By creating a relatable situation. Take 'The Cat in the Hat'. 'The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house All that cold, cold, wet day.' Kids can easily relate to being stuck inside on a bad - weather day, and it draws them in.
Some first lines introduce a sense of magic or wonder right away. In 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', 'Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife.' This simple description of an ordinary life sets the stage for the extraordinary journey into Oz that is about to begin.
They often start with something unexpected. For example, in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'These two very old people are the father and mother of Mr. Bucket.' It makes you wonder who Mr. Bucket is and what the story will be about.
Well, they often create intrigue. For example, the opening of 'The Great Gatsby' - 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."' This makes you curious about what that advice will lead to and what kind of story the narrator has to tell. It's like a hook that pulls you in.
Well, they often introduce a mysterious or alluring character right away. For example, 'She had eyes that held a thousand secrets, and he was determined to unlock every one.' It makes you curious about the woman and the man's intentions.
Some best opening lines set the mood. Take 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy: 'When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.' This line gives a feeling of desolation and a sense of the bond between the characters from the start. It makes the reader want to know more about these characters and their situation.
Great opening lines can also introduce a character in an interesting way. Such as 'John woke up with a strange mark on his hand, and he had no memory of how it got there.' This immediately makes the reader interested in John and his situation. They want to know more about who he is and what the mark means.
They create mystery. Take 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan'. It makes you wonder which child didn't grow up and why. This mystery makes the reader keep reading to find out.
Great opening lines often introduce an element of mystery or intrigue. For example, in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' with 'Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.' It makes you wonder about this strange, uncharted place.
They create mystery. For instance, a first line like 'She was found dead in the attic, but no one knew how she got there.' It makes the reader want to find out what happened. Mystery drives the reader to keep reading to solve the puzzle.
They create intrigue. For instance, the first line of '1984' by George Orwell 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' The abnormal 'clocks were striking thirteen' makes readers want to know more about this strange world.
They create mystery. For example, the first line of '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' The oddity of the clocks striking thirteen makes you want to read on to find out more about this strange world.
Another way is by setting an unusual scene. In 'Slaughterhouse - Five' by Kurt Vonnegut, the opening 'All this happened, more or less.' gives a sense of ambiguity right away. It makes the reader question what 'this' is and how it happened'more or less'. It's a unique way to start a story that is full of time - jumps and surreal elements.