If you haven’t already entered the 4th Annual Stupendously Ultimate First Paragraph Challenge, please do so in the official contest thread! Win partial consideration by Catherine Drayton and a signed ARC of JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW!
One of the things I love about the annual first paragraph contest is just seeing the sheer number of ways you can start a book. Violent, sedate, loud, quiet, profound, prosaic, rapturous, reserved…. every possibility is on display in just this one contest.
So what do you like to see in the opening pages of a book?
We’ve all picked up books in a bookstore or perused them online. What makes you decide to read on and decide to buy the book? Is there a common element that keeps you reading or something you look for in an opening? How do you know you’re in good hands?
JES says
I go with voice. And subtlety: on the page as in real life, do not grab me by the lapels and start shouting what I need to think.
Daniel Smith says
First, hook me. Make me like the characters. Make me interested in the story. Make me care about what happens.
Then tell what comes next. Make the words, and hence the story, flow.
If this is done well, then I'll read on. But if/when I come across a problem, bad wording, a grammatical mistake, or most often something simply written out of order, then I lose flow *and* interest.
Anonymous says
"I am told," says Dixie Durango Hu, 23, trophy wife of Hawaii Governor Waldo C.K. Hu, 61, "that you're an unlicensed, amateur, rogue private investigator. That you lie, cheat, and break laws. That you're lookin' for work only because you're broke and need money for a lawyer. That you like clients with the kind of problems they can't take to the cops. And that you've been drunk for a week. Did I miss anything?"” Dixie watches Harry try to stand up. She says, "Sit down, Mr. Daffodil. You're just what I wanted."”
by DRM dmyers@the-i.net
JES says
P.S. And I'll add: if it's a familiar author, I'm inclined to give him/her a pass if the first page (or chapter) doesn't quite ring true.
Meg says
I want to feel like the author is really going to put me in the main character's head and have their thoughts and feelings be believable.
And of course I need to feel like this character is going to be interesting.
That's why I read – to hear about the much more exciting lives of other people!
T. Anne says
Voice! They can make me read almost anything as long as I really like the voice and style.
Bea says
I have to be wowed by the first page, even better the first paragraph. I need to be hooked in from the start and able to place myself in the story and vision it
Bea says
I have to be wowed by the first page, even better the first paragraph. I need to be hooked in from the start and able to place myself in the story and vision it
Kevin says
Generally, I find it hard to stop reading if I'm immediately curious at what's going on. Even if the writing isn't good, I still end up reading further than I would have.
Bea says
‘So, what’s Andrew doing now?’ asked Jane, the family friend my mother hadn’t seen for years. ‘He’s working as a tree surgeon for one of his friends, and Peter is in telecommunications,’ she said, of my two brothers, aged 28 and 30. My sister Sarah, 26 at the time, explained that she was working in Trading Standards for the Council. ‘And what about Rebecca?’ Jane’s husband Paul asked. ‘She now works as a high- class escort,’ said Mum, with as much normality as she could muster. ‘So she’s a hooker?’ Paul countered triumphantly, with a big grin. Embarrassed, my Mum then tried to explain that I wasn’t a hooker and that I travelled all over the world, going to prestigious hotels and restaurants with businessmen.'
Like this from The Girlfriend Experience 🙂
rosaria says
Nathan, your contest/comment is not receiving any more entry. I'm attaching mine here:
I have a feeling that my time is running out, and to talk about my past I need to borrow an eagerness that no longer exists in my present life, a way to see my tomorrows lined up like ice- cream flavors, days and weeks different and exciting, ready to be savored. Writing these stories, these memory fragments, will retrace my journey to America, to the times when a scared seventeen year old flew over the Atlantic leaving her little town in Lucania, Italy, to pursue her dream of an education.
Thanks!
