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How to Captivate Hurried Readers with a Magic Opening Line

by Henneke | 97 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

Agood opening line sets the tone and invites readers into your story, making them eager to read on.

This article discusses how to write an opening sentence:

What makes an opening sentence good?
A famous opening line
Examples of short opening lines
Examples of bad opening lines
A shortcut for writing a catchy first sentence
More examples of great opening sentences

How to write an opening sentence

A good opening line is an invitation to your readerCan I skip the opening sentence for this post?

Pleeeease?

Let’s say you skip reading the first few sentences and start with the fourth?

Or fifth?

I don’t like the pressure of writing a first sentence.

What if I fail to engage readers? What if I’m boring them? What if I’ve wasted my time on this article because my first line sucks?

The task of writing a catchy first sentence can paralyze even the most acclaimed writers. In an interview with the Atlantic, Stephen King admits he can spend months, or even years, on writing the opening lines for a new book.

Sounds crazy, right?

As business writers, we don’t have the luxury of time. We have other things to do than worrying about one line of text.

So what can we do?

Let me share with you a trick for writing a first sentence super-fast. But first, let’s define what a good opening line is.

Okay?

What makes an opening sentence good?

This is how the novel “Nervous Conditions” by Tsitsi Dangarembga starts:

I was not sorry when my brother died.

Why is this sentence good?

It entices you to read on.

That first sentence creates drama because it instantly raises two compelling questions in readers’ minds: Why did the brother die? And why was the author not sorry? A reader reads on because he wants to find out the answers to these two questions.

Stephen King says it like this:

An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.

One of the most famous opening sentences

This is how “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger starts:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.

This famous opening line is 63 words long.

Is such a long sentence a good idea?

Ben Blatt analyzed what makes a good novel great, and he also reviewed first sentences. His conclusions are not clear cut, as he summarizes in his book “Nabokov’s Favorite Word is Mauve:”

The first sentence is only as popular as the rest of the book, and brevity alone will not make a first sentence great.

Our literary heroes may write lengthy first sentences.

But when writing for the web, we need to remember our readers. They’re not curled up on a comfy sofa with a book and a glass of Rioja. They’re hurrying across the web, searching for interesting articles to read and share. Who has the patience to start reading a block of text?

Examples of short opening sentences

Instead of following J.D. Salinger’s 63-word mammoth sentence, take your cue from Toni Morrison, the master of short first sentences, like this one from “Tar Baby:”

He believed he was safe.

From “Paradise:”

They shoot the white girl first.

From “God Help the Child:”

It’s not my fault.

Each of these sentences makes you curious to read on.

Your first sentence has two purposes. First, get people to read your first sentence—a short sentence works better because it’s easy to read. Then, make sure they want to read your second sentence.

The worst opening lines

Ben Blatt quotes the opening line of the book “Paul Clifford” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton as one of the most ridiculed opening lines ever:

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

Not only is that sentence awfully long, its worst crime is that nothing happens. Nothing grabs attention. Nothing makes me curious. It’s simply a description of the weather. So what?

Of course, in business we rarely write about the weather, but you may have come across similar opening lines that fail to whet your appetite for reading more. For instance:

Many ways exist to choose your words.

As you know, Rome wasn’t built in one day.

In business, you have to take risks.

Duh!

The above opening lines may be short, but they’re obvious statements, killing readers’ interest. There’s no incentive to read on.

A little-known shortcut for catchy opening sentences

Getting nervous about writing a good first sentence?

No need for nerves, when you know this blog writing trick …

Unlike novels, a blog post is often a conversation with our readers. And what easier way to engage readers than asking them a question?

A few examples:

Do you hear that nagging voice, too? (source)

Do you ever feel a pang of envy? (source)

Has it happened to you, too? (source)

In a face-to-face meeting, you often start a conversation with a question, like: Cup of tea? How did your meeting go? Or: How’s business?

Why not do the same in your writing?

The one magic opening line doesn’t exist

So, no need to search for it anxiously.

Instead, remember your reader.

Imagine him hurrying across the web. He’s feeling restless. He’s impatient because he’s been wasting his time reading lousy blog posts.

