Comments on: Titles or Opening Lines?

By: Blogs are Worse Than Ex-Girlfriends - Epiblogger

Blogs are Worse Than Ex-Girlfriends - Epiblogger — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:15:01 +0000

[...] realize when you get it that you don’t actually want it? The other day I might have mentioned wanting a little more drama. But I only meant in the writing. I don’t actually want drama. Drama is [...]

By: Rhett Soveran

Rhett Soveran — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:21:47 +0000

Absolutely Paul. That completely reminded me of my peer workshopping days. Not that those days are behind me, but that I don’t have any writing peers in Calgary. Anyway. That is great advice. Usually by the fourth or fifth line you have finally discovered what it is you are trying to say.

By: Paul M. Banas

Paul M. Banas — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:39:23 +0000

Your post reminded me of some old creative writing advice I got in college: “Start in the middle”.

I find after I write out a post, the most impactful headline or first sentence can usually be found after I’ve done a couple of what I feel to be those obligatory set up sentences. I then cut those out and use the third or fourth sentence as my real first sentence, or my title.

On titles, I always write one and save the post. But then when I come back to the post, I usually find the last thing I do before hitting publish is to write a more succinct title. Your five word limit is a good discipline.

By: Rhett Soveran

Rhett Soveran — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:07:35 +0000

Thanks for stopping by Adam. I definitely agree with Brian in that regard and I am glad you have taken it too heart—it’s one of the things that keeps me reading your blog.

By: Adam Kayce : Monk at Work

Adam Kayce : Monk at Work — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:59:39 +0000

Thanks, Rhett… I had fun writing that one, too.

Brian Clark (of Copyblogger fame) once wrote that the purpose of the first sentence is to get the next sentence read. And so on, and so on.

Ever since I read that, I’m scrutinizing my intros more.