Think of Jane Austen’s beginning in Pride and Prejudice.

This day I began reading two novels.

The first, Deagon’s Bluff by Ken Kiser. It began: “If there’s only one understanding I’ve achieved in this life, it’s that there’s order within chaos. Rules that nature must follow.”

Since it was a genre I wished to explore, I kept on reading, but with a student’s goal to complete a semester’s assignment. My reading not stimulated by personal enthusiasm.

The second, Last Light by J.N. Bake. It began: “Hell. As I pried my sword from his life-less body, I was sure that’s where I’d be going; that was, if I could actually die.”

I haven’t read much of this second novel, but based on the first sentence, I’m intrigued. I’ll pursue reading, not as an assignment, but for personal satisfaction.

As an author myself, I went back to look at three of my own ten novels. (Proud to say that the last two quoted below have had gold medals bestowed upon them. The first a most popular www.authorsden.com novel for ninety-three (93) consecutive days and still ranking in the top ten.)

Alexa's Gold starts with: "'Rich men don't date exhausted women.'" Grandma's oft-repeated admonition ebbed into the minutiae of Alexa Hovey's grief."

Find the Girl, A Fantasy Novel starts with: "Eta Dorcas pressed four fingertips into her right palm's flesh. She feared, if she looked, it could still be there."

One Paper Heart starts with: "The romantic flames of Alicia Danielson's sweet dreams flared into conscious panic."

Any reader comparing the above examples can decide that my starts identify a specific individual. Yes, that’s on purpose. I believe it creates empathy.

The first two examples by other authors don’t mention a specific person, but the second creates empathy by its first person specifics.

The first offers a generic truth without attribution. It requires a stretch that the admission by the protagonist in the second example doesn’t require.

And, the second adds dramatic emphasis by its use of a mild cuss word, “hell.” Yet, after its usage, you know within a few words it’s not an expletive, but a reference to heaven’s alternative.

Is there a thread here? Yes. A positive one and a negative one.

If you're an author, your reader will indulge you for at least the first sentence. Make it count. And don’t go with a cliché. The most common being it was a dark and stormy night. Think. What’s unique about your story? What of consequence to your story will grab the reader? Use it. And fast.

A brilliant novel begins with an intense or profound grip on the reader's mind. It does not muddle along to surface its greatness in chapter ten.

For those with a wider interest in writing tips and reading sample chapters of Donan Berg novels, please navigate to www.authorsden.com/donanberg and click on the links.