How can you engage him? How can you make him read your first sentence? And then the next?

A good writer draws a reader in, and doesn’t let him go until the last word.

Bonus examples of great opening lines

The first sentence of How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina:

The first kidnapping wasn’t my fault.

This sentence conjures up so many questions that I couldn’t help myself to read on. Who was kidnapped? How was the protagonist involved? What happened after the first kidnapping? And how and why were the subsequent kidnappings his fault? All these questions made me read on.

This is the opening line from Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones:

My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist.

Do you also want to know more? Why was her father a bigamist? How did the protagonist find out her father was a bigamist? What happened with the two marriages? Were their children in both marriages?

Sometimes, a long first sentence is great. like this one from The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett:

The morning one of the lost twins returned to Mallard, Lou LeBon ran to the diner to break the news, and even now, many years later, everyone remembers the shock of sweaty Lou pushing through the glass doors, chest heaving, neckline darkened with his own effort.

Why were the twins lost? Why did one return? And why did everyone remember?

Recommended reading on writing good sentences:

How to write cliffhanger sentences
How to write a sparkling sentence
11 fab sentence examples: Why are these so good?

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Comments

  1. Caryn says

    October 27, 2022 at 3:24 am

    Why was her father an bigamist? / FYI- it should read “a” bigamist…

    Great suggestions. Still in learning mode…some volunteer pieces published…
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 27, 2022 at 9:22 am

      Well spotted! I’ve updated it. Thank you.

      Reply
  2. Emily Janice says

    August 3, 2022 at 12:35 pm

    Hi Henneke,

    Today has been my Opening Paragraph study time (as l follow your writing techniques format).

    I have always wondered about a few things which you fully answered. Though l got a little confused with this particular post.

    – With an accidental one, l chances upon, Why your titles are always different? (one in the feed and on the actual post)

    – l suppose the opening line is “Can l skip the opening sentence of of this post?

    Qn, is this an I or you approach based blog?
    – Starting from the above sentence ” Can l skip…’ to the 5th sentence. I didn’t get the flow.

    Why? I always feel you speaking to me, the reader whenever l read your posts.

    And that’s daily.

    – But in this one, it’s like you were musing to yourself..

    Please, help me clarify on this… I am doing loooots of learning. Thank you 🙏🙏

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 3, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      I write usually 3+ headline variations for different goals (SEO, at the top of the blog post, and for social media), as the length and importance of keyword differs.

      I often use templates for writing opening paragraphs but not always. Sometimes, an opening just turns out differently or sometimes I want to try a variation. Sometimes it works, sometimes less so. Sometimes an opening resonates with some readers and less with others. I also developed the templates by trial and error.

      While templates are useful, they should never be a straitjacket.

      Reply
  3. Mrs LC Maccormac says

    January 25, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    Love this. Nicking it right now for a lesson on great opening sentences for a lost group of kids who struggle to read. Any chance we can send you our attempts to comment on? Would be a great motivator!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 26, 2022 at 11:05 am

      Mrs. Maccormac, you’re welcome to use my article in your class. I wish I were able to help out with giving feedback but I’ve learned that’s just not possible. I work only part-time. I try to be generous with the tips I share here on my blog but just don’t have the time to help everyone with free feedback. I wouldn’t have time left to write my next blog post!

      Reply
  4. Lia says

    August 19, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    This is a post I keep coming back to Henneke. And, like magic, it gets me thinking (of the obvious, right?) and boom! My sentence pops up. Thank you so much for that!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 19, 2021 at 9:16 pm

      That’s so wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing that, Lia. I appreciate it!

      Reply
  5. Aiden Dickens says

    April 23, 2021 at 9:35 pm

    I’ve been trying to write a story for 4 weeks now and all I have is the title and who it’s by. This really helped me thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 25, 2021 at 8:12 pm

      I’m glad this helped you get unstuck. Happy writing!

