I am inspired today by a post from a few days ago from litbitsandpieces.com.
Well, I could just start my life story with, "I was born in Seattle in 1953." That's not very interesting though.
How about,"Music has been an important part of my life since before I could talk." Better. That implies that my autobiography will be focused on music in my life, that music is maybe the most important thing in my life. That would not be entirely false. Music is very important to me and has been part of my life since before I can remember. In fact, my parents told me that as a baby I would sing in my crib in the morning instead of crying like a normal child.
But music isn't the only thing in my life. Hmm.
"As soon as I learned to read, stories filled my life." My mother would scold me for reading without sufficient light, telling me I would ruin my eyes. She might have been correct: I began wearing glasses in 4th grade. I was also one of those students who read in class, oblivious to what else was going on.
Checking out famous first lines:
"It was a dark and stormy night." Probably not, I was born in August in Seattle in the afternoon.
"Where now? Who now? When now?" (Samuel Beckett) Intriguing, might work.
"All this happened, more or less." (Slaughterhouse-Five) I like this one. I think that's perfect for an autobiography, since memory is so unreliable. I wrote a post about memory earlier in this challenge: https://sherlockesque.blogspot.com/2024/03/fond-thoughts-about-smells-and-memories.html
"I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens, each time each time it was a different story." (Ethan Frome) Again about memory, and it is true that what you know about your earliest years comes from other people's memories.
Last one:
"A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead." (The End of the Affair, Graham Greene) I like this quote, though I don't think that it works for a life story.
I'm not going to steal someone else's first line, but it's been fun looking at them. I think I'll go back to my music statement.
It's interesting to think about first lines and how they grab us (or don't). Having some famous models to consider and learn from seems wise. I wonder which kind of intro will eventually prove to be most fitting.
ReplyDeleteHow many people in book stores check out the first lines of a novel before choosing it? Or do people read the dust jacket or the back cover instead?
Delete"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." First lines are so fascinating. They hold such power over us.
ReplyDeleteYes! Another well-known first line: Pride and Prejudice: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
DeleteYou've shared some great first lines. I'm a big Vonnegut fan so that one stands out for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Apparently there are awards, or at least public recognition of the best first lines of novels each year.
DeleteThis is an amazing slice. What a cool thing to think about while also being incredibly difficult to pinpoint a first line. I love how each one taught us a little bit about you with just a few short words. Nicely done
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was fun to write.
DeleteThis is such an interesting prompt. How would I start my autobiography? I enjoyed your beginnings about music and reading. I can totally relate to the reading one. This is a prompt I will tuck away for a day I need a topic for my Slice.
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun post to write!
DeleteWhat a fun thing to contemplate. Do you start at the beginning, or choose something memorable from later on to draw readers in before skipping back to the beginning? I love the lyricism of this version that you wrote: ""As soon as I learned to read, stories filled my life." It was fun to read your commentary of the already used first lines, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I don't know that I will write my autobiography, but it's fun to think about.
DeleteI love this idea of finding a beginning sentence for your autobiography. That first sentence is so important because it hooks the reader at the start. As a fan of Snoopy, I’m drawn to, “It was a dark and stormy night.” arjeha
ReplyDeleteSo, would your dark and stormy night be when yoou were born or some later time in your life? No one says you have to write in chronological order.
DeleteSee? See how hard it is?? I love the prompt but the possibilities are overwhelming. Love the famous opening lines you shared as examples. I agree with your thinking that you should return to the music theme - but what I love best is the image of you singing in your crib instead of crying. That's indelible! So glad you had fun with this :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, it is hard!
DeleteI love the way you played with famous first lines, but I love your music statement. Fun to read that you were born in Seattle.
ReplyDeleteThank you. This was a fun one to write.
Delete