Story Starters - Page Four
The First Line
Our Mission
The purpose of The First Line is to jump start the imagination-to help writers break through the block that is the blank page. Each issue contains short stories that stem from a common first line; it also provides a forum for discussing favorite first lines in literature. The First Line is an exercise in creativity for writers and a chance for readers to see how many different directions we can take when we start from the same place.
TFL Specs
Published: 4 times a year starting in 2002 (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall)
From 1999 through 2001 we were six times a year
First Issue: May/June 1999
Cost: $3.50/issue and $10.00 a year. Here's our subscription information.
The First Line is a publication of Blue Cubicle Press, LLC.
VISIT THE WEBSITE
Our Mission
The purpose of The First Line is to jump start the imagination-to help writers break through the block that is the blank page. Each issue contains short stories that stem from a common first line; it also provides a forum for discussing favorite first lines in literature. The First Line is an exercise in creativity for writers and a chance for readers to see how many different directions we can take when we start from the same place.
TFL Specs
Published: 4 times a year starting in 2002 (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall)
From 1999 through 2001 we were six times a year
First Issue: May/June 1999
Cost: $3.50/issue and $10.00 a year. Here's our subscription information.
The First Line is a publication of Blue Cubicle Press, LLC.
VISIT THE WEBSITE
What stories can you make from these headlines?
Try these on for size... you can create your own characters to fit the headlines or maybe take a character "type" from one of the stories in the news and create a whole new scenario for that character.
Another interesting thing to do is to use a character that you've already created for another work and plunk them down inside one of these headlines and see what happens next.
You can also take characters from one story and have them interact with characters from another news story or perhaps switch characters altogether - let them live the other one's circumstances, in other words.
It's all up to you, Writer. Click on any headline to go to that real news story for more details (if you need them).
Decapitated Body Found in Detroit Sewer
Former Candidate Staged Car Crash to Aid Campaign
Police: Mother describes beating of 2-year-old, hiding her body
Survivors Recall Their Rescue From Icy Waters
The Mysterious Case of the AP Photographer
Feds May Fund Terror, Report Says
Insurer Dropped Sick Patients to Save Money
RI hospital fined for surgery error
Targeted Genetics Responds to Wired Science Criticism
Try these on for size... you can create your own characters to fit the headlines or maybe take a character "type" from one of the stories in the news and create a whole new scenario for that character.
Another interesting thing to do is to use a character that you've already created for another work and plunk them down inside one of these headlines and see what happens next.
You can also take characters from one story and have them interact with characters from another news story or perhaps switch characters altogether - let them live the other one's circumstances, in other words.
It's all up to you, Writer. Click on any headline to go to that real news story for more details (if you need them).
Decapitated Body Found in Detroit Sewer
Former Candidate Staged Car Crash to Aid Campaign
Police: Mother describes beating of 2-year-old, hiding her body
Survivors Recall Their Rescue From Icy Waters
The Mysterious Case of the AP Photographer
Feds May Fund Terror, Report Says
Insurer Dropped Sick Patients to Save Money
RI hospital fined for surgery error
Targeted Genetics Responds to Wired Science Criticism
How are these lives drawn together?
What circumstance brings the following people together and how do they need or inspire or help or use or abuse or destroy each other as a result?
How do their individual backgrounds factor into the group story?
soap opera actor
charter fishing boat owner
motorcycle gang member
judge
professional housekeeper
high school English teacher
spouse of a celebrity
Any of the above could be either gender, male or female.
What circumstance brings the following people together and how do they need or inspire or help or use or abuse or destroy each other as a result?
How do their individual backgrounds factor into the group story?
soap opera actor
charter fishing boat owner
motorcycle gang member
judge
professional housekeeper
high school English teacher
spouse of a celebrity
Any of the above could be either gender, male or female.
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy and what's his story? Is he a victim of a crime? Was he in an accident? Is he an innocent bystander? A perpetrator? A cop? A good samaritan? What happened here?
Who is this guy and what's his story? Is he a victim of a crime? Was he in an accident? Is he an innocent bystander? A perpetrator? A cop? A good samaritan? What happened here?
