Written for a KS3 English group, but can easily be adapted for older students and aspects used for younger children. Minus the final activity, it can be used as a stand-alone session, looking at the opening line of stories, but is also the second part of three 1.5 hr sessions.

The session starts with thinking about how a first line hooks you in – entertainment, curiosity etc. This is then built on by looking at a few famous first lines.

Following this, we thought about which lines worked for the students and which didn’t, what they did or didn’t like about them and why some hooked you in quicker than others.

We then moved on to look at lines that don’t (or at least shouldn’t) work from the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, looked at a couple of flash fiction opening lines, tricks and tips for that first line, and finally, continuing the writing exercise from the previous session.