So you just thought of an idea for a new book, but you can't figure out how you want to start it. Not just start the first chapter, but how do you start the first sentence. Everything sounds odd or abrupt to your ears. Just where do you start the story anyway?
Here are seven ways you can start a story...
1) Start it with someone saying something.
This piece of dialogue should come after a brief period of silence. The assumption is that you're not in the middle of a conversation... but you can honestly be in the middle of a conversation... as long as there is that silence first. It sets you up and it throws the reader into the story. Here are three very different examples.
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"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
I leaned back, brushing my hand through my hair. I hadn't combed it this morning. Of course, that wasn't really important right now. Why was I thinking about my hair right now when my best friend just declared they had cancer?
****
"Get out of the way!" I shouted.
I raced forward as the car made the sharp turn. The world seemed to move into slow motion. My foot twisted, and I fell. My eyes barely met hers as the car struck.
****
"This is nice."
I turned towards him; it was the first word either of us had shared in some time. I didn't really know how I wanted to respond. It was nice, but saying it almost seemed to cheapen the experience.
2) Start it as a Shocking Event
Nothing to draw a reader in like something shocking or surprising.
****
Blood splattered across her face. The sword piercing through his heart seemed to invite death. His body fell to the side, and the man stepped out behind him, a vicious grin on his face.
3) Allusion -
Allude to the difficulties the protagonist will experience later.
****
It was an innocuous mistake. All I did was drop a pen. Somehow, that little act would set a chain reaction for all of the events to come. The one thing I knew is that my life would never be the same.
4) Waking Up -
It pains me to write this... because it is terribly cliché and really weak writing. I probably shouldn't even mention it, but for the sake of completeness, let me leave it here. If you really want to destroy my faith in humanity, start it with the protagonist hitting an alarm.
5) Exposition -
You can start a story by jumping right into exposition. If you're trying to give a feeling of epic-ness, world building, or fantasy... this can be a way to do so.
****
In the beginning, there were the Elphin, men of sky. They were the first race, considered the wisest of all the races. Then came the Nuphi, the men of earth. They ascended from the ground. They lived in a different world than the Elphin cousins, and often grew jealous of their realm, always out of reach.
6) Start with the Setting-
Simple, but start with the setting, then move on to adding the characters.
****
The room was hot and uncomfortable. A small clock in the corner continued to tick off the seconds. My toe tapped the hard wood floor in much the same manner. Tick, Tock, Tick Tock. The desk in front of me made me feel nervous, and I couldn't help my growing anxiety.
You can also do that opposite, start by describing the person... presumably who the main character is looking at.
7) Start with an Abnormality
Paint a picture of a normal event... but something very abnormal happening.
****
The lights started to flicker out, one at a time. That was the first thing I began to notice. I started to increase the speed of my step, but no matter how fast I moved, the darkness seemed to chase me, the lights burning out faster and faster.