creative-writing

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Write a Strong Opening to Bring Your Reader In

Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

Writing an opening, a foreword to a book, a first line that will encourage your reader to continue is a challenge.

The tone for a trial is set by the lawyer’s opening statement. It’s the first opportunity to make an impression, to frame the narrative. In your writing, your introduction serves the same purpose.

Start with a strong statement. Hook your reader with a provocative statement. “Call me Ismael” brings you right into Moby Dick. It’s an invitation you can’t refuse.

Lawyers build their cases on evidence. They introduce facts, exhibits, testimonies to support their opening statement. Your introduction should also be grounded in facts.

Lawyers question witnesses to strengthen their case and counter opposing arguments. As a writer, you should think about and address counterarguments to your opening, including opposing views. Provide a thoughtful counter-argument. Consider all sides of the issue and enhance your reliability.

In all of these ways you will have an opening that will encourage people to continue reading.

In the case of a poetry collection, like Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth, the artist, Irene Christensen and I, put the strongest paintings and poems up front. There are 27 paintings and poems in a 60-page manuscript. We began with poems that editors had chosen for publication and with paintings that had been curated for international shows.

I’ll be blogging on Thursdays, following the progress of our manuscript, Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth. And writing about the writer’s process. Follow me here.

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Congratulating Yourself on Finishing a Piece of Writing

Photo by Skylar Kang on Pexels.com

As writers, we often feel that we don’t do enough. We don’t put enough hours into our writing,

we don’t do enough research before writing, and we don’t publish enough. When you finish a

piece of writing, give yourself a pat on the back: You finished a piece of creative writing—

something many attempt, but not quite as many achieve. I recently finished a manuscript called

Dread and Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Earth. I collaborated on it with the

Norwegian Artist, Irene Christensen. It’s a collection about the climate crisis and women at the

heart of it. I feel good about completing it.

Some writers consider the worth of their writing in the published pieces, but others don’t even

attempt to publish. The reward for them is in the process. You can share your writing at an

open-mic reading. You can post it online or bring it to an in-person writing group for

constructive critique. You can send it to a friend.

You can send it to a literary journal or an agent for possible publication, but that’s a topic for

another blog. As writers, we need to acknowledge our accomplishments for ourselves.

I’ll be blogging Thursdays about the writing process. Follow me here.