The First Sentence Exercise for Young Adults
A Quick and Easy Prompt to Get Beginners Writing Fiction in a Flash
May 19, 2009
While still youthfully creative, young adults may still need a little extra push to get started writing. Instead of letting their minds wander towards boredom and frustration, giving them prompts to work from can sharpen focus and encourage a fearless transcription of ideas. Whether used in the classroom with resisting students or a writing workshop with obliging students, this exercise will get kids (and new writers of all ages) not just writing, but enjoying it.
The First Sentences Exercise
Have all participants write the opening sentence of two opposite stories (one about birth and one about death, one about being in love and one about being out of love, one about spring and one about fall, etc) without worrying about the story beyond that sentence. The catch is, no matter what the participant chooses, she is not allowed to use the keyword or its synonyms in the sentence.
This prompt works on two different levels. The first forces the writer to think about opposites. What does Heaven look like on the page? It would have to look like the opposite of Hell, correct? To figure out one will sharpen the other. The second makes the writer think outside of simple declarations.
Unacceptable First Sentences
If writing about falling in love and out of love, two unacceptable sentences would look like the following examples
About falling in love: “I walked into the coffee shop and I totally fell for her.”
About falling out of love: “The last thing I said before leaving was “I hate you, Claire.’ ”
These sentences fall back on abstract ideas (“falling” for someone, hate) that don’t lay a solid foundation for the rest of the story. If the writer is writing about love and isn’t allowed to say words such as love, like, enjoy, or fall (as in “falling” for someone), she will be forced to focus on the details that show love instead of merely tell about it.
Acceptable First Sentences
Again, assuming “love” as the topic, two more acceptable sentences would look something like the following examples.
About falling in love: “I had never been knocked down in a fight at Lucky Daniel’s Pub until Emily walked up and caught me with a left hook, wiping the blood from her mouth with her southpaw shoulder as I rolled on the ground holding my face.”
About falling out of love: “She was in the kitchen standing next to the bubbling-over Fry-Daddy, dropping in everything I gave her that would fit.”
These sentences may sound like they border on the absurd, but that level of personalization is the exact effect desired. Most great literature is made of layers, and these sentences open up possibilities for themes other than strictly “love” or “not love.” The first could easily be tied into themes of abuse, domination, and traditional gender roles. The second could deal with mental instability and apathy.
A Useful Prompt for Getting Started
By letting the participants think leisurely about the rest of the story, they will be loosened up enough to start it. The opposite aspect of the exercise forces a thought pattern that will unlock individual details about what’s being written, helping to make a story distinct and specific to its writer. If utilized properly, the first sentence exercise can give young writers (and beginning adults) focus and confidence.
Related Article: How To Run a Young Adult Writing Workshop
Related Article: The Character Elimination Exercise
Related Article: A Revision Exercise For Dialogue and Narration
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