As much as I adore 19th century literature, I am not particularily thrilled with sweeping, first-person narrator first lines. I love to be thrown into the story without much of a preamble.
What are some first lines to novels/stories/fanfic that you like? It was dolphin weather, when I sailed into Piraeus with my comrades of the Cretan bull ring. Mary Renault, The Bull From The Sea It was the first time he had ever heard the clock strike ten at night. Mary Renault, The Charioteer - I am a total sucker for Renault's first lines. Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. J.K.Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - You knew that one was coming - it's an awesome first line! Our house did not have a name until I was nearly five years old. Storm Constantine, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate.
What are some first lines to novels/stories/fanfic that you remember off the top of your head? Call me Ishmael. Herman Melville, of course, Moby Dick. Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster? Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit 124 was spiteful. Toni Morrison, Beloved
What's your favorite first line you've written? You can see it from afar.Summer of the Dragonfly
What's the first line you've spent the most time on? An der unverwechselbaren Mütze mit dem Karomuster erkennt ihn heute jedes Kind. "Das Bild in der Kutsche" (published Holmes/Watson fic, only available in German ;-).) It doesn't show, but this one went through literally dozens of changes.
What's your least favorite first line you've written? The sun was still on its way up behind the hills when Wils Longholes stepped out of the hole.Gardner in the Vineyard (LotR, Sam/Frodo, preslash) bOring ...
re: first lines
What are some first lines to novels/stories/fanfic that you like?
It was dolphin weather, when I sailed into Piraeus with my comrades of the Cretan bull ring. Mary Renault, The Bull From The Sea
It was the first time he had ever heard the clock strike ten at night. Mary Renault, The Charioteer - I am a total sucker for Renault's first lines.
Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. J.K.Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - You knew that one was coming - it's an awesome first line!
Our house did not have a name until I was nearly five years old. Storm Constantine, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate.
What are some first lines to novels/stories/fanfic that you remember off the top of your head?
Call me Ishmael. Herman Melville, of course, Moby Dick.
Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster? Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
124 was spiteful. Toni Morrison, Beloved
What's your favorite first line you've written?
You can see it from afar. Summer of the Dragonfly
What's the first line you've spent the most time on?
An der unverwechselbaren Mütze mit dem Karomuster erkennt ihn heute jedes Kind. "Das Bild in der Kutsche" (published Holmes/Watson fic, only available in German ;-).) It doesn't show, but this one went through literally dozens of changes.
What's your least favorite first line you've written?
The sun was still on its way up behind the hills when Wils Longholes stepped out of the hole. Gardner in the Vineyard (LotR, Sam/Frodo, preslash) bOring ...