Universal statement (thought-provoking generalisation) Mid-action opening Presents an unusual situation (Surprises the reader) Retrospective view of the action (narrative voice is looking back over the action of the plot with hindsight) Creates an atmosphere (for the story) Detailed description of one item Directly addresses the reader Literary or cultural allusion Biographical opening (introduction of the character) Interesting dialogue Shocking statement Understatement Story Openings Extracts No Extract Novel and Writer 1 September, Tuesday: First of all, let me get something straight: this is a JOURNAL, not a diary. I know what it says on the cover, but when Mom went out to buy this thing I SPECIFICALLY told her to get one that didn’t say “diary” on it. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Jeff Kinney 2 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a million pounds? Or a billion? How about a trillion? Or even a gazillion? Meet Joe Spud. Billionaire Boy David Walliams 3 Ho Chi Minh City in the summer. Sweltering by anyone’s standards. Needless to say, Artemis Fowl would not be willing to put up with such discomfort if something extremely important had not been at stake. Important to the plan. Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer 4 ‘I don’t care if your friend Darren has a python, a cockatoo and a marmoset monkey,’ said mum, ‘the answer’s still no.’ Jake’s Magic Alan Durant
Bingo caller’s card Mid-action opening Literary or cultural allusion Universal statement Directly addresses the reader Humour Detailed description of one item Understatement Immediate insight into character Creates an atmosphere Shocking statement Raises questions in the reader’s mind Retrospective view of the action Interesting dialogue Once upon a time… Presents an unusual situation Biographical opening
Story openings bingo Once upon a time… Immediate insight into character Retrospective view of the action Universal statement Interesting dialogue Shocking statement Creates an atmosphere Humour Literary or cultural allusion Story openings bingo Detailed description of one item Immediate insight into character Retrospective view of the action Universal statement Presents an unusual situation Understatement Humour Creates an atmosphere Interesting dialogue
Story openings bingo Shocking statement Mid-action opening Presents an unusual situation Interesting dialogue Immediate insight into character Directly addresses the reader Once upon a time… Creates an atmosphere Detailed description of one item Story openings bingo Understatement Once upon a time… Raises questions in the reader’s mind Immediate insight into character Detailed description of one item Interesting dialogue
Shocking statement Creates an atmosphere Literary or cultural allusion Story openings bingo Retrospective view of the action Humour Shocking statement Creates an atmosphere Understatement Universal statement Interesting dialogue Directly addresses the reader Immediate insight into character Story openings bingo Retrospective view of the action Humour Biographical opening
Directly addresses the reader Universal statement Literary or cultural allusion Immediate insight into character Raises questions in the reader’s mind Creates an atmosphere Interesting dialogue Presents an unusual situation Understatement Story openings bingo Presents an unusual situation Mid-action opening Biographical opening Directly addresses the reader Creates an atmosphere Retrospective view of the action Humour Understatement Detailed description of one item
Story openings bingo Mid-action opening Once upon a time… Shocking statement Creates an atmosphere Humour Immediate insight into character Raises questions in the reader’s mind Retrospective view of the action Understatement Story openings bingo Universal statement Detailed description of one item Directly addresses the reader Literary or cultural allusion Interesting dialogue Creates an atmosphere Biographical opening Shocking statement Once upon a time…
Story openings bingo Detailed description of one item Creates an atmosphere Immediate insight into character Understatement Mid-action opening Literary or cultural allusion Retrospective view of the action Shocking statement Raises questions in the reader’s mind Story openings bingo Understatement Literary or cultural allusion Interesting dialogue Detailed description of one item Once upon a time… Shocking statement Presents an unusual situation Immediate insight into character Raises questions in the reader’s mind
Story openings bingo Mid-action opening Humour Once upon a time… Shocking statement Directly addresses the reader Immediate insight into character Understatement Interesting dialogue Literary or cultural allusion Story openings bingo Once upon a time… Humour Raises questions in the reader’s mind Directly addresses the reader Shocking statement Presents an unusual situation Understatement Interesting dialogue Biographical opening
openings bingo Literary or cultural allusion Mid-action opening Retrospective view of the action Detailed description of one item Shocking statement Creates an atmosphere Immediate insight into character Understatement Humour Story openings bingo Creates an atmosphere Raises questions in the reader’s mind Understatement Interesting dialogue Shocking statement Biographical opening Universal statement Retrospective view of the action Once upon a time…
openings bingo Understatement Retrospective view of the action Humour Immediate insight into character Detailed description of one item Literary or cultural allusion Mid-action opening Once upon a time… Biographical opening Story openings bingo Detailed description of one item Raises questions in the reader’s mind Biographical opening Humour Shocking statement Understatement Universal statement Retrospective view of the action Mid-action opening
Story openings bingo Presents an unusual situation Interesting dialogue Directly addresses the reader Once upon a time… Raises questions in the reader’s mind Mid-action opening Humour Shocking statement Universal statement Story openings bingo Interesting dialogue Shocking statement Understatement Biographical opening Literary or cultural allusion Universal statement Detailed description of one item Retrospective view of the action Mid-action opening
Story openings bingo Presents an unusual situation Once upon a time… Biographical opening Directly addresses the reader Mid-action opening Raises questions in the reader’s mind Interesting dialogue Literary or cultural allusion Shocking statement openings bingo Interesting dialogue Detailed description of one item Presents an unusual situation Understatement Universal statement Retrospective view of the action Humour Literary or cultural allusion Shocking statement
Story openings bingo Shocking statement Humour Directly addresses the reader Mid-action opening Raises questions in the reader’s mind Biographical opening Once upon a time… Presents an unusual situation Understatement Story openings bingo Biographical opening Literary or cultural allusion Once upon a time… Interesting dialogue Creates an atmosphere Raises questions in the reader’s mind Presents an unusual situation Humour Directly addresses the reader
Story openings bingo Retrospective view of the action Literary or cultural allusion Shocking statement Biographical opening Creates an atmosphere Humour Raises questions in the reader’s mind Directly addresses the reader Mid-action opening Story openings bingo Presents an unusual situation Interesting dialogue Biographical opening Directly addresses the reader Understatement Detailed description of one item Humour Mid-action opening Once upon a time…