      Reply
  6. Nour Akalay says

    December 8, 2020 at 6:47 pm

    Hello and thank you so much for sharing your wisdom in such a palatable way.
    I often have a hard time using your advice though. Mostly I can’t seem to find a way to apply it to my field.
    I’m a web developer and I write articles about code. It seems writing advice is often targeted at more “exciting” topics: “learn to write better”, “increase your income”, “learn to sell anything to anybody”. But when it comes to “make your website responsive” or “learn PHP” I have a hard time making things exciting.
    Any advice?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      December 9, 2020 at 9:57 am

      Writing doesn’t always need to be exciting. The basic requirement is that you help readers achieve their goals, solve their problems, and answer their questions. Well laid out information that’s helpful and easy to consume is key, and often that’s enough.

      If you want to add more interest, think about telling stories. For instance, what happens when a site isn’t responsive? How does that make web visitors feel? How can you compare it to other experiences in life? E.g., is an unresponsive website similar to trying to reach a call center all afternoon, waiting to get through the call queue while listening to terrible music? And now, when you make a site responsive, how does that experience change? Imagine, calling customer service and they pick up before the first ring; you hear a friendly voice: What can I do for you?

      That’s just a quick example!

      Reply
      • Nour Akalay says

        December 9, 2020 at 5:35 pm

        This is a terrific example. I would never have thought of it. Thank you!

        Reply
  7. Natacha Besel says

    October 20, 2020 at 8:38 am

    “A good writer draws a reader in, and doesn’t let him go until the last word.”
    You’re the best writer to my mind!
    Really. I never take-off (I’m not sure that is the perfect word – I’m french) BEFORE the last word.
    Thank you so much, Henneke, for inspiring me everyday.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 20, 2020 at 8:33 pm

      That’s a lovely compliment. Thank you so much, Natacha.

      Reply
  8. Gginanjar says

    April 19, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    Thank u so much. This article gives me a lot of ideas for creative articles on my site..
    Next, I hope you’ll create articles with examples like this again.
    I can’t wait to read it again next time.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 19, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      Thank you, Gginanjar. Happy writing!

      Reply
  9. Roisin McAuley says

    January 18, 2020 at 9:59 am

    “We were drinking champagne in the kitchen when the nun telephoned.” Opening sentence of my first novel, “Singing Bird”. I hope it draws the reader in.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 18, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      It’ll make people want to know what the nun called about. Congrats on your first novel!

      Reply
  10. Foxy Hahn says

    January 8, 2020 at 2:45 am

    Thank you for this. It will help greatly in the story I’m writing.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      January 8, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Happy storytelling, Foxy!

      Reply
      • White Kandiado says

        April 22, 2021 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks Henneke .I’m just new born writer trying to survive in the literature world with a lot of characters in my brain. And I have seen that this will help me no end. Again thank you

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          April 22, 2021 at 6:45 pm

          I’m glad you found it useful. Happy writing!

          Reply
  11. Paul says

    June 13, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    For me it is quite opposite than posted. Examples in the article are artsy and pretentious and those ‘wrong’ are interesting. I suppose it depends on what does one expect from book. Those ‘right’ first sentences remind me of intrusive commercials, or speak of boring casual events or author’s/hero’s ideas exposed too soon and too explicitly. Rather than that I prefer to get to know with their minds indirect, through depictions and longer storyline. Usually if somebody wants to flash already at the beginning, he/she has a complex to cover. Those who has valuable content do not need a commercial or flashing.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 14, 2019 at 12:26 pm

      Defining good writing is always a subjective matter. No objective rules exists. So, you’ll always a couple of people who have different preferences.

      I’m impressed you read on after reading my first sentence!

      Reply
  12. Matthew says

    June 13, 2018 at 12:05 am

    Loved this post! Get their attention, first impressions are key.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 13, 2018 at 1:52 pm

      That’s it! 🙂 Thank you, Matthew.

      Reply
  13. Lucas says

    April 23, 2018 at 6:57 am

    Thank you, Henneke. Again, nicely done. 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 23, 2018 at 9:00 am

      Thank you, Lucas 🙂

      Reply
  14. LJ Sedgwick says

    April 20, 2018 at 3:49 pm

    I recommend Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go by Les Edgerton for writing epic opening lines! It might be for fiction but the principles are similar.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 20, 2018 at 7:23 pm

      Thank you so much for the recommendation, LJ. I’ve added it to my reading list and look forward to reading it!

