Writing Book 6 · Lesson 35

Explanatory — Draft the opening

The second opening should cost less thought and be better than the first.

What it is

An opening does two jobs: it tells your reader what this piece is about, and it gives them a reason to keep reading. It does NOT announce itself — In this piece I will explain wastes your first sentence, which is the one most likely to be read. Start with the thing itself.

Watch it built

1
Here is the announcing opening most writers reach for first.
In this piece I am going to explain how a seed becomes a plant.
2
Cut the announcement and keep what it was announcing.
How a seed becomes a plant.
3
Make it a sentence that says something, and add why it is worth knowing.
A seed is a plant that has not started yet — and it will not start until three things happen at once.

One more

This essay is about the water cycle.
↓
The water in a cloud today may have been in an ocean last week.
Remember
Never announce. Open with the thing itself.
Ask yourself: “Is this opening better than my last one, and how?”

Remember

You know how to open now. Do it without the announcement.

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