First Lines Meme

[ermingarden]

Meme from thisbluespirit: List the first lines of your last 10 stories (if you have fewer than 10, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line.

1. Even as a young Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi was already developing a reputation for composure both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.
"Strays" (Star Wars)

2. "So you're telling me," the detective says slowly, "that her son put antifreeze in her juice, her daughter-in-law put arsenic in her pills, but what killed the old lady in the end was dehydration?"
"Room at the Inn" (Rosemary and Thyme)

3. "Here," Luke says.
"Lightsider (Star Wars)

4. Rattatak was hell.
"Special Assignment" (Star Wars)

5. His Padawan stood silently at his side, her face carefully composed.
"Necessity" (Star Wars)

6. To: Knight Etain Tur-Mukan <turmukan@jedi.pub>
From: Agent Besany Wennen <bwennen@treasury.pub>
Subject: Advice
"Re: Re: Re: Dinner?" (Star Wars)

7. "Three weeks?!"
"A Starship Built for Two" (Star Wars)

8. My dear Pyrlock, I must say that I find your comments in your most recent letter very disturbing.
"Screwtape on Maedhros (Silmarillion/Screwtape Letters fusion)

9. Fingon ran the wooden comb through Maedhros’ still-sparse hair, tugging a little as the teeth snagged in the curls.
"A Helping Hand" (Silmarillion)

10. Old Butterbur’s right glad of the King, and so he should be, for now the Greenway’s safe to travel again the Prancing Pony’s got business such as it never had before in all my years, and we Hobbits live long.
"Clothes Don't Make the Man" (Lord of the Rings)

Apparently I like to start fics with dialogue (#2, #3, #7, and arguably #10) or with a letter or message (#6 and, technically, #8 - though the whole of #8 is epistolary, so it shouldn't count). Not surprising - I much prefer writing dialogue to descriptions, and on the whole I think I'm better at it.

I think my favorite is probably #2, from "Room at the Inn," though I really shouldn't take credit for it - the events described are based on a fact pattern from my Criminal Law exam last semester! I also like #8: I enjoy pastiche, and I think this one is pretty successful. (I promise, I will finish this fic! And it's the last time I'll ever post a WIP, I can tell you that.)

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

"So you're telling me," the detective says slowly, "that her son put antifreeze in her juice, her daughter-in-law put arsenic in her pills, but what killed the old lady in the end was dehydration?"

haha, that is such a great opening for a murder mystery fic!

[ermingarden]

Sadly, I didn't cover how the mystery got solved - maybe fodder for another fic! Thank you!!

[pauraque]

I think #2 is my favorite too. Even if you got the idea from elsewhere, you can still take credit for the phrasing, which is what really sells it.

Also, hi! I saw you added me so I did the same. :)

[ermingarden]

Hi!! :)

I'm really glad you like that one.