The first lines of a novel can do many things, but one of the main objectives is to capture the reader’s attention. Harlequin publishes many different types of books, and they all open differently. Today we’re examining two of the most high-stakes series, Medical Romance and Romantic Suspense, to see how they open their books to pull the reader in right away.
Harlequin Medical Romance:
Your first few lines are your chance to hook a reader’s attention and make it impossible for them to put your book down—so make the most of them! A strong opening captures our interest, gets us involved with your characters and shows (rather than tells!) us what’s going on. Too much explanation and set-up before the action starts can put a reader off, so think carefully about what the most exciting entry into your story could be. Whether that’s throwing your protagonists together straight away, or immersing your readers in an exhilaratingly high-stakes medical drama, you always want to start your story with a bang!
Here’s an example of a fabulously captivating opening paragraph from one of our recent releases, to hopefully inspire you as you get stuck into your own writing:
Her Off-Limits Single Dad by Marion Lennox
This seemed like a job for Air Rescue. The nearest helicopter base, though, was South Sydney, and their only available unit was caught up on another job.
They were on their own.
The crashed truck, on its side well below the road, seemed to have caught on a straggly coastal gumtree. From where Jenny stood it was a good ten meters down to the truck, then another ten to the rock-strewn surf beneath. The truck seemed to be balanced across the tree trunk. It looked like it could slip further at any minute and there seemed no way they could safely climb down.
“Are we sure someone’s inside?” she asked, and Gary grimaced.
“We’re pretty sure.”
This opening paragraph throws readers straight into the excitement and intensity of a life-or-death rescue, instantly providing the medical drama that is so synonymous with the series. The fast pace and high stakes of the scene instantly draw readers into the author’s world, and keep them eagerly reading on.
Harlequin Romantic Suspense:
I know we’re talking about opening paragraphs, but it’s worth remembering that your paragraph doesn’t have to be a set number of words or sentences. In fact, many of our most effective stories in Romantic Suspense open with just one or two enigmatic or explosive lines. Whether you’re beginning with a dead body, the first clue in your thriller, or a mysterious and sexy stranger, your opener is your chance to get the reader hooked.
One trick that may help you in crafting a successful opener is to start by just writing your establishing scene. Don’t worry about trying to get that perfect sentence down right away—just write out the first shot, so to speak, so the reader can imagine where the story is beginning. Once you have a paragraph or two written, start deleting. Take out extraneous words and long explanations, until you’ve got nothing left but the bare minimum. Read that again. Is it grabbing your attention? You’re on the right track!
Here are a couple of examples from recent Romantic Suspense releases to inspire you:
A Firefighter’s Hidden Truth by Tara Taylor Quinn
It had been almost five years since he’d had sex with her, paid her off, and walked out of her life. Like she’d been nothing more than a prostitute rather instead of a partner in the whirlwind, weeklong romance she’d dreamed up in her head. An overactive imagination—while professionally lucrative—had its downfalls.
Down to the Wire by Patricia Sargeant
“Oh, no, no, no, no, no!” Dr. Grace Blackwell’s fingers flew across her keyboard. Malware protection warnings popped onto her ancient laptop’s screen with nerve-wracking frequency like over-caffeinated whack-a-moles. Seated at the dark wood filing table against the back wall of her home office, she’d deleted the email with the attachment that had started this mess.
Looking for more on writing suspense? Check out these blog posts:
Pacing in High-Stakes Stories: How to Sustain Suspense without Losing Romance – Write for Harlequin
Romantic suspense authors confess: tips to maintaining suspense! – Write for Harlequin
