The very first lines of a story are like a fishing hook. A great story opening grabs your reader and pulls them in — so they just have to keep reading.
Your mission
By the end of this lesson you'll know 4 powerful ways to start a story, and you'll build your very own opening line. Let's go! 🚀
A sleepy opening tells us nothing special. A bold opening makes us curious. Tap each card to turn a boring line into an exciting one.
See the difference? The bold lines drop us straight into something interesting.
Don't warm up slowly. Begin when something is already happening. The reader has to keep going to find out what's going on!
For example:
"I grabbed the rope and held on as the bus pulled away without me."
Spot the action opening. Which one drops us right into the action?
Great openings can also use a sound, a line of speech, or a surprising question.
Each one makes the reader wonder: what happens next? That wondering is the hook. 🪝
Tap an opening on the left, then tap the matching type on the right.
Instead of telling us a feeling, show it with what the person does or sees. It paints a picture in the reader's mind.
❌ Telling: "I was scared."
✅ Showing: "My hands shook and I could hear my own heartbeat."
Which opening shows the feeling instead of just telling it?
Tap words to drop them into your opening line. Tap a word in the line to remove it. Build a sentence that drops us into the action!
You now know how to grab a reader from the very first line.
Now try it! Write a story opening using your favourite hook. Make your reader say: "I have to know what happens next!" 📚💫