Creative Fiction Writing Blog

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Famous First Words

The first words of any story are incredibly important. The first sentence must engage the reader immediately by making them curious, establishing tension, or introducing conflict. The writer must also establish their narrative style and tone starting with that first sentence, which provides them with a unique opportunity to engage readers using style. In whichever way a writer chooses to engage readers, the first sentence should be memorable. Try your hand at identifying some of the famous first sentences below!

• "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."
  1984 by George Orwell
• "The shoot the white girl first."
  Paradise by Toni Morrison
• "I'm pretty much fucked."
  The Martian by Andy Weir
• "The first time Caesar approached Cora about running north, she said no."
  Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
• "We slept in what had once been the gymnasium."
  The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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