Writing the short story: how to write a dynamic opening for a story
When it comes to writing the short story There are two important structural guidelines to remember: the beginning and the end. Although there are other guidelines, the “beginning and end” of a story is considered one of the most important for storytellers. These guidelines apply to novels as well, but with a story a writer has a limited number of words to deliver a fascinating story. So how can a writer create a dynamic opening or beginning for a story?
The opening paragraph of a story should be designed to capture the reader’s imagination and inspire them to read more. The opening paragraph also acts as a critical gateway through which your reader must enter in order for them to successfully travel through your story. There are many ways to start a story: setting, character description, action, a statement, an idea, or asking a question.
Setting
Your setting could be a location: a windswept beach, a dark dystopian city, a magical underwater world, or a simple hobbit as described by JRR Tolkien on the first page of The Hobbit – “In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit. Not a dirty, nasty, wet hole full of worm tips and a snotty smell, nor a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit on or eat. : It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort. ” Setting the scene in the first paragraph creates a mental image for the reader. Human beings are primarily visual creatures, and since most books do not provide images, the more dramatic the setting in your story, the more the reader can visualize your setting.
Character description
Opening lines may introduce your main character, for example: “She leaned against the cold, damp stone wall. The heavy brass chains around her ankles irritated her painfully. Her porcelain skin was now pale and gaunt, with deep lines etched around his eyes. ” and mouth, and her once glorious golden hair now hung in tangled tendrils around her face. Her stomach growled loudly as the guard shoved some dry sandwiches through the hole in the door, but the smell of stinky urine from the prisoner in the adjoining cell made her nauseous. Tonight I would go hungry. ”The vivid description and use of the senses: touch, sight, and smell are an effective start to her story.
Action
Starting your story with strong action is a great option, as it pushes the reader to the center of the story. The howls of the hunting dogs came closer as she ran through the thickly wooded forest. Like a mad woman, she struggled to push her way through the low, sharp branches that scraped at her skin, until suddenly she was redeemed by a blast. of bright sunlight as he stumbled out of the forest into a small clearing. “
A declaration.
Charles Dickens’ iconic opening statement A tale about two cities it is dramatic, poetic and memorable, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of folly, it was the age of faith, it was the age of disbelief, It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of our despair, we had everything ahead of us, we had nothing ahead of us, we were all going directly to heaven, we were all going directly to the other side … “
Present an idea.
What about Jane Austen’s opening line in the classic novel? Pride and prejudice – “It is a universally recognized truth that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in need of a wife.” Starting your story with an idea can really get your reader thinking. Although they may not agree with your idea, they may be forced to read on to see where this idea will take them.
Asking a question.
“Where is dad going with that ax?” Fern said to her mother as they set the table for breakfast. “ Charlotte’s website, EB White. Starting your story with a question generates intrigue in the mind of the reader. It has provided you with a question that must be answered and you must engage with the whole story to discover the answer.
I have only provided some tips on how to write a dynamic opening for a story It will capture the imagination of your reader.
Happy writing!