Beginnings and Endings

Writing Tips, Batter Up!

 

When asked when baseball was invented, a small boy replied, "In the Bible. It starts with 'In the Big-Inning.'"

The importance of story, book, and article beginnings cannot be over-stated. Many wannabe writers think they need to introduce a bunch of characters, give backgrounds, etc. in the first few paragraphs and get into the "good stuff" on page three, ten, or whatever. They are shocked to learn that editors will never see the good stuff. If we don't capture editors (and readers)  immediately, we've struck out the first time at bat.

A couple of decades BCC (Before Colleen got a Computer) I had a wealth of discarded first pages on the floor next to my typewriter each time I started a new book. When I made the beginning near-perfect, the rest of the manuscript flowed until the final page. More crumpled pages. Beginnings hook readers. Endings determine whether they read our work again or recommend to friends.

Beginnings

One good way to start a book or story (and they are many) is just before the main action, I've never used the line, "Smiling, the girl fell dead," but it is certainly an attention-getter. It raises all six literary questions. Answering them will fill an entire book.

• who was she?
• when did she die?
• where?
• why was she smiling?
• what caused her death?
• how was she discovered?

 A random sampling from books on my "keeper shelf" include a variety of ways the authors ensured that I would keep reading.

Josiah for President, Martha Bolton

 This wonderful novel of the most unlikely U.S. president ever begins, "America was sick. She needed a miracle. But the miracle was slow in coming--and long overdue."

Critical Care, Medical thriller by former ER nurse Candace Calvert. 

 "Don't die, little girl." Dr. Logan Caldwell pressed the heel of his hand against Amy Hester's chest, taking over heart compressions in a last attempt to save the child. 


Desert Moon, western romance by Susan Page Davis
"She couldn't have Arizona unless she shared it with Adam Scott. That was horribly unfair."


This 2017 Barbour Books title includes a bonus book. My western romance Honor Bound  begins, "The door to the playroom swung inward. Honor Brooks looked up. . ."

 Wind in the Pines, Mountain Music Book 1 (of 3), by Birdie L. Etchison
"We regret to inform you that unless you come up with the sum of $50,000, we will be forced to foreclose on your home . . ."

Endings, Happy versus Acceptable

I like happy endings. Period. Yet they aren't always believable. A good rule of thumb is, if you must have a sad ending, make it meaningful.

Example. A neighborhood policeman in a large city is well-known and liked by everyone except those who want revenge  If he must die, let it be for a cause, such as saving the life of a small child during a shoot-out. Happy? No. Acceptable? Yes.

An excellent way for story, article, and short story endings is by using the "Q" approach. Full circle with a twist. Relating your final words back to the title or opening sentences leaves the feeling of completion. Susan Page Davis did this with Desert Moon. A few well-chosen words tie the ending with the beginning.

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My days of crumpled paper on the floor have given way to delete, cut, and paste. Yet the lessons I learned from trial and error have resulted in home runs, not foul balls.