Tag: openings

POWER POSITIONS IN PROSE: Niloufar-Lily Soltani’s ZULAIKHA

Nov 20, 2023

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by

Ace Baker

in champion, choose your weapon, fancy footwork, golden gloves, novels, power punch, starters, writing technique

I met Lily Soltani at the Robson Indigo bookstore this past weekend, where she was doing a book signing. In fact, I was the first to get a signed copy… I cracked open the cover, began to read, and quickly discovered what the publisher, Inanna, must have noticed when they selected this book for publication;…
Favourite Opening Lines from The Best American Short Stories 2014

Oct 11, 2015

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, short stories, starters

A good opening leads you into another world–the world of the story. Here are a few that got my attention from The Best American Short Stories 2014: From David Gates‘ “A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me” : The name Paul Thompson won’t mean any more to you than my name would, but if you’d…
Make your opening paragraph Google-worthy!

May 28, 2014

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, starters, writing technique

Strange title for today’s post, I know. I’ll let you know in a minute or two what I mean by it, but in the meantime, read this short passage from “Man Changing into Thunderbird,” by Armand Garnet Ruffo(published in the summer 2013 edition of The Malahat Review): The room is cramped with people. an…
The lists go on… list openings, that is!

May 27, 2014

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by

Ace Baker

in nonfiction, power punch, starters, writing technique

Yesterday, I posted a blog about list openings by a few writers who use the technique well to create a mood early. If you haven’t made your way through that blog yet, go back and treat yourself! Today, there is no new “Try this.” Today, I want to show you another LONG list example…
LIST OPENINGS…how they can help your fiction and nonfiction

May 27, 2014

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, nonfiction, power punch, starters, writing technique

There is a power to momentum that is undeniable and unstoppable. Many writers have learned to benefit from the energy of a LIST early in a piece of creative fiction or nonfiction. Let me SHOW you what I mean . . . Here’s a beginning paragraph from Gordon Grice’s “The Black Widow” in High…
STARTERS : Great opening lines from 2013 BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS

Nov 19, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in nonfiction, starters

I picked up a copy of the 2013 BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS, edited by Cheryl Strayed. Here are a few of the best opening lines: On Thanksgiving my father asked me if I wanted to visit the Nazi. –“Keeper of the Flame,” by Matthew Vollmer The first time I heard her I didn’t hear her at…
SIWC Countdown: 10 openings you’ll love!

Oct 15, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork

Ok, it is officially 10 days until SIWC, so I’m beginning a countdown on fighttowrite. Today, here are 10 openings I hope you’ll love: From “Ceiling,” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie When Obinze first saw her e-mail, he was sitting in the back of his Land Rover in still Lagos traffic, his jacket slung over the…
Starter for you and your writing: Take it from here!

Aug 18, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, novels, short stories, starters

Ok, I’ve had a marvelous time in Phuket, Thailand, and soon I’ll be off to Malacca, Malaysia. In the meantime, it’s time to get back to the writing. Here’s a starter to get us going this week… First, read this beginning from “River of Toys,” by Edward Allen: I love to walk with my…
Nonfiction openings #005: Life bites back!

Aug 10, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

First, read the following opening: KILLING MY BODY TO SAVE MY MIND, by Lauren Slater, from Elle My blood is in a blender. It’s just about the only bit of brightness in this drab office of a life insurance company that, before betting on my body, wants to sample its various fluids. First, it…
Nonfiction beginnings #004: When reality hits hard!

Aug 9, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, nonfiction, novels, power punch, short stories, writing technique

First, read… THE BITCH IS BACK, by Sandra Tsing Loh, from The Atlantic During menopause, a woman can feel like the only way she can continue to exist for ten more seconds inside her crawling, burning skin is to walk screaming into the sea—grandly, epically, and terrifyingly, like a fifteen-foot-tall Greek tragic figure wearing a…