Narrative writing openings: give the reader a reason to follow

A narrative opening introduces enough character, setting and situation for the reader to follow the story. Action, dialogue or a telling detail can create interest when it leads into the central problem.

Before you start

An opening can be exciting and confusing at the same time. An unexplained explosion, five unnamed characters and a sudden chase give the reader plenty to process but little reason to care. Begin with a situation they can understand.

Choose the central problem before polishing the first line. The three examples here begin the same original story in different ways. Each creates a question that the next paragraph can develop.

Step by step

  1. Know what changes

    Identify the event that disturbs the character's ordinary situation. Begin close enough to that change that the reader can see the story starting. A long account of getting dressed may delay the event you actually want to write about.

  2. Select a useful opening detail

    Try a small action, a spoken line or a detail of the setting. Make it relevant to the problem. A quiet clock can matter in a story about being late; a paragraph about cloud shapes may not.

  3. Orient the reader

    Soon establish who is present, where they are and what is unusual. You can withhold an answer to create curiosity, but the reader should understand the immediate action. Mystery works better when it has a clear question.

  4. Continue the same story

    Write the next few sentences before deciding whether the first line works. The opening introduces an event for the next paragraph to develop. If the following paragraph ignores it, revise the opening or follow through on the event you introduced.

Three original openings: the missing exhibition label

Story plan: a student arrives to prepare a classroom exhibition and finds the label on their project has disappeared.

Action

Noah set the model bridge on the exhibition table, then stopped. The strip of card with his name on it was gone.
Explanation. The action establishes a character, an object and the first problem.

Dialogue

"Is this one yours?" the teacher asked. Noah looked at the unlabelled bridge and felt for the spare card in his pocket.
Explanation. The exchange gives the spoken line a speaker and an immediate situation.

Setting detail

Every project on the exhibition table had a neat white label. Every project except the bridge Noah had carried in with both hands.
Explanation. The setting detail reveals a difference that matters to the character.

Create a question you can answer

The missing label invites practical questions: where did it go, and what will Noah do? That gives the middle something to develop. A vague line such as 'Nothing would ever be the same again' can promise more than a short story has room to deliver.

Name the character and show the first difficulty. To add another concern, let Noah worry about claiming the project in front of others.

Use description with a purpose

You can introduce a setting through what the character notices. Noah notices labels because his is missing. That detail belongs to the action. A catalogue of wall colours, furniture and weather would slow the opening unless those details affect the problem.

Starting with a sound or a line of dialogue is optional. There is no single opening technique that suits every story. Choose the version that gives your particular narrative a clear start.

Revise the first line after drafting

Sometimes the story begins in your second paragraph. Once you know the complete narrative, check whether the first paragraph introduces the problem or delays it. Cut unnecessary background and move useful information to where the reader needs it.

Try it yourself

A character discovers that an object is in the wrong place.

  1. Plan the object and why its location matters.
  2. Write an action opening and a dialogue opening.
  3. Continue each for two sentences.
  4. Choose the version that introduces the problem with less confusion.

Check your draft

Ask a reader who the character is, where the scene happens and what has changed. Repair any missing information.

Common questions

Can I start a story with dialogue?

Yes. Identify the speaker and situation promptly so the line makes sense. Dialogue should begin an interaction relevant to the story, rather than act as an isolated dramatic quote.

Is 'One day' a bad opening?

It can be a clear way to begin. The useful question is what follows: does the opening establish a character and situation, or spend too long on background before anything changes?

Do I need to describe the setting first?

No. You can establish it through action and selected details. Give enough information for the reader to follow the scene, then add details where they matter.

Curriculum connection

These exercises practise planning, organising and revising written ideas. Australian Curriculum English includes creating texts for an audience and grouping related information into paragraphs. TEEL, PEEL and the other planning methods are teaching aids, not compulsory curriculum formats.

QCAA: Australian Curriculum v9.0 English, Year 3

Sources and further reading

These resources provide background on the skill. The examples and practice tasks above are original.

Try an opening in a complete story

Use a narrative prompt in NAPLAN Expert to compare two first lines. Continue the story with the opening that introduces its problem most clearly.

Practise a narrative opening

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Examples and activities are NAPLAN Expert teaching material. Sources checked in October 2026.