![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
21 first sentences meme
May. 14th, 2014 07:03 pmI don't know that I've ever done this, share 21 first sentences of stories I've written. I went to my flash drive to actually count up all of the fics I posted during my fanfiction years, and there were 172. So that made it challenging. To find a somewhat not-really random way to come up with 21, I put the list in reverse alpha order and picked every 8th story. What's humbling and a little worrisome is I wrote down one title and realized I had NO IDEA what fandom it was, much less what the story is about. I'll be interested to see. I'm also going to include word count since they'll be wildly different, I suspect.
So in the order I found them:
From these I'm not quite sure what to make of them. It might have been equally interesting to select 21 at equal points beginning when I first began writing until now, to see if they changed as my writing developed. I don't often seem to start with weather descriptions, nor dialogue. And when I do, it's to drop the reader in the midst of something. Other people's thoughts are welcome! You may see patterns that I don't. Some definitely 'hook' more than others, and definitely some would be helped by showing the first paragraph. An interesting exercise!! I do love my titles. I've come up with some really memorable ones.
So in the order I found them:
1. It wasn't the night sweats Ron hated the most.
~ You and Me and the Rain Make Three, 3347 words, Ron/Draco, HP fandom
2. The joyous black dog bounded around the kitchen, jostling some stray dishes from the morning's rushed breakfast off the edge of the table and crashing to the floor.
~ Unleashed, 5650 words, Remus/Sirius, HP
3. Seamus was sitting at the countertop of his small kitchen surrounded by brightly coloured pieces of paper, when he sensed a flickering in his house wards.
~ These Hot Days, 5031 words, Seamus/Draco, HP
4. It can’t be this easy.
~ The Essence of Black, 4561 words, Remus/Sirius, HP
5. The trees moaned as their branches were tugged by a malevolent current.
~ Strife from the Furthest Prime, 10,751 words, Ron/Harry, HP
6. Ah, he had missed this.
~ To Dwell in Lover's Eyes, 17,457 words, Amras/OCs, Silmfic
7. "Ron! For Merlin's sake, wake up!"
~ totally don't know what title this actually has; on my flash drive it's titled 'ron&deanficforcallum', 4489 words, Ron/Dean (apparently, lol), HP
8. "Fuck."
~ Passion's Acolyte, 3011 words, Cal/Swift, Wraeththu
9. There. Another one down, Neville thought wearily, placing the newly-polished trophy next to the collection of gleaming silver awards he'd been subjected to clean for his detention.
~ Neville in Wonderland, an abandoned HP/Alice in Wonderland crossover
10. George stretched out his arms and legs, basking in the warm Mediterranean sun.
~ Love's An Anarchist, 14,145 words, George/Remus, HP
11. “Théodred! There you are!”
~ Kindly Winter's Gift, 2377 words, Théodred/OMC, Tolkien
12. The feeling was there again.
~ How Close the Divide, 17,724 words, Ron/Draco, HP
13. Nail in hand, align shingle.
~ Good Fortune of the Unlucky, 7348 words, Ron/Draco, HP
14. Stars sang in a chorus of light against the night sky.
~ From Sand to Stone, 4172 words, Finduilas/Denethor, Tolkien
15. This was to be a private drunk.
~ Farewell to the Impossible, 763 words, Ashmael, Wraeththu
16. "So. How long before the scorpions arrive?" Cobweb asked, picking up a cup of tea with steady hands.
~ Desert's Fierce Kiss, 2747 words, Cobweb/Lianvis, Wraeththu
17. Rexines strummed and plucked at his barbol while I waited to hear a familiar tune.
~ Swooping to Landward, 13,779, OMCs Colurastes/Froia tribes, Wraeththu
18. Lee awoke to a familiar pungent musk.
~ Baby, You Can Drive My Car, 3707 words, Lee/Andrei, Slave Breaker fandom
19. She was walking in part of the more unsavoury parts of town - near many of the public houses, bawdy language carrying clearly in the still, night air.
~ And Do All Such Good Works, 1491 words, Herith (OFC of Gondor) genfic, Tolkien
20. Alexander was in good spirits; he and Hephaistion had spent all of their evening together by the fire, sharing common tales of their youth.
~ Sogdian Nights, 695 words, Bagoas/Alexander, The Persian Boy, by Mary Renault
21. He was walking near the library, adjusting a clasp at his neck.
~ A Taste of Diplomacy, 3918 words, Denethor genfic, Tolkien
From these I'm not quite sure what to make of them. It might have been equally interesting to select 21 at equal points beginning when I first began writing until now, to see if they changed as my writing developed. I don't often seem to start with weather descriptions, nor dialogue. And when I do, it's to drop the reader in the midst of something. Other people's thoughts are welcome! You may see patterns that I don't. Some definitely 'hook' more than others, and definitely some would be helped by showing the first paragraph. An interesting exercise!! I do love my titles. I've come up with some really memorable ones.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif){kind=small}
emansil_08
