My old history professor dropped a truth bomb about writing introductions

I was stuck on the first paragraph of a short story for like two weeks. Every version felt fake or too dramatic. Finally I called up my professor from community college, Dr. Hendricks, who I hadn't talked to in maybe 5 years. He listened to my plot idea and asked one question: 'What's the one thing your character would never tell anyone?' Then he said I should start the story with that exact secret whispered to someone. He said introductions are just promises you break later anyway, which felt weird at first. But I rewrote it that night with the character admitting she stole her sister's prom dress, and suddenly the whole rest of the story clicked into place. Has anyone else had a teacher or old mentor give you feedback that totally flipped how you approach a first draft?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew_thomas93d ago

Wait, did you say you hadn't talked to that professor in FIVE YEARS and he just dropped that on you like it was nothing? That's wild. I've got old teachers I think about calling but I always chicken out, figured they'd be too busy or wouldn't even remember me. Sounds like Hendricks is the real deal though, giving you something that specific and useful after all that time. That secret thing is actually pretty brilliant, I've never thought of starting a story like that but it makes total sense when you say it out loud.

richard_kelly543d ago

Honestly @drew_thomas9, that's not quite the story though.