tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post773926230409254678..comments2024-01-01T11:51:53.860-08:00Comments on Babbles from Scott Eagan: Quit Wordsmithing The Opening - It will NEVER be rightScott Eaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17209357682070126879noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-32794383002397093492010-09-25T15:21:39.846-07:002010-09-25T15:21:39.846-07:00Cheers for this, it's encouraging to read. Now...Cheers for this, it's encouraging to read. Now I think about it I don't judge books by the opening (and especially not the blurb), I open a book somewhere in the middle and see if's still good.Jen Beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08390537273538467511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-43995985217401798352010-09-25T13:54:30.327-07:002010-09-25T13:54:30.327-07:00I feel sorry for writers who blindly follow whatev...I feel sorry for writers who blindly follow whatever advice some agency "professionals" feel compelled to give.<br /><br />There is a blog run by an "editor" who is also an aspiring writer and he really pounds home the "tension in the first line or else" meme. (He uses Donald Maass' advice books as the reason for this.)<br /><br />He gave an example of his own first line and in my opinion it was awful. But apparently once an idea gets into some people's heads it just can't be changed.<br /><br />Frustrating!Sharpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12241274424695262364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-26320724911172470822010-09-25T08:56:49.559-07:002010-09-25T08:56:49.559-07:00I began writing my novel in 2005. Although I am fi...I began writing my novel in 2005. Although I am finished writing it, I'm editing it to death. Not just the beginning, either. From now on, every time I'm tempted to edit some more, I'll snap the rubber band on my wrist and force myself to stop it.The Well-Fed Spirithttp://www.thewellfedspirit.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-6097293158318083482010-09-24T18:21:22.950-07:002010-09-24T18:21:22.950-07:00I may be on my own with this but I will tear throu...I may be on my own with this but I will tear through the books on my shelf, the bookstores or at the library reading the first few sentences of a book. I’m intrigued by the way an author begins her story. Many beginnings are nice, but not compelling enough to buy or rent the book, but others make me turn pages until I’m hooked and I know I have to read the rest of the story. Of course, as you said, the whole chapter and each that follow must draw you in and lure you to turn the page to figure out the why. Great post!Lindsey Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15398211816930946648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-32514831315828462372010-09-24T17:45:16.632-07:002010-09-24T17:45:16.632-07:00I wholly agree. I had this problem. I revised an...I wholly agree. I had this problem. I revised and revised and revised. Finally, I pulled all the books off the shelves and checked out the first pages. Most of them didn't have anything particularly special about their first sentence, and I finally stopped pulling my hair out over it. I'm so glad you brought this up. It'll save a lot of wasted time for a lot of people.Angela McCallisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10610798614001745001noreply@blogger.com