Second Sentence

What did you do this past weekend?

I told you that you needed to write your first sentence.  I hope you did.

Now, before the week is out, I’d like you to write sentence two and three.

Sentence two and three usually expand on what you wrote in the first sentence.  They will take you further into what you are trying to say, and will explain your direction.  Read the first three sentences below, from my story, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald:

“I can’t believe you talked me into sailing on this boat, Jacky,” said David Rudolph to his friend, Jacky Baker.  “I mean, the owner has some serious guts naming a two-hundred-twenty-foot fishing boat the Edmund Fitzgerald II.  That’s almost daring the sea gods to do their damndest to us.”  Copyright 2013 by T. M. Bilderback

The first sentence, a quote, hopefully captures your attention.  The second sentence, another quote, explains the name of the fishing boat.  The third sentence sort of sets the tone of the story, and lets you know that bad things are coming.

That’s what you need to do with your story.  Catch the reader’s attention, expand a little with the second sentence, then try to set the tone with the third sentence.  And, with any luck, that will be your first paragraph!

Try it…you’ll be surprised at what you come up with!

Keep reading (and writing!)

Michael  (T. M.)