The first line of anything is so important! In this feature, we analyze first lines of various books, what makes them work, and why.
by Troy Howell Just as you get a sense of who a stranger is the moment he speaks, you get an impression of a book when you read its opening line. You hear the voice for the first time. Here I’ve selected the opening line from one of my favorite books and favorite authors, Tuck Everlasting … More First Lines: Tuck Everlasting
Troy Howell Some first lines are direct and engaging, capturing you like a song. Here’s the first line from one of my favorite books, still in print after 46 years. It’s a book I occasionally open as a source of inspiration when my writing begins to slog. The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and … More First Lines
by Troy Howell One of the habits I have as a writer is to randomly pick up a book—old or new, classic or contemporary, popular or unsung—to read its first line. (I also read the last line, to touch the two together.) Reading the first line of a book is like meeting someone, or opening … More First Lines
Richmond Children's Writers 