: Re: How important is a catchy first paragraph? Some novels start with a bang, with a ingeniously crafted opening paragraph or sentence that instantly catches the interest of the reader and starts

Books today no longer begin "once upon a time..." there was such and such a hero, and such and such a heroine. So you do not want mostly "background" in your opening paragraph.
Instead, I was taught to "begin the story in the middle of the action." An example is the opening of my Revolutionary War novel.

"Outside a log cabin on the banks of the Pee Dee River, Charlotte Mouton saw a group of horseman riding in the distance toward her. They weren't wearing uniforms so they had to be American Patriots, not British Redcoats, or Tories, pro-British Americans who wore green. She wondered why they were headed north. The enemy was not here, but further south. And according to the rumors that had been spreading through the countryside like wildfire, these men had been winning their battles. That was saying a lot for a bunch of farmers whose patriotism and enthusiasm for war far exceeded their training and experience.
The year was 1780, and the American Revolution had been raging for four years. But the fighting had only recently come to South Carolina..."

Under the "once upon a time" format, the most recent paragraph would have been the opening paragraph. But you can see how my "action" paragraph is more compelling. This becomes even more so, shortly, when we meet Charlotte's older brother and her future husband among these American soldiers.

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: In most books, the author will have an acknowledgements page or two, and they almost always include the name of their agent. A few other helpful places to look: Acknowledgements page in

: Re: How important is a catchy first paragraph? Some novels start with a bang, with a ingeniously crafted opening paragraph or sentence that instantly catches the interest of the reader and starts

More posts by @Welton431

: How can I improve my writing's pacing and sophistication? How can I improve my creative writing skills? I have many ideas for short stories but I feel as if my writing is very slow paced

: How to write about transgender issues while avoiding cognitive dissonance? As a writer, it is difficult to help your readers hold two dissonant ideas in their heads. This can occur when the

: What is a "reflection character?" How is s/he different from an antagonist? My understanding is that a "reflection character" is someone who acts as a "foil" for the hero(ine). This is someone

: In most books, the author will have an acknowledgements page or two, and they almost always include the name of their agent. A few other helpful places to look: Acknowledgements page in

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