Brutkey

Kim Possible :kimoji_fire:
@kimlockhartga@beige.party

Today's writing tip, from a reader: your first sentence is crucial. You'd be surprised how many people decide whether to read on, from the first sentence alone.

Personally, I flip to somewhere near the middle to assess the writing quality and style, but most people don't do it that way, I think?

Anyway, it might be intriguing to find out what your favorite first sentences are, of any book you've read.

@bookstodon@a.gup.pe

Alan Langford 🇨🇦🧤🧊摏
@alan@mindly.social

@kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe
Roger wasn't sure when it made the transition from a hypothesis to a belief, or when it went from a belief to faith. Whenever it was, he regretted it as deeply as any thought he'd ever had.

Kim Possible :kimoji_fire:
@kimlockhartga@beige.party

@alan@mindly.social @bookstodon@a.gup.pe very good beginning.

Alan Langford 🇨🇦🧤🧊摏
@alan@mindly.social

@kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe I tend to read the first page, then look for a dense passage somewhere in the middle. If the author can carry a paragraph that runs to two pages (how I wish I could!) then I'm interested. If it plods, or if there are none, then I need a bigger sample and will read some more random pages.

skribe 🇺🇦 :verified_mustard:
@skribe@aus.social

@alan@mindly.social @kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe interesting technique. What do you do with authors that don't write long paragraphs? Mine are almost never longer than a page.

Alan Langford 🇨🇦🧤🧊摏
@alan@mindly.social

@skribe@aus.social @kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe I will read more random samples in the book. The absence of dense prose isn't a show-stopper, but I admire those who can pull it off. Usually their shorter paragraphs are of similar calibre.

I dare say right now when I look at my own longer paragraphs there's a good chance that I'm rambling. I am not that good yet. Not by a significant margin. One day though, in my dreams...

skribe 🇺🇦 :verified_mustard:
@skribe@aus.social

@alan@mindly.social @kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe try writing screenplays, where five line paragraphs are considered excessive 🤣

Alan Langford 🇨🇦🧤🧊摏
@alan@mindly.social

@skribe@aus.social @kimlockhartga@beige.party @bookstodon@a.gup.pe LOL right now that's exactly what I'm trying to not do. I have sections with an excessive reliance on dialogue and action rather than ambience and scene. Maybe I'll keep some of that archived in case someone wants a movie version, but it makes for thin prose.