Greg McManus's Blog
October 6, 2016
beginnings
"Old Marley was dead...."
This beginning from Charles Dickens is one of the most well known, classic beginnings ever written. Dickens was a master at reaching out through time with the opening lines of his books and grabbing the readers by the nose and pulling them along for a good ride. The beginning of any book sets the tone for the whole story. In "A Tale of Two Cities", Dickens lets the reader know right from the start that One part of the tale he weaves is going to be about a city prospering and one not. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Dickens was truly unique.
Another excellent beginning for a classic book was Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" with "It is a truth universally acknowledged...". She captured the readers attention right away because of the irony of the statement. For one thing it was not a truth that a single gentleman show be in want of a wife. It was not universally acknowledged either. With the opening she set the tone for a light-hearted satire that made fun of the way of life in which she grew up.
So... How you begin a story is just as important as the plot and the characters...
This beginning from Charles Dickens is one of the most well known, classic beginnings ever written. Dickens was a master at reaching out through time with the opening lines of his books and grabbing the readers by the nose and pulling them along for a good ride. The beginning of any book sets the tone for the whole story. In "A Tale of Two Cities", Dickens lets the reader know right from the start that One part of the tale he weaves is going to be about a city prospering and one not. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Dickens was truly unique.
Another excellent beginning for a classic book was Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" with "It is a truth universally acknowledged...". She captured the readers attention right away because of the irony of the statement. For one thing it was not a truth that a single gentleman show be in want of a wife. It was not universally acknowledged either. With the opening she set the tone for a light-hearted satire that made fun of the way of life in which she grew up.
So... How you begin a story is just as important as the plot and the characters...
