first lines meme
Apr. 11th, 2013 05:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kindkitSnagged from likeadeuce: The last twenty-one first lines I wrote in fanfic.
Because I am not prolific, this goes back about a year and half, although there are surprisingly few fandoms. Lines are in reverse chronological order, newest to oldest.
1. He's never had a name that was not false. (Rewritten, Lawrence of Arabia)
2. Thomas wakes from the silence of the dream to the silent house, and endures the usual momentary horror before the waking silence becomes natural and not uncanny. (Ghosts of Ettersberg, Rivers of London)
3. There's a war on. (A Man At War, Colditz)
4. "This is my favourite spot," Harry says, as the hill they've been walking down dips to its lowest point. (Captivity, Colditz)
5. The most loathsome part of speech day, apart from the speeches, is meeting parents. (Damned, Elusive, Colditz)
6. He used to be beautiful. (The Body Forgets, Colditz)
7. "I'm not a masochist," Dick says when Pat finally asks. (In My Sweet Pain: Five Ways Dick Likes to Be Hurt (Plus One), Colditz)
8. Despite the British guards' tedious joke, knowing that one is to be hanged tomorrow does not improve the concentration. (The Prisoner, Colditz)
9. "I can always spot your trainees, Meres," Callan says. (Evening Up the Score, Callan)
10. As he reaches for the telephone, still barely awake, Peter says "sorry" automatically before remembering that there's no need. (A Profession of Lies, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy movieverse)
11. It's strange, seeing men (men in uniform)--dance together. (Occam's Foxtrot, Colditz)
12. It's an unremarkable Monday in July. (Journeys End (In Lovers Meeting), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy bookverse)
13. She finds the sketchbook as she's clearing out George's things. (Liberation, Colditz)
14. The captain's face is greyish and stark with worry. (One Small Step, Tintin comics)
15. Because Tintin is fascinated--or, in Haddock's private opinion, obsessed--with world events, they take newspapers in four languages from five countries. (On a Darkling Plain, Tintin comics)
16. Dear Captain Warlock is positively fuming, of course, like the growly old thing he is, muttering at each congratulatory telegram and using, well, she can only call it language to a hapless reporter from Paris-Match. (An Engagement Present, Tintin comics)
17. Every landsman knows what sailors get up to on long hauls: drinking, fighting, whoring in port and buggery at sea. (Make and Mend, Tintin comics)
18. Tintin has never been as alone as this. (Solo Ascent, Tintin comics)
19. The sun's coming up. (Aubade, Dalziel and Pascoe novels)
20. Milou has always slept at master Tintin's side. (The Fly in the Ointment, Tintin comics)
21. "I must go," Bill says, smiling. (Hours and Times, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy bookverse)
As you will have noticed, I tend not to begin with dialogue or specific actions. I prefer to set a mood and hopefully spark some interest with a statement that hints at, but doesn't directly reveal, what's going on. This is especially true of drabbles and other very short pieces (of which there are a lot in the above sample), because essentially nothing happens in a short piece--it's all about mood, tone, some kind of emotional situation which is explored and hopefully even given a bit of a twist, but which doesn't need the details of setting, action, and so on like a longer story does.
likeadeuce: The last twenty-one first lines I wrote in fanfic.Because I am not prolific, this goes back about a year and half, although there are surprisingly few fandoms. Lines are in reverse chronological order, newest to oldest.
1. He's never had a name that was not false. (Rewritten, Lawrence of Arabia)
2. Thomas wakes from the silence of the dream to the silent house, and endures the usual momentary horror before the waking silence becomes natural and not uncanny. (Ghosts of Ettersberg, Rivers of London)
3. There's a war on. (A Man At War, Colditz)
4. "This is my favourite spot," Harry says, as the hill they've been walking down dips to its lowest point. (Captivity, Colditz)
5. The most loathsome part of speech day, apart from the speeches, is meeting parents. (Damned, Elusive, Colditz)
6. He used to be beautiful. (The Body Forgets, Colditz)
7. "I'm not a masochist," Dick says when Pat finally asks. (In My Sweet Pain: Five Ways Dick Likes to Be Hurt (Plus One), Colditz)
8. Despite the British guards' tedious joke, knowing that one is to be hanged tomorrow does not improve the concentration. (The Prisoner, Colditz)
9. "I can always spot your trainees, Meres," Callan says. (Evening Up the Score, Callan)
10. As he reaches for the telephone, still barely awake, Peter says "sorry" automatically before remembering that there's no need. (A Profession of Lies, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy movieverse)
11. It's strange, seeing men (men in uniform)--dance together. (Occam's Foxtrot, Colditz)
12. It's an unremarkable Monday in July. (Journeys End (In Lovers Meeting), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy bookverse)
13. She finds the sketchbook as she's clearing out George's things. (Liberation, Colditz)
14. The captain's face is greyish and stark with worry. (One Small Step, Tintin comics)
15. Because Tintin is fascinated--or, in Haddock's private opinion, obsessed--with world events, they take newspapers in four languages from five countries. (On a Darkling Plain, Tintin comics)
16. Dear Captain Warlock is positively fuming, of course, like the growly old thing he is, muttering at each congratulatory telegram and using, well, she can only call it language to a hapless reporter from Paris-Match. (An Engagement Present, Tintin comics)
17. Every landsman knows what sailors get up to on long hauls: drinking, fighting, whoring in port and buggery at sea. (Make and Mend, Tintin comics)
18. Tintin has never been as alone as this. (Solo Ascent, Tintin comics)
19. The sun's coming up. (Aubade, Dalziel and Pascoe novels)
20. Milou has always slept at master Tintin's side. (The Fly in the Ointment, Tintin comics)
21. "I must go," Bill says, smiling. (Hours and Times, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy bookverse)
As you will have noticed, I tend not to begin with dialogue or specific actions. I prefer to set a mood and hopefully spark some interest with a statement that hints at, but doesn't directly reveal, what's going on. This is especially true of drabbles and other very short pieces (of which there are a lot in the above sample), because essentially nothing happens in a short piece--it's all about mood, tone, some kind of emotional situation which is explored and hopefully even given a bit of a twist, but which doesn't need the details of setting, action, and so on like a longer story does.