Mentalrobics™
"Mentalrobics" is a fun little list of brain exercises found on the Braingle website (and it has all kinds of fun - trivia, brain twisters, games, riddles, and more).
Here's a few examples of their Creativity Exercises:
Creativity: Superhero
This little exercise will help you unleash your creativity.
Pretend that you are in charge of coming up with a new superhero for a comic book. Take 5 minutes and come up with as many unique creative names as you can for this superhero.
What is his or her super power?
How many did you get?
0-5 You need to practice.
5-10 Pretty good. Next time try for double.
11-20 Good job!
20+ You have an excellent imagination.
You can repeat this exercise as many times as you want with different products (try our Chocolate Cereal exercise). The more you practice the better you'll get.
XXX
Creativity :: Number Exercises
These number exercises will help improve your concentration and mental endurance.
1. Recite all the numbers between 1 and 100 that contain the digit 3 (3, 13, 23...).
2. Count down from 200 by 7s (200, 193, 186...).
3. Recite the numbers by alternatly counting up by 2s and by 3s (2-3, 4-6, 6-9, 8-12...).
4. Try reciting a number series while writing down a different series. Pick any number series you want (up by 2s, down by 7s, every number containing 4s, etc.).
Feel free to modify these exercises and practice them to increase your ability.
XXX
Creativity :: Brainstorm Rule: Be Visual
Every brainstorm should have a large stack of paper and pens because one of the best ways to communicate your ideas in a Brainstorm is to be visual. Draw it, act it out, or make a little model out of pencils and rubber bands.
The more visual you can make your idea, the better you will be able to communicate it to the group, and the quicker they will be able to understand and build on it.
Another part of being visual is that all the ideas should be written where everyone can see them. A whiteboard or big sheet of paper works well for this. Write big so everyone can read the ideas. At the end of the brainstorm, you can have everyone use Post-its or colored markers to vote for their favorite ideas.
"Mentalrobics" is a fun little list of brain exercises found on the Braingle website (and it has all kinds of fun - trivia, brain twisters, games, riddles, and more).
Here's a few examples of their Creativity Exercises:
Creativity: Superhero
This little exercise will help you unleash your creativity.
Pretend that you are in charge of coming up with a new superhero for a comic book. Take 5 minutes and come up with as many unique creative names as you can for this superhero.
What is his or her super power?
How many did you get?
0-5 You need to practice.
5-10 Pretty good. Next time try for double.
11-20 Good job!
20+ You have an excellent imagination.
You can repeat this exercise as many times as you want with different products (try our Chocolate Cereal exercise). The more you practice the better you'll get.
XXX
Creativity :: Number Exercises
These number exercises will help improve your concentration and mental endurance.
1. Recite all the numbers between 1 and 100 that contain the digit 3 (3, 13, 23...).
2. Count down from 200 by 7s (200, 193, 186...).
3. Recite the numbers by alternatly counting up by 2s and by 3s (2-3, 4-6, 6-9, 8-12...).
4. Try reciting a number series while writing down a different series. Pick any number series you want (up by 2s, down by 7s, every number containing 4s, etc.).
Feel free to modify these exercises and practice them to increase your ability.
XXX
Creativity :: Brainstorm Rule: Be Visual
Every brainstorm should have a large stack of paper and pens because one of the best ways to communicate your ideas in a Brainstorm is to be visual. Draw it, act it out, or make a little model out of pencils and rubber bands.
The more visual you can make your idea, the better you will be able to communicate it to the group, and the quicker they will be able to understand and build on it.
Another part of being visual is that all the ideas should be written where everyone can see them. A whiteboard or big sheet of paper works well for this. Write big so everyone can read the ideas. At the end of the brainstorm, you can have everyone use Post-its or colored markers to vote for their favorite ideas.
The Boy in the Box Mystery
Who was the mysterious "Boy in the Box"? How did he die? Was his death a tragic accident, or a cruel and deliberate act of child homicide? Who killed him, and why? How did the nude, badly bruised body of this little boy come to be placed inside a cardboard box and dumped in a remote, rubbish-strewn lot on the northern outskirts of Philadelphia?