      Reply
  15. Ryan Biddulph says

    April 20, 2018 at 10:50 am

    Excellent hook leading off this post Henneke. If you spend a moment to think through the opening line, or, a bit longer, you reel readers in. Kudos to Stephen King for spending such time getting his open down cold. Reminds me of George R.R. Martin’s works. Genius writers take their time to make a seismic impact.

    Ryan

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 23, 2018 at 11:17 am

      Thank you, Ryan. I’m glad you enjoyed the hook 🙂 And yes, I agree with you, spending a little more time on writing an opening line can pay off.

      Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply
  16. Jane says

    April 18, 2018 at 9:41 am

    Hi Henneke
    I love reading everything about everything on blogs and you’re right, what makes me want to continue is how the writer captures my attention at the beginning.I am going to do this on my blog. Thank you

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 18, 2018 at 8:01 pm

      Great! Many people may be skimming blog posts, but with a good opening we have a chance of engaging readers, so they actually read from our first to our last word. Happy blogging, Jane! And thank you for stopping by.

      Reply
  17. Cary Richards says

    April 17, 2018 at 1:33 am

    This is an awesome article. Thanks so much for shining a light on a subject that strikes fear into the hearts of most writers.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 17, 2018 at 3:26 pm

      Thank you, Cary. Happy writing!

      Reply
  18. David Hartshorne says

    April 15, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    Hi Henneke,

    More often I’ll write my opening sentence after I’ve written the main body of the article. It saves sweating hours over the crucial opening before you have anything down on paper (aka the screen).

    I’m also fond of using questions, although I challenge myself to use different openings, so I don’t become too predictable. And if I’m not mistaken, when you write for Social Media Examiner I believe you have to use two questions at the beginning of your article. (Take a peep, and you’ll see what I mean.)

    Thanks for sharing your tips.
    – David

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 15, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      I do exactly the same. I write the main body of the article, and then the next day I write the intro and final paragraph. It feels more doable that way.

      The Social Media Examiner openings feel quite formulaic, don’t you think? Or maybe it’s just me.

      Have you noticed I used one (!) exclamation mark in this post? Especially for you 🙂

      Thank you for stopping by, David (and for tweeting!)

      Reply
      • David Hartshorne says

        April 15, 2018 at 7:32 pm

        I didn’t like to mention it…
        But it fits perfectly! (oops)

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          April 15, 2018 at 8:07 pm

          🙂

          Reply
  19. Rosie Lukaszczyk says

    April 13, 2018 at 8:15 am

    This is the perfect post for me at the perfect time. Thanks for the well articulated tips. Going try this for my next post. Thank you much for the great inspiration.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 14, 2018 at 6:41 pm

      Great. It makes me happy that you feel inspired. Thank you, Rosie!

      Reply
  20. Sarah Carter says

    April 12, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    I’ve found that the way that works the best for me is to imagine I’m talking to someone. If I write conversationally, then I get better results and that definitely applies to the first line too!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 12, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      That sounds like a great approach as you can’t forget that you’re writing for your reader.

      Thank you for stopping by, Sarah. I appreciate it.

      Reply
  21. Judy says

    April 11, 2018 at 11:31 pm

    Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves. We become focused on getting the information on paper and our first sentence can overwhelm.

    And it can be a pain to create but with examples like the ones you’ve provided Henneke, there’s a road to follow. Thank you for the clarity.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 12, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      I’m glad you’ve found the examples helpful, Judy 🙂

      One other trick is to skip writing the introductory paragraph of a post. I find this the most difficult part to write, so I prefer writing the main body first. Then, the opening becomes more doable.

      Thank you for stopping by.

      Reply
  22. Rohan Bhardwaj says

    April 11, 2018 at 12:52 pm

    When I write the fiction – I often write something off. And it intrigues the reader.

    For example,

    Adam is guy who killed. And she kills it.

    And then I write a story about feminine Adam who kills it in fashion industry. And apparently is murdered.

    It is a fun game for me. And an interesting opening line for readers.

    Thanks Henneke, keep writing more…

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 8:54 pm

      You got it!

