Well, a great first line can set the mood. For example, if the first line is something dark and mysterious like 'In a dark, dark wood there was a dark, dark house', it gives the writer an immediate direction for the story. They can build on the sense of foreboding. The writer might then create a story about a haunted house or a character in danger. It gives a starting point for the themes too, like in this case it could be about fear, the unknown.
A good first line can also introduce a character in an interesting way. Consider 'Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank' from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. This line makes the reader curious about Alice. It gives the writer the task of developing Alice's character further, exploring why she's tired, and what will happen next. It can lead to creating a whole world around this character, full of strange and wonderful adventures, just like Lewis Carroll did in the rest of the story.
The best first lines often set a mood or introduce a mystery. For instance, if the first line is 'In the middle of the night, a strange noise woke her up.' It immediately makes the reader wonder what the noise is. You can build on this by having the character investigate. Maybe she finds something unexpected in her attic, like a hidden door. This then leads to more discoveries and the story unfolds from there.
Great first lines can hook the reader right away. For example, if a first line is mysterious like 'The door stood ajar, and a strange light seeped through.' It makes the reader want to find out what's behind the door and what the strange light is. This initial intrigue keeps the reader going through the whole story.
New writers can be inspired by the 100 best closing lines as they show different ways to end a story effectively. For example, a closing line can be a powerful statement like in 'The Catcher in the Rye' where it gives a sense of the character's ongoing journey. This can inspire new writers to think about how to end their stories with a similar sense of continuation or finality.
They can inspire modern writing by showing how to grab a reader's attention right away. For example, using a strong statement or a mystery like those classic opening lines do.
The line 'Call me Ishmael' from Herman Melville's 'Moby - Dick' is a great starting line. The whole novel is an epic adventure on the high seas. Ishmael is the narrator who takes the reader on a journey filled with whale - hunting, the pursuit of the great white whale Moby - Dick, and philosophical musings about life, nature, and man's place in the universe.
Well, take the first line of 'The Shining' by Stephen King: 'Jack Torrance thought: Officially, winter comes to the Overlook Hotel on the twenty - first of October. But unofficially it had begun long before that.' This line sets a tone of foreboding. By mentioning winter coming to the hotel, it gives the impression of coldness, isolation, and something not quite right even before the real horror begins. It makes the reader anticipate that there are secrets and danger lurking in this hotel.
When a fantasy novel begins with 'She opened her eyes to a world she had never seen before.' It sets a tone of discovery. The main character is in a new and unfamiliar place which likely means the reader will be learning about this new world as the character does. It also implies that there will be a lot of things to explore and understand, which can be exciting for the reader.
Lines from novels can inspire us. For example, from 'The Alchemist' - 'When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.' This simply tells us to be positive and pursue our dreams. If we believe in our goals, the world seems to support us.
Well, the first line can set the tone. For example, if the first line is something dark like 'The night was cold and the wind howled like a banshee.' it gives a spooky tone right from the start and the reader expects a story filled with mystery or horror. It can also introduce a key concept. Say the line is 'My mother always said I had a special gift.' This makes the reader curious about what that gift is and it will be a central part of the story.
You can start by identifying the lines you want to quote and enclosing them in quotation marks. Make sure to credit the author and the source properly.