Why didn't anyone report the boy missing? Who were the boy's parents or guardians, and why hadn't they come forward to identify him and claim his body? Will this little boy's true identity ever be known, or will he forever remain "America's Unknown Child"?
These fundamental questions, and countless others, have puzzled investigators for more than four decades.
The mysterious death of America's Unknown Child, (formerly known as "The Boy in the Box" or "The Fox Chase Boy"), is one of the most perplexing unsolved crimes of the twentieth century.
The case has been relentlessly pursued by dozens of experts over the years, including numerous Philadelphia homicide detectives, eminent criminologists, the FBI, and most recently, the Vidocq Society - an organization that specializes in solving "cold" homicide cases.
Who was the mysterious "Boy in the Box"? How did he die? Was his death a tragic accident, or a cruel and deliberate act of child homicide? Who killed him, and why? How did the nude, badly bruised body of this little boy come to be placed inside a cardboard box and dumped in a remote, rubbish-strewn lot on the northern outskirts of Philadelphia?
Why didn't anyone report the boy missing? Who were the boy's parents or guardians, and why hadn't they come forward to identify him and claim his body? Will this little boy's true identity ever be known, or will he forever remain "America's Unknown Child"?
These fundamental questions, and countless others, have puzzled investigators for more than four decades.
The mysterious death of America's Unknown Child, (formerly known as "The Boy in the Box" or "The Fox Chase Boy"), is one of the most perplexing unsolved crimes of the twentieth century.
The case has been relentlessly pursued by dozens of experts over the years, including numerous Philadelphia homicide detectives, eminent criminologists, the FBI, and most recently, the Vidocq Society - an organization that specializes in solving "cold" homicide cases.
Fifty Story Starters
"Ouch! You son of a bitch, now I'm going to..."
The child giggled as she pulled the wings off her third butterfly in the last hour. Now she was ready to...
Billy watched as Mrs. Cooper's Labrador left his latest steaming pile on their front lawn and he thought to himself, "Now Daddy's going to..."
It was a tough choice - the long slinky brunette, somewhat distant and unapproachable, who looked like her red sequin dress had been poured over her lucious frame or the overly friendly almost - but not quite - cute blonde a little bit stuffed into her jeans who'd already made it plain she wanted him. Now all he had to do was...
There it was. The house where...
Gil's Magic Rubdown Palace with its grandiose name had achieved a level of local fame for...
It was bad enough that her phone number was one digit off from the Mental Health Clinic but this latest mistake in phone calling truly disturbed her because...
Okay, this was getting ridiculous. She knew she'd left it...
Miss Lenham had been her fourth-grade teacher, her favorite of all her teachers, so she was shocked to read in the papers that...
The moment was finally here. His stomach was doing flip-flops as he reached for the door and...
He was the friendly neighborhood grandpa but if those neighbors could have glimpsed into his garage, they would have discovered...
No, that really hadn't been just air turbulence, she thought, as the plane seemed to slowly lean closer to the earth. Funny, all that was on her mind was...
The apartment manager had warned the tenants not to do laundry after dark and now...
Well, that little experience just proved he really did hate...
Sticking her hand out the window wasn't the smartest move because...
The pain was definitely getting worse. Now it was...
Well, it didn't exactly call for the Heimlich Maneuver, but...
He really was getting absent-minded - or going crazy - because just this morning...
Just before she died, she whispered...
The wiring hadn't been replaced in sixty years but that didn't stop...
Craig had always been a daredevil, that's why he was first to...
She might have been mouthing the words, "I love you," but her heart was saying...
The speedboat skimmed the water's surface much like a stone, skidding over the bumps, once, twice, three times and then...
The crack in the ceiling had been spreading since Monday.
Extravagance had never been one of her virtues.
We'd always known the shortcut home was dangerous.
Computers don't lie. Do they?
"No. That girl... there. Her."
It was the best decision I ever made.
Family vacations are supposed to be fun but, this was our family.
Excessive violence was cited as a contributing factor but what the reports didn't reveal was...
