are. Click on the links if you're interested in my scintillating commentary, but here are the basics: Rules for Writers 1. In order to be a good writer, you have to write. 2. In order to write effectively, you must have a space to work in. Find something to help you focus. I.E. Music while you write, before, write in silence, etc. 3. In order to write accurately, you have to live a real life. Life is a toolbox. Write what you know. 4. Read what you write. If you want to write short stories, read them, learn from the professionals, learn what you like, what you don’t like, and then use those things to create your own style. 5. No one person can fill a world all alone. Listen to the world around you, to your friends and your family, and use their stories as much as your own. A lot of people have ideas, but very few can do anything with them. 6. There is no such thing as writer’s block. There are phases to writing. a. Inspiration b. Plateau c. Momentum d. Completion 7. Writing, like any creative process, is a wheel; in order for it to keep turning, you have to have both intake and outtake. When you’re out of things to say, try reading, listening to music, or watching movies. Don’t think about what you’re trying to write. Instead, let others tell you their stories. 9 times out of 10 you’re going to be inspired by someone else’s creativity. 8. Write everything. Start with what you’re good at, and what you really enjoy. Over time, experiment with different formats. Some ideas work better in other formats than the one you’re experienced in. |
Writing Rule #3: Get a Life
3. In order to write accurately, you have to live a real life. Life is a toolbox. Write what you know. Once again, this might sound obvious. But sometimes the richest moments you can create on paper are drawn from personal experience. The more you have to draw on, the more textured your world will become. That's not to say that you can't be an excellent writer without loads of life experience, but it does make the process easier. |
Writing Rule #2: A Room With a View
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2. In order to write effectively, you must have a space to work in. Find something to help you focus. I.E. Music while you write, before, write in silence, etc. I write while listening to music. I know some amazing authors who will listen to the same piece of classical music everyday and then turn it off and write in complete silence. Whatever it is that you do, doing something that has a bit of a ritual feel to it can remind your brain that it's time to get to work. When writing a novel, this is especially critical during the early stages of the book. Having a space to work in makes this easier and it needs to be comfortable for you...if that means a big shell in the middle of the sea, go for it: Mariah Carey: My All |
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Guy Incognito
Got a manuscript? So does Guy - a great one, or so say his editors. Follow along as he shares the experience of writing and publishing a book with you from manuscript to book tours and, hopefully, sequels.
Got a manuscript? So does Guy - a great one, or so say his editors. Follow along as he shares the experience of writing and publishing a book with you from manuscript to book tours and, hopefully, sequels.
- The Science of the First Sentence
- A Grim Sacrifice: Editing and Pacing
- Guy's Rules for Writers
- Writing Rule #3: Get a Life
- Writing Rule #2: A Room With a View
- Writing Rule #1: It's First Because It's Important
- Chaos Factors
- Writing Rule #6: The Myth of Writer's Block
- Writing Rule #5: Borrowing
- Writing Rule #4: Reading Is Fundamental
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Interesting Donald Trump interview on CNBC
Listen to The Donald's thoughts on the real estate industry on CNBC. As usual, entertaining and interesting, and always bombastic. ...
