I read the book after seeing the movie. They both are still on my “must This is from one of my favourite authors, taken from a book that has stood
have” list.
the test of time. The book is Starship Troopers. It is very different from the
campy movie produced in 1997 and the technology envisioned is something beyond the capabilities of special effect artists back then.
Shock
The head rolled across the cold stone floor and stopped at the feet of a Hobs But don’t take my word for it. Pick the book up and give it a good read. It
was written in 1959 by Robert A. Heinlein.
acolyte.
Does the above line grab you? Would you be surprised if I told you it was But I digress.
the first line of a young adult book? Probably. Well it is, and kids love to
be treated like adults. It is the first line of the second book in a series. Here Many first-time authors could have taken 200-plus words to get across
the feelings supplied in the short words supplied above. Cut the work
is the first line of the first book in that same series:
to the bone, remove the fat and leave only what you need. Engage your
Christine cried out in agony once again as her body convulsed with pain. reader from the first few words and they will be thankful.
Shameless self-promotion here. The first is the very first line of my soonto-be-released novel, A Sharp Spear Pont. The second is the first line of
the already-released novel, A Spear In Flight. The lines tell the young
adults that there is a lot of shock in the read. They will be treated, not like
children, but as the intelligent people they are. And once they read the
first chapter, the realization sets in: these novels are not bedtime stories.
Using shock is something you have to really practice. It cannot be too
powerful, but it cannot be too weak. Find a balance and people will NEED
to read on.
Remember, no one writes a strong opening on the first attempt. Not even
on the tenth attempt. They just keep plugging at it until it is done. Write
your story, then return to the start and make it a strong one. It may take
you just as long to write an amazing opening as it did to complete the
whole work, but it will be worth it.
The opening of your story is nearly—but not quite—as important as that
coveted letter to your agent or publisher.
Riddle
“Sir, spare some change?” she asked.
When you hear something like that at the beginning of a story, you hope
the speaker gets something. It rings out of homelessness and desperation. Such is the start of Mike Walczak’s story, Revelations. You want to
know what happens next or what has caused someone to be in such a
desperate state. The story contains language to make a sailor blush, but
it is used correctly and with great effect.
You can find this story and many more in WordPlay 2013, published by
Cedar Cave Books.
Go ahead, now. Open as many well-selling fiction books as you can find
and you will see many openings following these principles. It is called“the
grab” or “the hook”. Publishing leaders look for these. And knowing that
they make a lot of money, you should follow their example.
Here’s another excerpt from a popular writer. Can you guess?
I always get the shakes before a drop. I’ve had the injections, of course, and
hypnotic preparation, and it stands to reason that I can’t really be afraid.
SELF PUBLISHER MAGAZINE 2014
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