#44 Just the Beginning
Two weeks ago, our theme was story endings. This week, we're circling back to the starting line and focusing on story beginnings.
From Zora Neale Hurston's "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board." To Jane Austen's "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." And George Orwell's "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." Memorable lines stick with us because they're what propel us into the world of the story in the first place.
For more inspiration, check out our tips for crafting intriguing opening lines, and then dive into our beginning-themed prompts below!
🥇 Winner
⭐️ Shortlisted
This week's prompts
Write a story that starts with two characters saying goodbye.
Character
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248 stories
Write a story that starts with a life-changing event.
Novel
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173 stories
Write a story that starts with someone returning from a trip.
Character
–
111 stories
Write a story that starts with a character-revealing something unusual about themselves.
Character
–
142 stories
Write a story that starts by establishing its setting in a different time period — without explicitly stating what that period is.
Historical Fiction
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114 stories
Stories
A marriage of the heart, A marriage of the soul
Submitted to Contest #44
Ander's Finals (Conclusion to Ander's New Cable Knit Sweater)
Submitted to Contest #44