The first paragraph of a book should be inviting and yet give the reader a sense of the theme ahead. It should be catchy and provoke thought. Most of all, it should invite the reader to keep reading.
If I pick up a book and find myself confused, bored, or talked down to in the first paragraph, it is unlikely I will continuing reading. I find it very annoying when authors demonstrate themselves as writing elitists in the first paragraph, forgetting that they are trying to impress the average reader, not their university professor. Does that mean that everyday readers want books dumbed down? Of course not. However, they also want a comfortable read that is smooth and welcoming.
As an example, this is the first paragraph of my book, We're All Criminals.
Freedom is the trademark of humanity. To those in a prison cell, confined to a hospital bed, or trapped in their figurative coffin, there is nothing more beautiful than freedom. We’re all animals, and as such, it’s in our nature to claw our way out of any trap we feel locked in because the light of freedom shines much brighter after it has been lost. We will fight for it. We will beg for it, and if we have to, we will kill for it.
No one appreciated freedom more than Jorge Hernandez. As a former Mexican cartel leader, he had managed to escape both death and prison, something he recognized as a rarity for his kind. Now in his 40s, he was blessed with a beautiful family and lived in Canada. As the CEO of Our House of Pot, Jorge had the monopoly in the legalized marijuana industry. To the outside world, he was a charismatic Mexican-Canadian businessman who is relatable and brought jobs to communities throughout the country. But to those who knew him, Jorge Hernandez was one of the most dangerous men in the world and did whatever he needed to get what he wanted.
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