It didn't matter now who had won the argument.
Yesterday morning was now a thousand light-years in the past.
A raised eyebrow can indicate many things.
Chocolate and peanut brittle were her two favorite things in the whole world.
He dreaded having to speak to the parents.
Why did I always have to decide things?
"Ugh, what is that smell?"
She was the largest yacht in the marina... and the most beautiful.
The look on the child's face was utterly bonechilling.
Guided imagery? What the hell was that?
It was an amazing world that existed down below... in the sewers.
The last tree he climbed had been thirty years ago.
He'd broken his rule about never eating at any place with "Mom" on the marquee.
How many blouses had been stained with baby spit-up?
The body count at the scene was nothing compared to what was waiting for them back at the station. Just wait until the old man found out who...
In retrospect, keeping a journal had probably been her first mistake.
The fortune cookie read...
Dying was not in the job description.
"Ouch! You son of a bitch, now I'm going to..."
The child giggled as she pulled the wings off her third butterfly in the last hour. Now she was ready to...
Billy watched as Mrs. Cooper's Labrador left his latest steaming pile on their front lawn and he thought to himself, "Now Daddy's going to..."
It was a tough choice - the long slinky brunette, somewhat distant and unapproachable, who looked like her red sequin dress had been poured over her lucious frame or the overly friendly almost - but not quite - cute blonde a little bit stuffed into her jeans who'd already made it plain she wanted him. Now all he had to do was...
There it was. The house where...
Gil's Magic Rubdown Palace with its grandiose name had achieved a level of local fame for...
It was bad enough that her phone number was one digit off from the Mental Health Clinic but this latest mistake in phone calling truly disturbed her because...
Okay, this was getting ridiculous. She knew she'd left it...
Miss Lenham had been her fourth-grade teacher, her favorite of all her teachers, so she was shocked to read in the papers that...
The moment was finally here. His stomach was doing flip-flops as he reached for the door and...
He was the friendly neighborhood grandpa but if those neighbors could have glimpsed into his garage, they would have discovered...
No, that really hadn't been just air turbulence, she thought, as the plane seemed to slowly lean closer to the earth. Funny, all that was on her mind was...
The apartment manager had warned the tenants not to do laundry after dark and now...
Well, that little experience just proved he really did hate...
Sticking her hand out the window wasn't the smartest move because...
The pain was definitely getting worse. Now it was...
Well, it didn't exactly call for the Heimlich Maneuver, but...
He really was getting absent-minded - or going crazy - because just this morning...
Just before she died, she whispered...
The wiring hadn't been replaced in sixty years but that didn't stop...
Craig had always been a daredevil, that's why he was first to...
She might have been mouthing the words, "I love you," but her heart was saying...
The speedboat skimmed the water's surface much like a stone, skidding over the bumps, once, twice, three times and then...
The crack in the ceiling had been spreading since Monday.
Extravagance had never been one of her virtues.
We'd always known the shortcut home was dangerous.
Computers don't lie. Do they?
"No. That girl... there. Her."
It was the best decision I ever made.
Family vacations are supposed to be fun but, this was our family.
Excessive violence was cited as a contributing factor but what the reports didn't reveal was...
It didn't matter now who had won the argument.
Yesterday morning was now a thousand light-years in the past.
A raised eyebrow can indicate many things.
Chocolate and peanut brittle were her two favorite things in the whole world.
He dreaded having to speak to the parents.
Why did I always have to decide things?
"Ugh, what is that smell?"
She was the largest yacht in the marina... and the most beautiful.
The look on the child's face was utterly bonechilling.
Guided imagery? What the hell was that?
It was an amazing world that existed down below... in the sewers.
The last tree he climbed had been thirty years ago.
He'd broken his rule about never eating at any place with "Mom" on the marquee.
How many blouses had been stained with baby spit-up?
The body count at the scene was nothing compared to what was waiting for them back at the station. Just wait until the old man found out who...
In retrospect, keeping a journal had probably been her first mistake.
The fortune cookie read...
Dying was not in the job description.
Who lives here?
