Truman Capote once sat in front of a typewriter (remember those?) for a solid day and only typed one word. When asked about that, he said, “yes, but it was the RIGHT word.”
“The hairball in the sink reminded Laura that she’d never see her dog Pritzi again”. My favorite entry of all time in the Bulwer-Lytton contest. I think it took third.
Tidbit #2: Bulwer-Lytton was also the originator of the now- cliche phrases, “the pen is mightier than the sword,” “the great unwashed,” and “the pursuit of the almighty dollar.”
It was a dark and stormy night, and our intrepid hero maintains a lonely vigil patrolling over enemy lines in his Sopwith Camel awaiting the arrival of his arch-nemesis, the Red Barron, when suddenly in the French countryside, a flash of lightening reveals movement in the pumpkin patch …
One of the most famous first sentences can’t be posted in this family-friendly forum. (No, it was not written by Snoopy, and it’s probably not even the one you think it is!)
From Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis (1922) – my all-time favorite opening sentence in a novel: “THE TOWERS of Zenith aspired above the morning mist; austere towers of steel and cement and limestone, sturdy as cliffs and delicate as silver rods.”.
Templo S.U.D. over 8 years ago
“Suddenly, a shot rang out!”
Say What? Premium Member over 8 years ago
@#$% writer’s block!
Courage the Cowardly Dog! over 8 years ago
“Linus was sitting alone in the dark corner of his room”
orinoco womble over 8 years ago
I agree…we are often told that the first sentence is the hardest, while in my experience it’s Number 2 that’s the kicker!
paul over 8 years ago
And the president Donal Trump pressed the button to fire off the atomic bombs.
bigcatbusiness over 8 years ago
Writing poems is much more harder.
hcarpenter1 over 8 years ago
at least he has a start
Robert Nowall Premium Member over 8 years ago
What was Bulwer-Lytton’s second sentence?
gantech over 8 years ago
Truman Capote once sat in front of a typewriter (remember those?) for a solid day and only typed one word. When asked about that, he said, “yes, but it was the RIGHT word.”
uniquename over 8 years ago
“The hairball in the sink reminded Laura that she’d never see her dog Pritzi again”. My favorite entry of all time in the Bulwer-Lytton contest. I think it took third.
Chad Cheetah over 8 years ago
Didn’t you write that yesterday, Snoopy?
Kip W over 8 years ago
Michael O’Donoghue’s advice on how to finish a story could be useful here: “Suddenly, they were all run over by a truck! The End.”
David Rickard Premium Member over 8 years ago
Snoopy should follow Chandler’s law…
BTO over 8 years ago
Tidbit #2: Bulwer-Lytton was also the originator of the now- cliche phrases, “the pen is mightier than the sword,” “the great unwashed,” and “the pursuit of the almighty dollar.”
dflak over 8 years ago
It was a dark and stormy night, and our intrepid hero maintains a lonely vigil patrolling over enemy lines in his Sopwith Camel awaiting the arrival of his arch-nemesis, the Red Barron, when suddenly in the French countryside, a flash of lightening reveals movement in the pumpkin patch …
neverenoughgold over 8 years ago
Second line should be “All work and no play makes Snoopy a dull dog”…
Godfreydaniel over 8 years ago
One of the most famous first sentences can’t be posted in this family-friendly forum. (No, it was not written by Snoopy, and it’s probably not even the one you think it is!)
Number Three over 8 years ago
Think about it. Snoopy is a WWI Flying Ace who goes on dangerous missions. I’m sure he can think up another sentence for his novel.
Who’s with me?
xxx
Charlie Fogwhistle over 8 years ago
From Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis (1922) – my all-time favorite opening sentence in a novel: “THE TOWERS of Zenith aspired above the morning mist; austere towers of steel and cement and limestone, sturdy as cliffs and delicate as silver rods.”.