Nathan Bransford says
rosaria-
Entries must go in the official contest thread, I'm afraid. I didn't have a problem leaving a comment in the contest thread just now, you might try again.
salima says
To be honest, I read well past the first paragraph. If I'm not hooked in three pages, I know I probably won't be. a notable example of this is the Hunger Games, the first paragraph of which (is very good) but didn't particularly hook me. By page 3 I couldn't put it down. And, hmm….I guess I usually like being plunked headfirst into some sinister action with a lot of ambience. And emotion. Not a tall order, right?
OHHHH!!!!! And I must say one of the best, best, best first paragraphs in the history of first paragraphs is in "Tuck Everlasting."
Raquel Byrnes says
You know I started reading a book last night at midnight…because I'm mental…and couldn't put it down.
The reason? Questions….I had so many questions the author made me wonder what was going on from the first paragraph.
Why was she so scared? What's with all the security? Why would she have two offices, one with her name and one with a fake name?
I read until 2am. *Yawn* I didn't even think I liked the genre…it was a free download from Kindle. Now I'm totally hooked on this author and will totally buy her next book.
Sue Harrison says
A character I care about, immediately. A voice that I can HEAR so distinctly that the narrator seems to be right in the room with me as I read.
Naomi Canale says
I never read the back of a book first. Shamefully, I do judge a book by its cover and title. Then I'll open the first page to see if I like the writing. If I get hooked, like in a recent book I read, How To Say Goodbye In Robot or always Ellen Hopkins books I'm hooked! Great job everyone! I'm loving a lot of the paragraphs out there in this contest. Thanks Nathan for doing this, it makes all us writers happy inside!
Stephanie Barr says
Humor/character. I'll be more willing to continue if I find the first bit funny. If I get caught by a character, I'll go through fire.
E. VERNA says
What makes me read on? Uhm…the element of surprise. Don't we love surprises, mystery and enigma?
The Red Angel says
Imagery, good and realistic dialogue between characters, and a font big enough for me to read without squinting. 😉
I also like books that tend to move fast…slower-paced books are still more often than not quite excellent, but when I pick up a book and read the first paragraph and I feel the desire to keep going, I usually take a fancy.
~TRA
https://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com
Heidi says
I'm captivated by an interesting voice, as though the character is an interesting person that I'd like to get to know more, or something intriguing that raises questions in my mind.
Lisa Yarde says
Overall, I want a hint that I should care about the characters and one source of conflict on the first page.
Sommer Leigh says
I think it is easier to explain what I don't like – I don't like noticing the hook. I don't want a beginning to feel like it is designed specifically to sell to me some great story. I don't want it to feel forced.
I do want it to feel organic and natural to the story. I want it to feel like it belongs specifically to this story and not written just for me to keep me reading.
I do not want to notice the writer in their first paragraph.
Stoich91 says
Haha…good writing, of course. What else can you tell from the first 100 words besides that?
Anonymous says
Hi Nathan,
I have a quick question: Well, I accidentally posted my entry twice while I was working on it (a shorter one and a longer one). I foolishly pressed the publish button instead of preview and (BAM!) my entry was entered. I didn't see it in the comments section so I decided to finish editing. Big mistake.
I asked for it to be removed but I suppose that was an awful thing to request, so now I would like to know if I'm disqualified and, if not, which entry will you consider (the incomplete or the completed)?
Thanks so much for your time. 🙂
D.G. Hudson says
I usually check the first page, a page in the middle of the book and then read the blurbs on the back before making my decision.
A writer who can draw me in bit by bit is my preference. IMO, a writer's voice can be the maker or the breaker.
I prefer stories set in otherworldly locales, in another time and place.
Stephanie@thecrackedslipper says
I recently posted about this on very topic on my blog! https://thecrackedslipper.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/getting-on-the-list
But the fast answer is concept, voice, character. In that order! Big burst of action– not my thing. I like to be drawn in, not tossed in.
anvil says
For me, instead of something that keeps me reading, I look for a paragraph that doesn't stop me from reading. If it 'breaks the picture plane' (art school speak, sorry) and I start thinking about how the paragraph is constructed, or an awkward word that stands out, a cliched phrase – anything that stops the flow in the first paragraph is a red flag. I'll keep going, but I'll be aware that I'm reading instead of being sucked into the story.
