by Rachel D. Russell, @RDRussellWrites
By the time your reader opens your novel, it’s already passed the front cover and back-blurb tests. Next up?
Win the reader with a hard-hitting, attention-grabbing, tell-me-more first line.
With the volume of books available at the click of a mouse or touchpad, readers make swift judgments regarding what novels will consume their time. Don’t lose your reader with a boring line that tells them nothing about your character, your voice, or the story you are inviting them into.
Write a first line that shines and pulls your reader straight into your story.
What makes for that perfect first line? Craft a captivating first line with these techniques.
1. Pique the reader’s interest. One of the biggest downfalls I see in first lines is a lack of intrigue and curiosity. Why does the reader care? Pack punch with a line that goes beyond a banal statement but reveals truths about the point-of-view character.
2. Take it beyond the mundane and ordinary. We know our characters do everyday tasks. Instead of starting on the page with one of those tasks, mix it up. Make it matter.
3. Give it a twist. Say something unexpected that requires further reading. Surprise your reader with a juxtaposition that raises questions in the reader’s mind.
4. Engage your reader with humor. If your story—or even just your characters—are funny, reveal it in the very first line.
5. Jump into the story. Don’t create a slow lead-up or dump backstory. Open the scene in the middle of action. Whether it’s physical action or emotional action, grab your reader’s attention with momentum.
6. Make it suit your genre. Romance will read differently than a thriller. A thriller will read differently than a fantasy. Promise your reader from the first sentence the exact kind of story you are offering. Then, deliver.
Not sure what any of this might look like? Grab a stack of your favorite novels written in your genre and read through each first line only. What questions were raised for you? What enticed you to continue reading? What made the lines compel you to turn the page? What is the rhythm of the sentence that gives it a pleasing cadence? Does it make you feel unsettled, worried, curious, or surprised?
Odds are, you won’t nail the perfect line on your first writing, but on your rewrite and subsequent edits, spend a little more time finding the right opening sentence to draw readers into your storyworld. Make them care.
Carry these same concepts into the beginning of each scene in your novel to help build an entirely unforgettable can’t-put-down novel that keeps your reader up all night.
What memorable first line is in your vault of favorites?
He’s in Deep Haven to relax.
Detective Daniel “Boone” Buckam is more than burned out. After fourteen stellar years on the job, one bad judgment call—and, fine, a whole lot of cynicism—has forced him into a mandatory vacation. If he can get his head on straight, there’s a job as Police Chief waiting for him back in his Minneapolis suburb.
But then he meets Vivien.
Actress Vivien Calhoun isn’t really a drama queen. Sure, she gets swept up in the emotions of life—but please, she’s an actress. Or, um, was until a stalker made her flee the bright lights of Broadway. Now, she’s passionate about directing her local theater production. But when she accidentally ropes an uptight police detective on vacation into her cast, she can’t help but wonder if he might be the leading man she’s always longed for.
Of course, she’s in trouble.
Boone can’t help but like Vivien. He might even have a type—vivacious and bubbly, with a penchant for attracting danger. He can smell trouble even if she can’t, and is pretty sure her stalker has hunted her all the way to Deep Haven. He’ll have to stay by her side—even if it means being in her silly play—to keep her safe. But Vivien is more than he expected as she helps him discover a part of him he’s locked away…the part that said he could never love again.
So much for relaxing.
Rachel D. Russell writes contemporary inspirational romance focused on forgiveness, redemption, and grace. She’s a member of Oregon Christian Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and My Book Therapy’s Novel Academy. Her debut novel, Still the One, released in January 2021. Her second novel, Then Came You, released in July 2021. Both novels are part of the Deep Haven Collection with Sunrise Publishing. When Rachel’s not cantering her horse down the Oregon beaches, she’s probably interrogating her husband on his own military and law enforcement experience to craft believable heroes in uniform. The rest of her time is spent enjoying her active family, including two teens and three keyboard-hogging cats. You can catch up with her at RachelDRussell.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.