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[pheebs1]

(Excuse the spam - two posts in one night! It is partly using my mood theme, yes, but partly gotta get posts in while I'm actually home.)

That First Lines meme!

I had to go back to Dec 07 to get twenty actual stories. Excluding ficlets/drabbles. How far back did anyone else who did this meme have to go? Or would you have to go? I don't think that

Comments

[weesta]

I had to go back to almost the first Supernatural fic I wrote to get the 20 first lines. I thought I was more prolific than that, but I guess I was wrong.

After doing my own list, it seems I like first lines that establish character and setting - I'm pretty straighforward like that. Personally, I like first lines that grab me and make me want to read more. Your #20 above gives a great mental image and makes me want to keep going; #12 makes me want to know the secret.

For me, a bad first line would simply be one that's badly written. A line that works so hard at it's complexity because the author wants to show off her "skills" that it becomes confusing and muddled. Also, glaring spelling/grammar mistakes right off the bat turn me off.

[pheebs1]

Heh, it's surprising isn't it - I never keep count of how 'much' I'm writing so it's hard to tell isn't it?

Your first lines list was v. interesting! And LOL yes too confusing a first line is not good!

[elanurel]

I went back to December of last year as well, if memory serves...

[pheebs1]

Ah good, not just me then!! :)

[fleshflutter]

I don't like to start stories with the word 'the' or the names of the central characters. It's just... I have to find some other way into the story.

[pheebs1]

Oh dear most of mine are the central character or 'the', hee! I get that - trying to find a different way in. (I will experiment, for my next fic!)