That's what I want in a book, I want to forget that I'm reading it.
Ann Best says
The promise of something interesting.
J. R. McLemore says
If the prose comes across casually and the writer has piqued my interest in the first chapter, I'll continue to read.
Purple prose always makes me walk away.
I'm not a huge fan of Dean Koontz, but his book ODD THOMAS read so casually that I was thoroughly impressed. I know how hard it is to craft a story to make the reader feel that comfortable and he did a great job on that one.
Roza M says
want that mystery, that kind of tingle that makes me say ouuu. Examples: Tonight was the big night, the one I'd waited for my entire life. The awakening, the first shift– the loss of my moon virginity.~ Dark of the moon, a dark guardian novel by: Rachel Hawthorne. It's my favorite in the series.
Katherine Hyde says
The main thing I look for is prose that makes me say "ahhh." I also like an appealing voice and a hint of something unusual waiting for me within the book.
Phil says
It's not plot, it's not action, it's not the setting. It's the voice. If there is a particularly intriguing turn of phrase or a sense of mastery of language, I'll read on.
M Pax says
If I don't know the rest of the plot or how it ends before leaving the first paragraph, I'll keep reading and buy. I don't like this knowing the whole story before the end of the first chapter thing. It bores me.
Becca says
It's different for every book, but usually the voice. Just the way the first few things are described. I can't stand it when it sound immature.
J.J. Bennett says
Something has to draw me in. Voice, intersting situation, but most of all something that feels authentic.
Kristin Laughtin says
There are so many possible ways to compel me to keep reading that it's difficult to come up with a grand unified theory of them all. A hook that promises this story will have something unusual to distinguish it from similar works in the genre will usually do it, as will a strong and unique voice, especially one that uses language or uncommon words in interesting and atypical ways while still being clear and understandable. I like openings that are subtle, ominous, or dreamy (without being an actual dream). I want to feel like wind is whipping me along, further into the story, and that I'm being carried by the force of the words.
Melody says
What draws me in is a question, usually. As soon as I wonder *why* something is the way it is, I need to keep reading to find out more. Also, a voice that grabs me and won't let me go…helps. 🙂
Watcher55 says
Whether a ballet or a gyrating rave. whether sublime or gross. Light and Dark have to dance on the words.
Jamie Fox says
I don't think I have anything specific. It really depends on the book. I think it's all unique to the story/premise. I like when some piece of action comes quickly, but it doesn't have to be in the first paragraph as long as the voice and writing grab a hold of me. I guess what I am saying is that it either has to start with a bang or have an interesting enough character to make you want to read it until the bang comes. Lol
Dara says
I have to feel that connection to the character within a few pages. The voice has to be there–not over the top, but evident.
Bryan Russell (Ink) says
I think it's the sum of the parts, the sense of an author's authority, the command they have over language and story. It's not one simple thing, but how the many facets of fiction come together to form something real. The dialogue is sharp, the description evocative, the mood engaging, the characters true and honest and three dimensional. It is the sum of these things, the way in which a vision is created in the mind, a whole new world that superimposes the real one. I'm not pulled out of the story. I'm not thinking of the laundry, or that phone call I have to make. I'm inside. Inside something real, and while the words keep coming it is the one and only world I know.
Shooting Stars Mag says
I don't have "one thing" but I really just want the story to start for me in the beginning. I hate books that drag on for awhile and I just can't get into it.
-Lauren
Mira says
Interesting question.
I've noticed there seem to be two types of readers. Those who like the first page to drop them right into the action, and those who like the book to unfold slowly and draw them in.
I have a theory that those who like to read commercial prefer beginnings that grab you, and those who read literary prefer the slow unfolding immersion style.
I like commercial, so I prefer a book that moves you into its world fast. I like to be gripped and to lose myself quickly.
But that's about rhythm. The other things that will keep me reading are: voice and mastery.
