![]() Can you identify the novel and author from these opening lines? “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” “Call me Ishmael.” “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” I’ll give you a minute… (Insert Final Jeopardy music here) Time’s up. Could you identify them? Come on now. They’re classics. You’ve probably read at least one or two as a school literature assignment. OK, here are the answers: The first is from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. The second, and probably the most famous short opening line, is from Moby Dick by Herman Melville. And the final line is from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Well, how did you do? If you’ve never thought much about a novel’s opening line I invite you to think again. Opening lines are important. They’re the first thing a buyer reads, after the cover copy, when browsing volumes in the bookstore or library. They set the tone for what follows and, in many cases, demand us to continue reading. Stephen King said this about opening lines: “An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” I think there are six reasons opening lines are important:
If you’re writing that novel, make sure your opening line is one unforgettable starter. Your audience will thank you.
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