Tony Tips Tuesdays™: Crafting Memorable First Lines

Tyrone Tony Reed Jr.
Jan 13
5 min read

Some lines tap you on the shoulder. Others punch you in the gut. But the best opening lines do something unforgettable: they introduce you to a world you can't walk away from.

It’s not just about starting a story—it’s about snatching your reader’s attention before they even settle into their seat. A great first line doesn’t wait. It doesn’t whisper. It doesn’t knock. It kicks the door in and dares the reader not to follow.

So, what makes a first line memorable?

Let’s dig in.

💥 The Power of the First Line

Writers hear it all the time: “Hook your reader from the first sentence.” But how?

A powerful opening line should do at least one of the following:

Set the tone
Introduce your character’s voice or point of view
Foreshadow the central conflict
Raise a question that demands an answer
Jolt the reader emotionally
Challenge expectations
Offer mystery, drama, or humor

Think of it like a first date. You only get one chance to make a first impression. And in this case, your reader is already holding a book in one hand and a distraction (their phone, a deadline, or life itself) in the other. The first line must grab them and whisper, “Stay.”

📚 Let’s Talk About Famous Openers

Consider these classic first lines:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

“Call me Ishmael.” — Herman Melville, Moby Dick

“All this happened, more or less.” — Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

“You better not never tell nobody but God.” — Alice Walker, The Color Purple

“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” — Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

What do they all have in common?

They set mood, voice, intrigue, and tone—all in a few words. You don’t need paragraphs to pull someone in. Just one line that sticks in their head like a song they didn’t know they loved.

✍🏾 Types of Memorable First Lines

Here are a few common approaches that consistently work:

🔥 The Bold Statement

Start with something shocking, daring, or emotionally intense.

“This is suicide and I’m not even trying to kill myself.” (More on this line below.)

❓ The Intriguing Question

“Where’s Papa going with that ax?” (E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web) Draw the reader in with a question that has stakes or emotional weight.

😮 The Unexpected Voice

Introduce a unique character perspective immediately.

“You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter.” — Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn

🧠 The Philosophical Observation

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” — Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

This line immediately suggests a worldview and theme that will shape the novel.

💔 The Emotional Confession

“I wish Giovanni would kiss me.” — James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room Quiet, aching, intimate. A soft tug on the reader’s heart.

⚔️ In S.O.L.A.D.™: A First Line That Hits Hard

Let’s take a moment to study the opening lines of Book I of S.O.L.A.D.™: Soldiers of Light Against Darkness™, which I wrote with full intention to grip, shock, and immerse readers from the very first moment:

“This is suicide and I’m not even trying to kill myself.” — Jeff: Ward of Law

Let’s break it down.

Why This Opening Works:

Shock and Intrigue: “This is suicide and I’m not even trying to kill myself.”This jarring line immediately raises questions. Why is the character in danger? What drove them to this moment? And why is this so intense so quickly?
Character Voice: We hear Jeff’s internal thoughts right away. He’s not numb or robotic—he’s aware of the risk, and his thoughts are vivid and personal.
Immediate Stakes: He’s climbing a dangerous castle, possibly about to die, with demons involved. We don’t have to wait for action. It’s already happening.
Mystery: Jeff doesn’t know how he got there. That confusion mirrors what the reader might feel—and invites them to discover answers alongside him.
Worldbuilding in Action: Instead of pausing to explain the universe, the story throws us in. Jeff has a title (“Ward of Law”), a purpose, and a mission. And we’re breathless, trying to keep up—in a good way.
Tone and Genre Clarity: From the first few paragraphs, readers know this isn’t a soft slice-of-life tale. This is supernatural, high-stakes, spiritual warfare fiction—and the reader is in for a ride.

🧠 How to Create YOUR Memorable First Line

Let’s get practical. You don’t have to force it, but you should be intentional. Here’s how to craft a strong opening:

1. Start With a Premise, Then Ask: What’s the Emotional Hook?

Is it danger, curiosity, sadness, joy, defiance? Choose the emotion and lean in.

2. Write 5–10 Variations

Try different styles: bold statement, question, internal monologue, etc. Read them aloud.

3. Test It On Someone

Ask someone to read only the first line. Would they keep reading? If not, why?

4. Make Sure It Reflects the Story’s Soul

Don’t bait-and-switch. If you open with a horror tone, deliver on it. If your story is romantic and poetic, don’t start with a war scene unless that tone is important too.

💡 Writing Prompts: First Line Starters

Use these ideas to craft memorable openings:

“They told me not to come back. I came anyway.”
“I buried my name yesterday.”
“The knife didn’t mean to slip.”
“God spoke. But He didn’t say what I expected.”
“No one believed me when I said the stars were screaming.”

🎬 Pop Culture First Lines to Learn From

The Hunger Games: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.”→ Foreboding. Something’s wrong.
Gone Girl: “When I think of my wife, I always think of her head.”→ Creepy. Intriguing. Why her head?
Breaking Bad (TV): Opens with a man in underwear and a gas mask crashing an RV.→ What is going on?! Instant curiosity.

🧪 Final Tips: Let It Evolve

Your first line might not come to you first. And that’s okay.

Sometimes you need to write the entire story before you know how it should start. Great first lines are often rewritten last—after you’ve fully met your characters and walked in their shoes.

Revisit it. Refine it. Sharpen it.