A good voice will engage and intrigue me and give me a sense of pleasure in reading right from the start.
I won't notice mastery, which is both skill and confidence, but if it's not there, that will stop me in my tracks and I'll stop reading.
So that's me.
Btw, I thought all of the paragraphs were good. Didn't see any I didn't like! I don't envy your decision, Nathan. If you need help, I'm good at the eeinie meanie mo method. 🙂
Chemist Ken says
Voice, definitely.
But I usually crack open the book somewhere in the middle instead of at the beginning. I find it gives me a better handle on the author's voice than the first couple of pages do.
Caroline says
I like to be hooked within the first few pages. If the pacing is too slow, or the language too florid, then I generally lose interest.
February Grace says
Whaaa, blogger messed up my comment, trying again.
I have to echo the first comment and say- voice and understatement.
I maintain voice cannot be taught (or stolen) and you can't pretend you sing like Josh Groban if you've got the rusty pipes of…well, I'm not going to pick anybody specific 'cause that'd be mean. Let's just say, of some of the folk who audition for American Idol and can't carry a tune no matter how elaborate the pulley system.
I would add I like a writer with a clear idea who they are and who they're writing about.
Toomuchinformationandemotionallcrammedtogetherwithouteventimetotakeabreathinaparagraphthatisreallyawholepagelong
…well, that just makes me tired. And I'm too tired already…
May your eyes soon recover from the smarting they must be doing…so…many…entries!
~bru
Kathryn says
I have to confess that I always open up a book to two or three random pages in the middle and start reading there – if I'm pulled in by the voice, characters, or plot – I buy it. Humor always helps, too! I guess I prefer a random sample to something that's been crafted to draw me in.
flibgibbet says
Voice and a story question that interests me.
I get the story question from the blurb—-the reason I bothered to pick up the book in the first place. I get the voice from the first page. If the voice fails to dazzle, I put the book down.
(And I really hope it's obvious that poor grammar is a deal-breaker. Characters can break all the rules they want, authors can't).
Anonymous says
Honestly, I like a bit of dialogue in the beginning. I'd rather determine a character's character through the words he or she uses than have a full description of empty background.
-Alex
Alwyn says
I was in Waterstone's the other day. I'd been looking for "Paranormalcy"(which I'd decided to buy based on the first pages preview at Amazon incidentally). They turned out not to have it, so the salesgirl in their awesome YA section took it upon herself to advise me. Within minutes she had my arms totally loaded up with books. All of them were essentially the same general concept. Paranormal YA, saving the world with a side of sexy supernatural boy+human girl romance.
It only took me a few minutes to flip them open, read a few lines and and decide which ones I wanted to buy, and which ones I would put back on the shelves. In spite of the fact that, if you'd just looked at the back cover you would think they were all essentially the same basic product and would therefore have the same level of appeal.
So I guess for me it's something ineffable to do with tone and voice.
It's usually just a tiny thing that blends in perfectly with the tone of the opening but also sort of stands out, that does it for me. Like Rachel Hawkins in Hex Hall describing the uniform as a skilt (half skirt, half kilt) or Ally Carter's Katerina Bishop, teenage criminal, realizing that she had inadvertantly become a girl whose shoes squeaked. One little thing that makes me realize "You and I are going to get along wonderfully book!"
But I think one thing worth pointing out is that when we're considering buying a book we're not deciding based on the first paragraph alone. We've presumably read the back cover, or heard the general plot, and are intrigued by it enough to pick up the book and flip it open. Which is why I think I'd rather see a book that opens on great tone, or great dialogue than an immediate "hook" or which tries to pitch me into the plot too fast.
I mean, I've read the back. I've opened this book knowing it's about a boy who goes to wizarding school and has adventures. So the fact that the book opens with a description of the sheer mundanity of the Dursleys and not a Quidditch match isn't going to stop me reading. It's just going to get me settled, allow me to get comfortable with the author's awesome turn of phrase, and continue knowing that this is all a prelude to Hogwarts.
That's me at least.