What kind of life do they lead? How do they occupy their time? Describe their character, what they believe in, what's important to them, what dreams do they have... Is this a happy scene or is something or someone threatening this cottage and/or its inhabitant(s)?
What kind of life do they lead? How do they occupy their time? Describe their character, what they believe in, what's important to them, what dreams do they have... Is this a happy scene or is something or someone threatening this cottage and/or its inhabitant(s)?
Who (or "what" ) are these people?
Esther Jurgensen
Barefoot Douglas
Mattie Howard
Richard Hewlett
X-3
Subject 74109
Leonardo Viveros
Orphan Tree
McB
Esther Jurgensen
Barefoot Douglas
Mattie Howard
Richard Hewlett
X-3
Subject 74109
Leonardo Viveros
Orphan Tree
McB
What's in your shopping cart?
FIRST, the shopping list:
Toilet paper
Dog Food (cans)
Bologna
English muffins
DVD's (blanks)
Pancake syrup
10 pound bag of potatoes
Six pack of Coca-cola
Tub of spreadable margarine
newspaper
Aluminum foil
laundry detergent
$10 gift card (looks like a credit card)
Pringle's Potato Chips (in tube, not bag)
Bic lighter
NEXT, your writer's challenge...
Pick any five items from the above list and use them to write/create/complete any of the following (and you can write a short story or paragraph or scene from a screenplay):
You and your fellow shoppers become hostages when the in-store bank branch is robbed. You are herded to the shipping dock in back where the only things accessible to you are the items in your cart but you only have time to grab five of them. Which five do you take and how do you use each one to survive? Do you escape and what role did those items play in your escape?
You are a crime scene investigator and you discover five items from the above list at your crime scene. Which items, how/where/in what condition are they found and how do they help you solve the crime?
You get washed up on an island. There is no trace of the yacht that went down at sea but some debris has floated up on shore. Pick any five items from the list and explain how you use them to survive until rescue arrives. How long are you able to hold out? How do you use any of your five items to get more "items" available on the island and how do they help you to survive?
Your vacation cabin seems to be haunted. Who is your ghostly companion and what five items do they insist you stock up on? What significance do those five items have for your ghost and/or why does the ghost think you will face incredible danger without them? How do you and the ghost, working together, use those five items to solve a mystery?
You are the mayor of a large city and you must suddenly remove five items on the list from all store shelves in your city. Why? And why those five items? And what happens when your city must go without those five items for a significant period of time?
FIRST, the shopping list:
Toilet paper
Dog Food (cans)
Bologna
English muffins
DVD's (blanks)
Pancake syrup
10 pound bag of potatoes
Six pack of Coca-cola
Tub of spreadable margarine
newspaper
Aluminum foil
laundry detergent
$10 gift card (looks like a credit card)
Pringle's Potato Chips (in tube, not bag)
Bic lighter
NEXT, your writer's challenge...
Pick any five items from the above list and use them to write/create/complete any of the following (and you can write a short story or paragraph or scene from a screenplay):
You and your fellow shoppers become hostages when the in-store bank branch is robbed. You are herded to the shipping dock in back where the only things accessible to you are the items in your cart but you only have time to grab five of them. Which five do you take and how do you use each one to survive? Do you escape and what role did those items play in your escape?
You are a crime scene investigator and you discover five items from the above list at your crime scene. Which items, how/where/in what condition are they found and how do they help you solve the crime?
You get washed up on an island. There is no trace of the yacht that went down at sea but some debris has floated up on shore. Pick any five items from the list and explain how you use them to survive until rescue arrives. How long are you able to hold out? How do you use any of your five items to get more "items" available on the island and how do they help you to survive?
Your vacation cabin seems to be haunted. Who is your ghostly companion and what five items do they insist you stock up on? What significance do those five items have for your ghost and/or why does the ghost think you will face incredible danger without them? How do you and the ghost, working together, use those five items to solve a mystery?
You are the mayor of a large city and you must suddenly remove five items on the list from all store shelves in your city. Why? And why those five items? And what happens when your city must go without those five items for a significant period of time?