My thoughts upon waking up this morning: “Gee, I wonder how the Stupendously Ultimate First Line Challenge is going, let me open up….. Holy Spicoli!!”
Needless to say, I have already started shying away from the monumental task of whittling down the entries into a list of finalists and have enlisted the help of thrice-published author Anne Dayton of Good Girl Lit, who doubles as a book editor and thus knows a thing or two (or a gazillion) about first lines.
Anne and I will take a look at all of the entries on Wednesday evening (the cutoff time will be earlier because Anne is on the East Coast) and come up with a list of finalists. Voting will commence on Thursday, hopefully with a handy-dandy electronic voting thingie, and you will also have the opportunity to exercise the power of the people with the ability to write in votes in the comments section.
Some have already expressed concern about voting fraud (in America?? No!!), and to alleviate these concerns I have enlisted the same accounting firm who tabulates the votes for the Oscars to ensure that there are no irregularities, and I have authorized the full use of tasers to enforce the rules. (Actually we’re going to use the honor system with some additional safeguards.)
Keep on entering the SUFLC if you haven’t already, and I hope you’re enjoying reading the entries as much as I am.
Hey Nathan? I forgot to mention I have this… thing tonight. Yeah. Um, sorry about that. But this contest is gong to be really fun to judge, so I’m sure you’ll do fine on your own. Have fun!
Hehe
Hee hee! Anne’s post is the cherry on this Snarkalicious sundae!
NB–I hope you’re still having fun.
I stood partially shadowed behind a concrete pillar, feeling like a villain on a bad television program.
Ooooh, Church Lady, you had me at hello. Your first first line is among my top picks!
I’m surprised how many people posted half their first chapters. I’m tempted to add the first paragraphs to my first sentences since the latter are so very short. How can 5 words compete with all those words? *grin*
Should we start placing bets on what the final SUFLC entry count will be?
I say: 468.
Nathan,
When I first read your “SUFLC update” I thought, “How many could there be?”
Bless your heart…the first liners are coming out from under their keyboards. I think it’s time to “haphazardly” introduce new rules!!
Thanks for doing this, Nathan,
Jennifer
Can’t wait to see the finalists. This has made me rethink my first line, which is definitely a good thing…
Because the grand prize of a partial manuscript critique is so valuable for someone seeking representation/publication, it would seem a shame for it to go unused if the first-line winner doesn’t need it or can’t yet use it (if the line is stand-alone, if it’s part of a preliminary WIP that isn’t ready for critiquing, etc.).
If that’s the case, I humbly inquire if there is any chance the critique could be passed on to the nearest runner-up who could use it? With the first-place winner still earning their much-deserved “equally stupendously ultimate non-cash prize,” of course.
What say you, our literary liege? Thank you for presenting this opportunity for all of us!
precie,
Nifty idea! I say 570.
Is there a prize for coming closest?
I think it’s interesting that a great first line is buried at the end of some of the longer posts. It’s like having too much backstory in the first chapter – sometimes you just have to cut those lines you like and get to what’s best for the story.
This is great fun for us Nathan – hope you aren’t too overwhelmed with the volume of first lines!
sruble, I think you have a good point there. Some of these are examples of How To Deal With Backstory In One Short Paragraph, and then move on.
Hm, maybe Nathan could write a post about How Not To Do First Lines/Paragraphs?
Nathan,
Have you decided how many finalists you will choose? 10? 20? Any idea?
Almost to 400!!!
And Miss Snark!!!
Nathan… you’re not sticking to the hand-write-in-your-vote plan, are you? Doesn’t that mean you’d have to read and hand-count the hundreds (if not thousands) of votes that will come in? Ugh!
Otherwise… I finally went back through the whole huge list and copied off every one I loved. There were eight. 🙂 And it IS eye-opening. I like those that give a hint of the person’s personality a hint of the story’s direction, and a little something intriguing… and that’s a LOT to fit into one sentence!
My ultimate favorite so far is DeadlyAccurate’s two-line offering. I’ve read it seven times and it’s still funny and intriguing. I think wolf’s line about it raining 14.3% of the time is pretty good too… it’s like a complete character sketch in one sentence!
Thank you so much, katie! You’ve made my day.
I have the impression that some of the first lines aren’t actually the first lines of anything. Rather, they’ve been submitted as lines that would be kinda neat as the first lines of something, if that something existed.
Which seems rather pointless. But maybe I misjudge.
Well… my “first line” isn’t a first line, but it does have a 90,000 word book behind it. It’s half-way through the fourth chapter, though. I’m working on edits, and some of my critiquers said it would make a fabulous first line, so I figured here’s a good place to test that! 🙂
katie,
That makes perfect sense to me. What I’m puzzled by is the comments that give me the impression the commenters just made up what could be a first line, in order to enter something into the contest. In other words, they’re not the first lines — or any lines — of something larger.
David-
The guidelines state that these may be from WIPs or first lines that people made up for the purpose of the SUFLC, so all are welcome!
Hey Nathan – Where’s today’s post??? It’s 5:30 here in hot sunny Florida – so 2:30 your time. Don’t try claiming to be too busy!!! Get on the schtick!!!
jaxpop-
Did today’s post not make it down to Florida?? I swear I posted SUFLC Update #2 today.
Oops. Okay, I missed that part somehow.
Thanks, Katie! I’m glad somebody liked it. It’s actually part of a WIP, but not one ready for critique. However, I do have another (finished) manuscript (surprise, surprise, eh?) that’s ready for critique, should Prince Bransford like my line.
Very funny 🙂