KaleidotropeI see a lot of stories that I think might be improved, or at least do a better job of hooking me initially as a reader, by making their second or third sentence (or paragraph) their first. Stories that spend sentences (or paragraphs) on set-up before hitting me with their best opening line.
Your opening line has to do a lot of work in a short story. There’s lots of different ways it can do that work, but don’t be afraid to throw me into a story, even if it initially throws me for a loop, before you even introduce the setting or characters.
I would just say, as an experiment, when you’re drafting a story, try starting a few sentences later and then doubling back.
It’s not a universal rule—and a lot of it’s obviously personal preference—but why not give it a try?
kirabug@kaleidotrope heck most of the time I have to throw out the whole first page