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More on first lines
Apr. 22nd, 2013 03:34 pmA little over a week ago I did a post about first lines. It took me a while to get to all the comments, sorry! Now I have more thoughts.
I have two different modes when reading. One is "committed" and one is "shopping". I am usually committed when I start reading because: 1) the summary was interesting!, 2) It's by an author I like!, 3) It was recommended by someone I like or respect!, 4) other. When I am committed, it doesn't matter what the first line is, because if I've clicked on the fic or opened a book for that reason, I'm planning to give it a chance, and I don't think just one line is much of a chance.
When I'm shopping, I'm looking for something specific.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
carmenwoods brought this up. I might be looking for a particular ship, character, characterization, trope, treatment of a trope, kink, etc. The first line also doesn't really matter to me when I'm doing this, because I have a tendency to skim until I find what I'm looking for; then I read that part, and if it seems to be what I want, I'll go back to the beginning.
These two different modes are probably better explanations for why I don't care about first lines.
ETA: Oops. The point of this post was to ask: are either of these modes familiar to you? Do you have another reading mode? What are your feelings when beginning a new story, what influences those feelings? If you "shop," what methods do you use to find what you need? And if you "commit," what are things that will cause you to commit?
I have two different modes when reading. One is "committed" and one is "shopping". I am usually committed when I start reading because: 1) the summary was interesting!, 2) It's by an author I like!, 3) It was recommended by someone I like or respect!, 4) other. When I am committed, it doesn't matter what the first line is, because if I've clicked on the fic or opened a book for that reason, I'm planning to give it a chance, and I don't think just one line is much of a chance.
When I'm shopping, I'm looking for something specific.
carmenwoods brought this up. I might be looking for a particular ship, character, characterization, trope, treatment of a trope, kink, etc. The first line also doesn't really matter to me when I'm doing this, because I have a tendency to skim until I find what I'm looking for; then I read that part, and if it seems to be what I want, I'll go back to the beginning. These two different modes are probably better explanations for why I don't care about first lines.
ETA: Oops. The point of this post was to ask: are either of these modes familiar to you? Do you have another reading mode? What are your feelings when beginning a new story, what influences those feelings? If you "shop," what methods do you use to find what you need? And if you "commit," what are things that will cause you to commit?
