One classic sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, a strange noise echoed through the empty house.' It immediately sets a spooky mood as the 'dead of night' implies a time when most people are asleep and vulnerable, and a strange noise in an empty house is often associated with something sinister.
A classic story starter is finding a mysterious letter or package on your doorstep. It immediately raises questions and creates intrigue. Maybe it leads to a hidden treasure or a dangerous secret.
One way to come up with creative story starters is to think about unique settings or locations. For example, a story that begins in a hidden underwater city or on a distant planet can immediately draw readers in.
Well, 'Long ago, in a different world...' is a great sentence starter for a story. It makes the reader think about a time and place that's not the present. 'Suddenly, everything changed...' is also good as it grabs the reader's attention right away, making them wonder what changed. 'There was a small town where...' is useful for setting the scene in a more specific location.
Another starter could be: 'Your class is going on a field trip to a place you've never been before. What happens?' It gives kids a chance to imagine a new adventure.
Some good sentence starters could be 'In the shadowy recesses of the old mansion, a strange silence prevailed...' or 'The howling wind whipped through the desolate graveyard as...' Another one could be 'Amidst the thick fog that cloaked the ancient forest, a figure emerged...'