The opening sentence of a good book is rarely the writer’s first draft. It is usually the result of staring at the empty page for hours, days or even weeks, trying to catch the right mood, focusing on the essence of the story and passing through fits of frustration, rage and self-loathing.
Just so you know, I rewrote this post’s first sentence five times already.
There must be people who write easily. They open their laptop and fill the empty page, starting with a brilliant, smashing opening sentence. Good for them! Unfortunately, I experience empty-page stress every time.
Picture me at my desk, staring at a white screen. There’s a whole book in my head, humming and sizzling, eager to come out, and I have no idea how to begin. Which sentence is good enough to draw a reader’s attention, set the scene and pull the reader into the story? Empty-page stress is enough to chuck it all in and start looking for a real job!
I have found my solution by now. Without giving the first sentence any thought, I write the whole first chapter. Only when I’m happy with that do I return to the first sentence. When the first chapter reflects the mood I was going for, it’s easier to find the right opening words and make sure the book starts off with a bang.
Do you get empty-page stress too?
