Patricia Abbott (pattinase): Give me a first sentence

Monday, May 09, 2011

Give me a first sentence

It's happened. I cannot think of a story to write. Throw some first sentences at me and maybe one of them will click.

28 comments:

David Cranmer said...: Sylvia transported Mitch to familiar heights of pleasure as she straddled him on the large oak bed.; 8:03 PM
Mike Wilkerson said...: She asked me if I wanted to fly.

Cranmer...we know where his head (the big one, not the little one) is at!; 8:13 PM
Todd Mason said...: She put the gun on the table, and then a knife, and then the Taser.

"Your choice," she said. "Seriously, could you hold them all for me? I don't want them on me where I'm going tonight. Wouldn't be smart."; 8:20 PM
Todd Mason said...: "Don't move," he said in a harsh whisper. "It's on your shoulder."; 8:21 PM
Todd Mason said...: She tried to remember what had first drawn her attention to him. I might've been his haircut, though she would never have admitted it...he'd've been mortified.; 8:23 PM
Todd Mason said...: "It might've been his haircut..." that should've been.; 8:25 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: David-those first few months of having a baby in the house can be challenging. HA!
These are all too funny. They could almost be part of one story.; 8:30 PM
Unknown said...: As the the young woman stepped up and over the basement threshold, the sun's warmth touching her bruised and battered body for the first time in six long months, she made a silent vow to herself.; 8:30 PM
Jerry House said...: It was during the tender part of the movie -- the part where the audience usually starts to weep -- that Kay began laughing.; 9:31 PM
Todd Mason said...: If so, Patti, there's definitely an implication of what would be on her shoulder.

Though I did suffer a big bug's bite once on the shoulder when engaged in a certain relevant activity...; 10:00 PM
Paul Bishop said...: The last Camel died at dawn. I flipped the butt in the gutter and decided I better get the killing done.; 12:53 AM
David Cranmer said...: Mike, Ha. No comment, sir.

Patti, in the second sentence have the guy that Chandler talks about come in with a gun and kill the girl. Instant start to noir.

Or else you have your first Harlequin. :); 6:29 AM
Charlieopera said...: "Who's the ape?"; 9:02 AM
Graham Powell said...: "Looking back, I suppose it was kind of foolish, but after six hours of drinking it seemed like a good idea."; 9:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Just before the sweat in his eyes blinded him, it seemed the trees were closing in and he would be crushed to death.

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She knew she was taking a chance crossing the bridge with the river running so high, but when she sprained her ankle halfway across and dropped the gun into the water, she knew she was in serious trouble.; 11:58 AM
Anonymous said...: Okay, except don't use "she knew" twice in that second one...; 12:01 PM
George said...: I screamed.; 12:19 PM
Loren Eaton said...: It's a universal maxim: You never want to receive a call after midnight.; 12:47 PM
Rob Kitchin said...: Kenny hated key lime pie.; 4:41 PM
Rob Kitchin said...: Except for an aged bar tender who looked like he'd started his shift the previous morning, the only other patron was a middle aged woman nursing a bottle of pale ale.; 4:53 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: Good ones all and I think Rick needs to take up fiction writing.; 5:38 PM
Ron Scheer said...: So late with this, you'll probably never read it, but how about starting with a last sentence...; 9:24 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: I usually write a story to find out the ending.
But I may try it if something doesn't click soon. Maybe it can be an enigmatic last sentence.; 9:55 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll take that as a compliment, thanks.

Will we ever know if you decided to use one of these, or more likely if any of them gave you the nudge you needed to get started on your own idea?; 10:26 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: It was indeed a compliment and if I use one, I will let everyone know for sure.; 7:26 AM
Mike Dennis said...: Detroit is the kind of place where you don't want to get caught off guard.; 3:19 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: I have a story to go with that. I have a friend who hated her years there.; 2:34 PM
Kent Morgan said...: Ann Arbor, I don't remember it with affection.; 2:34 PM