In our recent additions to the journal, we have some great examples of how to open a piece. In fact, it was the question about what to write, raised by Timmy0292, that gave me my idea for what I should write here.

How to best begin a piece?

What is the best way to open it?

Well, let’s use what we have here to better understand what for many peole is the most difficult aspect of writing—starting the piece.

I have long found with my students that once you get going, there can frequently be no stopping you. So let’s get you going, shall we?

In fact, let’s start with Timmy 0292’s opening. I agree here with Faintly’s comment, that the beginning of the piece is best stated simply by saying, “I was in my early 40s and looked in the mirror.” I know that phrase gets my attention. And that is what your opener is supposed to do: make the reader pay the kind of attention that locks that reader into the piece. And unless the paragraph is the beginning of an introduction, and not the first chapter, you can also now put aside that last line, since, as readers with a book in our hands, we expect “quite a ride,” and look forward to it. So just jump into our story after that look in the mirror.

Sheila’s piece really benefits from the use of that house description, doesn’t it? Strong, bold and compelling, we are eager to read more. We are all interested in dwellings, since all of us in some way are defined by the ones that house us. Really good choice here. Right to the point, this opener leads us through the piece.

I love what Isadora did with the rewrite of this piece, and while I can no longer locate the original, I want to point out the excellence that she has brought to the rewrite, a rewrite that starts off right from the opener. It’s much more clear here just what the intent of the piece is to be. And readers need to know that, no matter the length of the piece--they want to know what they are in for, and you must give them that, as well as a sense of your personality, as quickly as you can.

From Leap of Faith, we get a great, powerful piece on a lifelong battle with weight. And while combat language is utilized brilliantly throughout the piece, it is lacking in the opener. So tuck at least one warlike word into your opening graph, and we’ll have an even greater time with this read.

Welcome to Vedis, who appears now in our group, and seems to come to us from far away. Good job, Vedis. I found this piece very compelling, and would find it to be even more so, if you edited out that first line and let me come to know what the piece is about – the presence of the living god – on my own, by holding that line for later. Simply begin with “I owned a bicycle once,” and we’ll be swept away on your journey.

Good job, all.

Write on.