Welcome to the Write, Publish, and Shine podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Thompson, and today I’m back with number three on my list of 10 things I learned from 14 years on Room’s editorial collective. We’re diving into a crucial aspect of writing that can make or break your piece: crafting compelling openings.

The Importance of Strong Openings

Crafting a compelling opening might seem like basic advice. Indeed, I was aware of its importance even before joining the collective. During that time, I studied numerous openings while preparing my own submissions to literary magazines.

But I think it’s one of those pieces of advice we learn over and over again as writers. It’s crucial and worth emphasizing.

I’ve learned this not only from editing several issues of a literary magazine but also from numerous interviews with editors for my Write, Publish, and Shine podcast. I’ve yet to meet an editor who doesn’t want to be hooked from the start of a story or poem.

Tip: Start your piece with a pivotal moment that grabs and holds your reader’s attention right from the first line.

Yet…a lot of writers tell me their piece will the exception. I offer a course on revision and I kid you not, this is something I hear a lot. Mine story is a slow burn. Inevitably a writer will cite an author they admire who they believe also writes in a slow-burn fashion. I’ll suggest they go back and take a second look. It may be that they didn’t realize how the writer put it all in the opening and how well crafted the opening was that it felt smooth and drew them in without realizing it. (And, yes, those writers always come back to me having learned that they were mistaken about that opening.)

So, can you suspend any disbelief you might have (or go and look at that so-called “slow” opening that you love and make sure it’s as you remembered)?

If your writing doesn’t hook us immediately or takes too long to get going, it risks being overlooked. Editors are looking for that immediate engagement.

Techniques for Crafting Compelling Openings

Here are some effective techniques for crafting compelling openings:

• Start with action or dialogue
• Present a provocative statement or question
• Paint a vivid sensory image
• Introduce an intriguing character
• Begin with a surprising fact or statistic

Examples of Strong Openings

Let’s look at a few examples of compelling openings from published works:

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

“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” – Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

These openings immediately draw us in, raising questions and piquing our curiosity.

Starting in the Middle

One powerful technique is to start in the middle of things. This raises immediate questions, drawing readers into the heart of your narrative. It invites them to engage, trust, and stay curious about the unfolding story.

Take this example:

“Once, upon a day of politics trouble, I saw my mother burying her gold in the vegetable and herb garden at the back of our house.”

• Rebecca Fisseha, “What Grows,” Room Magazine

What’s going on here? This line raises so many questions: What is “politics trouble”? Why is the mother burying gold? Where and when is this happening? This opening makes me want to know more. It piques my curiosity, and when an opening line does that—raising at least three of the five W’s—you’ve likely hooked your reader.

The Importance of Trust

Too often, I see submissions that explain too much upfront—telling us the who, what, where, and why all at once. But the best writing invites us to discover these details gradually, leading us deeper into the story, rather than spoon-feeding them.

Answering all the reader’s questions right away risks losing their attention. Let your opening unfold naturally, and trust that your audience will stay with you for the ride.

Don’t worry—the initial scaffolding that helped you build your story can be trimmed in revision.

Avoiding “Running in Place”

As an editor, I’ve learned a lot from reading countless submissions. And the truth is, we can often tell from the first line whether a piece will engage or fall flat. Many submissions “run in place,” starting slowly and never quite taking off.

Writers often hang on to unnecessary openings—what we call scaffolding. This is the kind of writing that helped you situate the story, but it’s not necessarily for your reader. Your story doesn’t need it anymore. Trust that the narrative can stand without it.

Exercise: Crafting Your Own Opening

Here’s an exercise to help you craft compelling openings:

• Take a moment to think about a piece you’re currently working on. How can you revise its opening to make it more compelling?
• Try writing three different openings for the same piece, each using a different technique we’ve discussed.
• Pull three books or literary magazines off your shelf. Read their first lines and take note of what questions they raise. How do these openings pull you in? What trust does the writer put in you?

The Importance of Revision

Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to have a perfect opening. Often, the most compelling openings emerge during the revision process. Don’t be afraid to cut your original opening if you find a stronger one later in your draft.

Conclusion

Crafting compelling openings is a skill that takes practice, but it’s one that can significantly improve your chances of engaging readers and impressing editors. Keep experimenting, keep revising, and most importantly, keep writing.

Now that you understand the importance of starting strong, return to your piece. Consider how you can trim the setup and make your opening stronger. Can you raise questions that intrigue? Can you start with an action or a pivotal moment? And most importantly, can you trust your reader enough to let them discover the answers?

Outro

Thank you for tuning in to the Write, Publish, and Shine podcast. If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a review. Until next time, keep crafting those compelling openings!

The Write, Publish, and Shine podcast is hosted by me, Rachel Thompson, with sound editing by Adam Linder.

To learn more about my work supporting writers, visit rachelthompson.co and sign up for my weekly Writerly Love Letters, packed with encouragement for your writing journey.

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I acknowledge the El Muzina Bedouin lands in South Sinai, Egypt, where I record, and I stand in solidarity with those condemning the ongoing violence against Palestinian people. Let’s call for a ceasefire and support the movement against apartheid and genocide.