Wendy Hornsby
The most challenging part of writing a story, whether it’s a short-story or War and Peace, the Sequel, is getting the opening just right. Editors and the reading public are a tough audience that wants immediate reading gratification. In the first few passages, if the writer doesn’t dazzle the reader while setting the tone, identifying the stakes, placing the tale in time and place, and delivering some beguiling characters, then the reader will move on to something else. So, how to begin?