      Maybe one day I try writing fiction, too. I’ve never tried it. There’s still enough non-fiction for me to write 🙂

      Thank you for stopping by, Rohan.

      Reply
  23. Maina says

    April 11, 2018 at 7:22 am

    This one is great, I usually find myself forgetting the captivating role of the first sentence. I now know how to keep them by my side from start and hopefully through the end.
    Can it apply in a news-style writing?
    Thanks so much Henneke.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 10:07 am

      News-style writing is usually a bit different as it doesn’t aim to get people to read from start to finish. So, in news reporting, you often get the main message of the article in the first sentence. Journalists call it the inverted pyramid: you put your most important information first, and your least important information at the end.

      Reply
  24. Vincent Mbogo says

    April 11, 2018 at 7:21 am

    This is great. Often, i start my posts with one or two questions to intrigue my readers. I’ll try to experiment with other opening lines.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 10:05 am

      Great! I hope you’ll enjoy your experiment 🙂

      Thank you for stopping by, Vincent.

      Reply
  25. Lee @ Dragon'sEyeView says

    April 10, 2018 at 11:19 pm

    I read recently that using headlines that can be answered NO is a bad idea because people don’t want to click to read on… It was specific to headlines, but I’m wondering if it applies to to opening lines also. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 10:05 am

      Yes, that’s especially true when writing sales copy. In sales copy, you only want to use questions that people answer YES to. When you get them in the mode of agreeing with you (nodding Yes), then you increase the chance that they may agree to take up your sales offer, too. In contrast, if they think NO, then you risk them turning away.

      In blog writing, you have perhaps a little more leeway, as long as you invite readers to read on.

      Reply
      • Lee @ Dragon'sEyeView says

        April 11, 2018 at 11:05 am

        Thanks! Always finding a question that can’t be answered no is tough, so I’m glad to read that inviting along once they’ve arrive is also good.

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          April 11, 2018 at 11:23 am

          When trying to think of the right question, think of your ideal reader (or buyer persona). Only your ideal reader has to say (or think) YES. It doesn’t matter if people outside your target audience say NO. The question acts as a filter, so you only attract the right people.

          My first sentence could have been: “Struggling to write a compelling first sentence?” The blog post isn’t written for the people who think NO, so it’s okay if the question makes them click away.

          Reply
  26. Kathy says

    April 10, 2018 at 9:45 pm

    Ironic, I was just studying ‘first lines’ myself! And the common theme was…”make it inviting”. Not iconic. Exactly what you’ve said here. If it happens to get that label, fine. That’s out of our control. But we can write a sentence that makes a reader curious enough to keep going.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 10:02 am

      What a coincidence!

      I like the suggestion that your first sentence doesn’t need to be iconic. My feeling is that a first sentence can’t even be iconic. It’s the book that makes famous opening lines so memorable. For instance, a lot of people say “Call me Ishmael” is their favorite first line. I haven’t read Moby Dick (yes, I know, something wrong in my education), so I don’t get at all why that first sentence would be so good. It’s the book that makes the line memorable.

      Reply
  27. Katharine says

    April 10, 2018 at 9:32 pm

    Great one, Henneke!
    It’s far better to have trouble thinking of a great opening line, than it is to think you ARE writing one and be wrong! Haha!
    I think your great suggestions also could apply to the excerpt we might apply when sharing on social media. If we are sharing an excerpt, the opening line of the article might not appear for the viewer. It’s something to think about.
    I have a couple of questions, though.
    For the loyal repeat reader, would the constant use of a startling or a questioning first line become tiresome?
    If we use a question for the title, is it redundant to use one for the opening line?
    So far my most-visited posts have straight-forward titles and first lines. I’m excited to see what I can drum up with the new, improved versions.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 11, 2018 at 9:59 am

      I think the key is the word that Stephen King uses: inviting. As long as your opening sentence (or opening question) invites the reader to start reading, it doesn’t become tiresome. But if you try to be too clever or repeat a similar phrase too often, then it might become tiresome to loyal readers.

      I try mixing it up. Sometimes using questions, sometimes inviting statements.

      If you have a question for the title, then the opening line could be a follow on question but it can be an inviting sentence, too.

