Jack Cavanaugh's WORD FORGE

The Life of a Novelist: A True Story

It was one of those perfect moments. I was living every novelist’s dream.

There we were, sitting at a table in a restaurant in Nova Scotia overlooking Halifax harbor. Just me and my publisher. We were attending a conference for Canadian booksellers. I had delivered the keynote speech earlier that afternoon. It went well. So did the book signing that followed. I was feeling good.

Little did I know that things were about to get…

Suddenly, The Earth Began to Shake

Legendary film producer Samuel Goldwyn said, “Open with an earthquake and build from there.”

Good advice given our culture’s insatiable appetite for action. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” might have resonated with Charles Dickens’ readers, but it wouldn’t work today.

So, being a student of storytelling, I’ve collected novel openings from more modern bestsellers. Here are some of my favorites—

Of Pottery and Characters

Have you read a novel written by someone you know?

It’s fun. And a little spooky.

As you read, you catch glimpses of the author — mannerisms, habits, preferences,  figures of speech— wedged into the lines of text. My sister-in-law insists that when she reads one of my novels, she hears my voice reading it to her.

It's as though a piece of the author's spirit dwells inside every one of his books.

Thoughts of a Citizen of Multiple Realities

Non-fiction writers keep their feet firmly planted in this present reality. Novelists, on the other hand, are citizens of multiple realities.

Think about it. How can a novelist entice a reader to leave this present reality and enter the fictional world of his story if he’s never been there himself?

But it comes at a price.

Two Pats on the Back and A Swift Kick in the Pants

Surprise!

…the key element of humor.

You lead your reader down a familiar path. Just when they think they know where you’re going… you pull the rug out from beneath them. Works for slapstick, works for word play, and everything in between — two pats on the back, and a swift kick in the pants.

That’s where clichés come in. Remember yesterday when I told you to save all the clichés your overzealous editor ripped from your manuscript? This is where you put them back in, this time with a twist. They’re great fodder for humor.

Why?