Start with a Bang: The Art of Outstanding Openings

As writers, we’re all familiar with this particular bit of wisdom: a story has to “hook” the reader from the beginning. Excellent first pages (and first lines!) are the best way to immerse our audience and keep them reading. However, this is often easier said than done. In this course, students will study exemplary story openings – and share some of their favorites – to make the process of starting a story a little less daunting. They will also have the opportunity to participate in small group workshops for their own opening lines. Our goal is to leave the course with a variety of strategies to help achieve that elusive “hook.”

This course is geared toward fiction writers of any level (both short fiction and novels, in any genre) who struggle with opening their stories.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.