First Lines
Saturday, September 08, 2007, 12:31 PM
I'm following SS@S's lead here, and posting the first lines of various projects. This is to do with something that might be happening at Nathan Bransford's blog this week. What that is, I don't know. But it involves first lines. So here you go...
NOVELS
Conduit:
She moved so quickly, so suddenly, no one could have stopped her.
Followers:
Maybe if he had one more drink they'd leave him alone.
Spam (the almost, but not quite, complete novel from a few years ago):
Good Morning, Option-E Marketing, how may I help you?
Suicide Club (provisional title for a just started WIP):
His hands just looked dirty to casual eyes, a slight darkening on the knuckles, a shadow on his palm.
The Wolf Strap (aborted project that kicked off this current writing phase a year ago - 10,000 words in I realised it sucked):
He awoke with the taste of copper in his mouth.
(Disclaimer: Yes, I know, I know, it starts with someone waking up - come on, I was learning! I still like the premise of this one and may come back to it some time. Not with that opener, though...)
SHORTS
Me and the Devil Blues (short that appeared in Electric Spec):
The soupy Mississippi heat had given way to the slightest of chills as Robert Johnson took the Hohner Marine Band harp from his pocket.
ISOL (unfinished - still!):
I was right, thought Reilly.
Opening Time (flash fiction, about to submit it):
Not open yet, mate.
The Last Dance (featuring a guest appearance by the protagonist from Followers - I just wanted to see him again):
Treanor's Bar never tried too hard to be an Irish pub.
And there are a few more, but I got fed up digging for them. All but one of those is from the last twelve months. I was recently surprised to be described as prolific, but I suppose I am. Pity the quality isn't so consistent! Some of these are crap, and the abondoned ideas may remain just that - abandoned. This is an interesting way to take stock of where you are as a writer. Given the awfulness of the opening for Wolf Strap, I think I've made a bit of progress. If I had time, I should rearrange them chronologically.
Anyway, no real conclusions to be drawn here, other than it's onwards and upwards. :)
NOVELS
Conduit:
She moved so quickly, so suddenly, no one could have stopped her.
Followers:
Maybe if he had one more drink they'd leave him alone.
Spam (the almost, but not quite, complete novel from a few years ago):
Good Morning, Option-E Marketing, how may I help you?
Suicide Club (provisional title for a just started WIP):
His hands just looked dirty to casual eyes, a slight darkening on the knuckles, a shadow on his palm.
The Wolf Strap (aborted project that kicked off this current writing phase a year ago - 10,000 words in I realised it sucked):
He awoke with the taste of copper in his mouth.
(Disclaimer: Yes, I know, I know, it starts with someone waking up - come on, I was learning! I still like the premise of this one and may come back to it some time. Not with that opener, though...)
SHORTS
Me and the Devil Blues (short that appeared in Electric Spec):
The soupy Mississippi heat had given way to the slightest of chills as Robert Johnson took the Hohner Marine Band harp from his pocket.
ISOL (unfinished - still!):
I was right, thought Reilly.
Opening Time (flash fiction, about to submit it):
Not open yet, mate.
The Last Dance (featuring a guest appearance by the protagonist from Followers - I just wanted to see him again):
Treanor's Bar never tried too hard to be an Irish pub.
And there are a few more, but I got fed up digging for them. All but one of those is from the last twelve months. I was recently surprised to be described as prolific, but I suppose I am. Pity the quality isn't so consistent! Some of these are crap, and the abondoned ideas may remain just that - abandoned. This is an interesting way to take stock of where you are as a writer. Given the awfulness of the opening for Wolf Strap, I think I've made a bit of progress. If I had time, I should rearrange them chronologically.
Anyway, no real conclusions to be drawn here, other than it's onwards and upwards. :)
Labels: novels, short stories
posted by Stuart Neville at 12:31 PM
6 Comments:
I was thinking about this too! My favorite of yours is the line from Suicide Club. It really got my curiousity up and makes me itching to hear more. Good start for a first line!
This was cool. I would dig mine up, but I'm not as prolific as you. It doesn't take more than a second to find my 2. ;o)
Hey, two is good. Two is way better than NONE.
I like these, but then, I like all your stuff.
His hands just looked dirty to casual eyes, a slight darkening on the knuckles, a shadow on his palm.
I've been reading the lines posted on Nathan's blog all day. I still think yours is the best one there.
Good luck! I think you're going to be in the running! :-)
Thanks, JJD/Goblin! It's a fun exercise if nothing else. :)
It will be way more fun when you win. :-) He's almost up to 300 and yours is still the best (in my oh-so-humble-no-really-stop-laughing-humble opinion.)
I jumped over here after reading your line on Nathan's blog... I agree with jj... a definite contender. Good luck!
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