The Very First

I've been thinking lately about the beginning of the story, how it begins, where it begins, that sort of thing. The beginning is important, for obvious reasons. I have to confess, but I'm a harsh judge of a book's cover and the first sentence. When I wander through a bookstore, normally heading straight for the fantasy or YA section, I glance over the spines and titles. I'm drawn to certain authors, but also certain colors catch my attention (in particular jewel tones, blues and greens, sparkles - what am I a bird?)

When I pick up a book, if I'm drawn in by how it looks, then I'll usually read the back or summary and thirdly I'll flip the pages to the first sentence. I'm looking for something particular. Will it be good enough? Will I like this book? What's it all about? Even though I'm ready to decide one way or the other, if I'll spend my time on this book or not, I'm also desperately searching for a really good read. Deep down I want the book to be shocking and wonderful and dazzling. I put quite a bit of pressure on the book, don't I? The first sentence needs to capture my attention immediately. Perhaps it will, with a bit of clever, catchy wording, or something shocking about death or being dead already.

Here are some I liked:

Re: Revising and When is it good enough?

I'm starting to hate the endless revisions. I'm feeling really frustrated with them. It's a really terrible attitude to take. I know. I know. So I'm trying to give myself a positive outlook in this post. I will try anyway.

Regarding (or Re:) Revisions. Revising. Rewriting. Reworking.

Writing, and rewriting, it can go on and on and on. What drives me to do this to myself? I found this article about rewriting, called Writers on Rewriting . It has a collection of quotes from different writers about the subject, everyone from Earnest Hemingway, E.B. White, Vladimir Nabokov, Dorothy Parker and many others. It makes me both encouraged and discouraged to read them over.

Letting the Wolf in: Storytelling Struggles

While I still haven't gotten my hands on Tolkien's 'On Fairy Stories', I did pick up another fairy tale research book called Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories by Loren Niemi and Elizabeth Ellis.

It covered topics from the traditional to historical stories, the emotional aspects involved and the structure of story. Some of the book was too philanthropic for me, but all the same there was some interesting ideas. My focus was entirely on the traditional story, but I gained something else as I read the book.

First I have to say how much I enjoy the title; Inviting the Wolf strikes an instant cord with me. It makes me think of the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale, though it that particular case the wolf was already inside when Red arrives. Werewolf and vampire stories seem to be everywhere lately. A movie came out last year called Let me In, about a boy who meets a girl and falls in love. The girl just happens to be a vampire. It's based on a Swedish movie called Let the Right One In. The titles relate to the fact the girl can't cross the threshold of a room unless she is invited inside.