I just finished "Hooked: Write Fiction that Grabs Readers at Page One and Never Lets Them go" I blogged about this yesterday as well. This is a great book, not only for beginnings, but for writing in general.
The point is that if your begining is not good, no one's going to see anything else.
He also interviewed several prominent agents, and editors to find out what they look for in first pages, and what causes them to reject. Very insightful.
I highly recomend this book for anyone who wants to improve their writing, especially their opening. And if you don't want to have the best possible opening then it's unlikely that anyone will read any farther in your story.
oooh. How long is it? I really want to check this out, since I'm reworking my beginning. You think I can get it from the library??
ReplyDeletethanks for the review :)
ooohhh I like the What I'm reading stuff in your sidebar. Are you actually reading Bunnicula? I need to reread it lol.
ReplyDeleteSo in case you feel like scrapping your story and creating a new one (don't do that, I love your story) my post today makes it much easier.
Let me know what you think. I know it's stupid, but it's kinda funny...right?
I started Bunnicula, but keep getting pulled away by other stuff that has to go back to the library, has to be finished for book club, etc. I was amused at the very formal language of the dog/narrator. In the very first paragraph he says that he was "admonished" to watch the house while the human owners went to a movie. I know I'd get all kinds of heck for using a word like this now days.
ReplyDelete