      Reply
  28. Sola Kehinde says

    April 10, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Hi Henneke,
    Every time i read your posts, i learn so much.
    Thanks for doing such a great job always.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      Thank you so much, Sola. I appreciate your compliment 🙂

      Reply
  29. Marie Youngblood Krebs says

    April 10, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    Even as I clicked the link I found myself thinking “this time for sure she’ll let me down” even while a chuckle escaped my lips as once again I was caught up from the first sentence.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      I’d hate to disappoint you, Marie. I’m glad I didn’t 🙂

      Reply
  30. Jeff Korhan says

    April 10, 2018 at 7:53 pm

    Henneke –

    Thanks. I enjoyed the Stephen King article.

    I especially like the tip to start with a question? Although I’ve discovered editors do not like this approach because it often gets edited out.

    What do you think?

    BTW, you reminded my favorite opening line fail:
    “It goes with saying …

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 9:14 pm

      That is a fantastic fail. I wish I had thought of that 🙂

      With editors, I think it’s a matter of style and education. Editors with a journalism or academic background may have different views on what sounds right. But blogging is quite different from academic writing or newspaper reporting.

      I just checked my old Copyblogger posts, and more than half of them start with a question, so their editors haven’t edited the questions out.

      Reply
      • Jeff Korhan says

        April 10, 2018 at 9:19 pm

        Yes, that makes sense. Those were editors with traditional print magazine backgrounds.

        Copyblogger is one of my reference points too. 🙂

        Reply
  31. Shane says

    April 10, 2018 at 6:39 pm

    I loved reading this article, and have shared it with my writers! We forget that first impressions count, both in life and in the world of words!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 9:09 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing, Shane. And yes, first impressions count 🙂

      Reply
  32. Lee says

    April 10, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    I’ve always loved your posts. This one included. In signature Henneke style you deal with this worthwhile topic with perfection! That was going to be my opening line. But now that you’ve reminded me of the importance of brevity, I’m thinking that it may have been too long to grab you. 🙂
    Your description of changing things up when you feel you’re getting into a first-sentence-pattern resonates with me. I was horrified when my partner said “It’s good…but why do you always start the same?” after reading a blog post I’d written. That was my wake-up call to watch out for those sneaky little patterns that try to park themselves in our writers’ brain!!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 9:08 pm

      It’s really easy for a sneaky pattern to go on repeat. It has worked and you know it works, so you keep doing it. I think it happens to all of us from time to time.

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Lee.

      Reply
  33. Stephen says

    April 10, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    Love this!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 4:50 pm

      Thank you, Stephen. Was there something specific that appealed to you?

      Reply
  34. Marlene Hielema says

    April 10, 2018 at 4:29 pm

    Although I agree we need to get people’s attention, I’ve changed how I write for the web. I used to try to write clever opening lines and titles in my blog posts, but changed all that for better SEO. According to my SEO app (Yoast) the opening line of a blog post, post title, subtitles, and also YouTube videos and video descriptions (according to YouTube’s own best practices guidelines) has to contain your keyword/key phrase. And that’s not usually the most eye-grabbing sentence. There really is no way around this unless you get lucky with your keyword/key phrase.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 4:50 pm

      I also use the Yoast app for SEO. This allows me to write two blog title versions – a slightly more interesting version that you see at the top of the blog post (How to Captivate Hurried Readers with a Magic Opening Line), and a keyword-focused version specifically for SEO. In the case of this blog post, the SEO version is: How to Write a Good Opening Sentence (With Examples).

      I’m no SEO expert, but I don’t think it’s necessary to have your keyword in the very first sentence; just the first paragraph is okay. Even so, I still often ignore this rule and Yoast still gives me a “green light.” I seem to get good rankings as long as I tick a few of the SEO boxes but not necessarily all.

      Reply
      • Marlene Hielema says

        April 10, 2018 at 6:48 pm

        It’s definitely an area I struggle with, but the results (especially on YouTube) speak for themselves. Possibly because I write/create videos more about tech stuff. And I use other tools than Yoast for YouTube SEO. Maybe writing in a non-boring way while keeping SEO happy, is a good topic for a future blog post.

