Four Ways to Open a Story

Opening a story is often said to be one of the most difficult parts about writing it. The beginning is what catches the reader's eye most, so it has to be perfect. Unfortunately, writing the first paragraph can be a daunting task, but there are a few easy ways to get those difficult first words out.

Open With Dialogue

Opening with dialogue is a simple, easy way to get a story started. A good line of dialogue can prove to be a great way to get a reader's attention, especially because dialogue is often the easiest thing for people to read. Dialogue can also prove to be less daunting to a reader while a large block of text can be overwhelming.

Open With Action

Opening with action is a great way to get a reader interested in the story. A good bit of action can make readers look forward to what's to come. When a story opens with action, it is a good indicator that the story will have a fair amount of action in it, and that is an attractive quality to many readers.

Open With Description

A beautiful description of the opening scenery or character can be a great way to start a story. Some readers love stories that are plentiful with description, and opening with description is a great way to attract those kinds of readers.

Open With Conflict

Another great way to open a story is by opening it with conflict straight away. By introducing the reader to a problem in the first line, you are giving them a good indicator of what is to come, and your chances of hooking them into your story are very good. Conflict is what the story is all about, so it makes for a great opening line when done right.

Starting a story can be the scariest part of writing, but if you put a little work into it and don't overthink, you can have your readers hooked from the very first line.