The first line of your book is insanely important. Like, I cannot stress to you how important it is. It sets the attitude of the narrator, the mood of the scene, and—when done properly—draws in your reader.
The first thing you should ask yourself about your first line is, “Does this prompt a question?” Does it make the reader ask why? Does it have a bit of intrigue to it?
Here are some examples, pulled from my “favorites” book shelf:
“Sometimes it seems like all I ever do is lie.” – The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
What is she lying about? Why does she have to lie? Who is she lying to? (And, ironically, Mia’s been lied to all her life, so this first line is extra fab.)
“The name of the song is “This Lullaby.” At this point, I’ve probably heard it, oh, about a million times.” –This Lullaby, Sarah Dessen (Yes, that was technically two sentences.)
What’s the deal with the song? Why has she heard it so often? I also love the clear, strong voice of Remy coming through.
“The Haddan School was built in 1858 on the sloping banks of the Haddan River, a muddy and precarious location that had proven disastrous from the start.” – The River King, Alice Hoffman
Oooh, intrigue. Why did they pick that location? And how has it been a disaster?
“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.” – Emma, Jane Austen
I just picked this book to make myself look smart. Just kidding. The question this makes me ask is, what’s about to distress and vex her?
“I’d never given much thought to how I would die—though I’d had reason enough in the last few months—but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.” – Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
So many questions. Why’s she about to die? And how? And who’s killing her? And why? And why has she had lots of reasons to think about death recently? An excellent first line, and about a hundred times better than the first line of chapter one, which is, “My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down.” While this does prompt a question (Where is she going?) it’s not great.
So take a look at your first line and see what kind of question it asks, and what kind of tone it sets. If you’re brave enough to open it up to public opinion, you can post it in the comments section.