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          April 10, 2018 at 9:11 pm

          I can imagine YouTube is different and I have no experience there. But I can write about the balance between readers vs SEO for blog writing. I’ve noted it down. Thank you for the idea 🙂

          Reply
  35. Gay says

    April 10, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    Yes, the dreaded opening stumps me too. I love your examples, Henneke. Even Stephen King gets stumped. (I feel better).

    “It was a dark and stormy night” is so famous (and bad) it inspired an annual fiction contest. Would be fun to give it a try this year. What do you think?
    http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 4:41 pm

      That contest sounds like so much fun. We have until the end of June to enter 🙂

      Reply
    • Gay says

      April 10, 2018 at 6:07 pm

      Okay, I’m marking my calendar. We’ll put bad intro writing to the test 🙂

      Reply
      • Henneke says

        April 10, 2018 at 9:08 pm

        I’ve marked my calendar, too. Let’s do it 🙂

        Reply
  36. Shirley Pordominsky says

    April 10, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Brilliant!
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      Thank you, Shirley 🙂

      Reply
  37. Bart Schroeven says

    April 10, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    Great post. And great opening line too!

    I can see what you did there 😉
    You voice your own discomfort about writing opening lines, and hey presto, you’ve got an excellent opening!

    Emotion and authenticity: works every time.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      It was definitely authentic. I was seriously feeling the pressure and was thinking to myself, “I really don’t want to write this first sentence.” And that’s when I wondered how I could skip it 🙂

      I like how you phrase the combination: emotion and authenticity.

      Thank you for adding your thoughts, Bart 🙂

      Reply
  38. Vinita Jagannathan says

    April 10, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    Hi Henneke,

    Another great post from you! It is indeed difficult to strum up an opening line – be it an email or a blog post.

    I noticed an error in an otherwise amazing write-up and thought I’ll let you know – The ‘Cather’ in the Rye.

    Keep writing brilliant stuff!

    Best,
    Vinita

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      Oops. Good catch. Thank you for letting me know. I’ve corrected it.

      Reply
  39. Syed says

    April 10, 2018 at 11:59 am

    Henneke, you’re a mind reader! I was wrestling with the opening of a short post and strayed towards my inbox to distract myself and there I see your email titled “how to write a magic opening line …” !!
    Thank you for compiling great and lousy openings, as it would’ve taken me years to do this myself 🙂
    Awesome!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 12:04 pm

      Yes, I’m a mind reader 😉

      I’m glad the post came at exactly the right time for you.

      By the way, another trick is to write your first line last.

      Happy writing, Syed!

      Reply
  40. Kitty Kilian says

    April 10, 2018 at 11:54 am

    Suspense!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 12:03 pm

      Indeed 🙂

      Reply
  41. Hassaan Khan says

    April 10, 2018 at 11:51 am

    Hi Henneke,

    I never paid attention to the opening lines until three years ago when a content manager at a company told me to entice readers a little with the opening line of the blog post.

    Boom.

    The best part is that I did experiments with different versions of the opening lines.

    I figured out that it’s an art, meaning, you have to understand the nuances — you should be enticing the readers by giving something away and holding some part of the story to keep them reading.

    I’ve experimented with questions, short-sentences, and telling a story right away at the beginning of the article.

    I must say it’s important to put out the right words/lines to get started with your article.

    Great topic and article. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 12:03 pm

      I totally agree with you on experimentation. I try not to get stuck with one type of opening lines as it feels like it becomes too predictable. I’m not sure readers would notice if they read a post every other week. But when it feels to me like I’ve used a particular technique too often, I try something different.

      Thank you for adding your thoughts. I appreciate it.

      Reply
      • Hassaan Khan says

        April 11, 2018 at 1:59 pm

        I’m glad to hear that.

        Thank you.

        Reply
  42. Codrut Turcanu says

    April 10, 2018 at 10:35 am

    ‘Remember your reader’ — great , genuine advice!

    I often start my intros with a question mark, it gets readers interested to hear more…

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 10, 2018 at 11:22 am

      Yep, “remember your reader” is the essence of good writing (but it’s easy to forget).

      Thank you for stopping by, Codrut! 🙂

      Reply

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