Openings

"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon." - E.L. Doctorow

I'm working on the first twenty-five pages of several novels for contest entries. Openings, really good openings, are hard to manage and though I've done my best with the ones I sent on to some friends, I figure they'll come back with "good, but you can do better" written along the top in virtual red ink.

I still have 2.5 to work on. I far prefer endings to openings. Endings are great. Wrapping everything up, HEA and all that. I usually try to end with one good sentence that puts it all into place. I agonize over that sentences, but I think I do pretty well (she said humbly).

But openings? I. Hate. Them.

There's so much pressure to get it right. Editors and agents want the first three chapters. Many times you include the first page or three when you send a query and if they aren't strong, well-written and attention grabbing, you can kiss your chances goodbye.

Openings. Ugh.

And you don't want to start of with a prologue, right? Or maybe you do. Depends on who you ask (Bob or Jenny). And don't start with dialogue, right? Again, depends on who you ask. So, if you do or don't do one of those things, and hit the agent or editor who feels strongly in the opposite direction, well then you're out of luck again.

Oh, the pressure.

What about you? How do you feel about openings? Love writing them or hate it? Do you prefer endings? C'mon, give.