Let me start by saying there is no one right way to write an opening line! In the end, it should flow from your own writing style and voice. The best way to find your voice is by…

writing a lot! Like, really, a lot.

Don’t stare at a blank page for hours trying to come up with the best opening line. It should never block you from doing actual writing. Nevertheless, learning from popular authors can help with understanding what works and what doesn’t.

These are some proven approaches:

  • Open mysterious
  • Establish conflict or a theme
  • Create a personal connection
  • Be witty

Let’s dive in with some famous examples…

“Call me Ishmael.” – Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Arguably the most famous opening line ever written. It creates a personal connection and it’s straight to the point, yet it builds mystery. Is his name really Ishmael? Why does he want to be called like that?

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Rowling opens in a casual and funny tone, offering a relatable starting point before thrusting readers into the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry.

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” – 1984 by George Orwell

Orwell opens with the mundane, a description of the weather, and follows up with something unusual. It creates a feeling of unease. Readers are shown that, although similar, this story is not set in the same world that we live in.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” – Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

With this famous line, Jane Austen sets the central theme of marriage in a witty tone. It invites readers to question social conventions right from the start.

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” – The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Stephen King throws readers straight into the action and pursuit, leaving them intrigued about who the man in black is, why he’s fleeing, and why the gunslinger is pursuing him.

“All children, except one, grow up.” – Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Peter Pan is a great example of hooking the reader with mystery. Who is this child that doesn’t grow up? Why? Barrie makes a promise to the reader: stick around and find out.