I Have to Ask...I Just Have to

[queenoftheskies]

After so many people have participated in that most marvelous of novel (and some short story) openings meme, I have to ask.

Now that you've looked through your own openings, and the openings of others, what stood out for you?

What do you think makes a good opening? What grabs your readers' attention? What makes them want to read more?

What grabbed you about other people's openings that you read? And, on the flip side, what mistakes did you see most frequently?

Did you learn anything from looking at the openings of others that you can apply to your own work? Or do you think you have openings down pat and really understand what to go for in order to hook your reader?

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I didn't learn anything new, but I noticed that once again, any hint of humor grabs me instantly.