I think the biggest impediment to my writing, anything in general and a book in particular, is the opening sentence. I am up against such greats as Charles Dickens ("It was the best of times...") and of course the all encompassing Mr. William S! and umpteen others who have been lucky enough to have their go before me and luckier still because their golden words (opening words, mind you!) have become so ingrained in our minds, that nothing less will be considered noteworthy!
I want my opening line to be nothing short of remarkable....but of course, why would anyone read something that started off "This is a text book on electricity and magnetism..." (that is how the book on 'Introduction to Electrodynamics' started off...and I read it and thought to myself... if the person reading this book doesnt even know that "This is a text book on electricity and magnetism..."then they should shut this book right now and dedicate their life to more useful things...unfortunately I now know that reading that book cover to cover was the biggest mistake of my life...no actually it was a big mistake, the biggest mistake was thinking that I understood that book cover to cover - a misconception that I am very dearly paying for!).
Anyhow, back to opening sentences, I realise after writing this that maybe it doesnt matter after all how one begins....or does it??
1 comment:
Perhaps the best opening line really is 'Once upon a time...' even if the context isn't right...and if you're writing about the present...
but then, the context could always be made right couldn't it? Doesnt every point in time already exist and aren't we the ones travelling through it one moment after another?
But that could also mean that 'Once upon a time' is never really right...
Mind you, what does once upon a time mean anyway?
and what do i mean? i think i've forgotten what my point was...
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