How Important is the First Paragraph When Writing a Short Story?

The best writing tip and advice you can get is to have a quick start.

Justiss Goode | FšŸ˜„M
Daily Justiss

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short story writer
Photo Credit: Canva.com

My darling writers, if you want to grab and hold onto your readerā€™s attention; the first paragraph of any story or article you write, is crucial.

The following piece of writing advice Iā€™m about to convey, is information that new story writers and novel writers canā€™t afford to take for granted.

In fact, no matter what level of writer you are, these tips can benefit you in the long and short run.

First, letā€™s considerā€¦

What should a short storyā€™s first paragraph convey?

A short story needs to have a fast start, therefore, the opening paragraph must convey a lot. It needs to grab the readerā€™s attention quickly, and give them a reason to keep reading.

Here is what Susan Orlean had to say about writing shorter versus longer stories:

ā€œā€¦ You are heading towards the end as soon as you beginā€¦ā€

This prolific Medium writer and successful author knows exactly what sheā€™s talking about; having been a staff writer for The New Yorker for many years.

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Justiss Goode | FšŸ˜„M
Daily Justiss

Prolific Writer | Publication Editor | Friend of the Community: Always down to support fellow writers and their stories, in fun, creative, and promotional ways!