Shaily is trying her hand at First Line Fiction short stories. Please send her your first line!
Hi friends,
I am going through a writer’s block regarding stories. Please send me the first line for a story, so I can build on it–any thing mundane or crazy would do.
I am picking this idea from Pete, who is by far, my favourite short story writer.
Thanks for the help in advance.
beetleypete 
I hope Shaily had got sent a lot of great ideas. Myself i am only making the first steps of better reading experiences. Writing some stories will come next. Maybe in the next life. Lol xx Michael
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Thanks, Michael. Shaily was sent many first lines.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Done!
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Thanks very much, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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You are welcome, Pete. Best to you.
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There’s no such thing as writer’s block. Muse block, yes. Sit down, listen. But if that doesn’t work.
“Beethoven,” the stranger sitting next to her said. “Abalone.”
“Pardon?”
“Squid,” the stranger stabbed at her coffee cup with a fork.
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Thanks, Phil. I will let Shaily work on that one. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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It happened at last, but not the way she had hoped.
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Thanks for adding your line, Elizabeth.
Best wishes, Pete.
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You’re welcome. A fun challenge.
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Thanks, Elizabeth! It happens so many times in life…just not how we had hoped. 🙂
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Thought you might connect with the line. It came when I was thinking about what I knew about you from your previous posts.
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Such great suggestions! “As she walked towards the stage to pick up her literary award, she wondered what everybody would think if they knew the truth.”
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Thanks for adding your line, Olga. Shaily has a great deal of work on her hands now! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you, Olga!
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Out of pity, I’d begun feeding carrots to the scraggly wild horses that roam the high desert, but once the carrots were all gone, I realized that I was encircled by them.
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A nice ‘Western’ theme, David.
Best wishes, Pete.
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A little kindness can certainly go too far! 🙂 Thanks David!
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The clock said it was bath time, but Sylvia was not up to the struggle this evening. Warmest regards, Theo
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Thanks for adding your line, Theo. Shaily has a lot of suggestions to work with. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks a lot, Theo. I am wondering whether to make it witty or an emotional one. Working on an angle already. Thank you again.
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Even my closest friends didn’t know the real me.
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Thanks, Pete. Shaily has her work cut out for her now!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks for the help, Pete! That one hit quite close to home. But then we all wear masks, don’t we? BTW, I was unable to open your website when I clicked your name. I had to open your gravatar to find it. Have you connected it with your gravatar correctly?
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Pete would never have thought it could ever happen to him…
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Thanks for adding your line, Stevie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you, Stevie.
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Despite his obvious youth, Brianna’s latest boyfriend came across as a bit sinister and very Victorian.
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Thanks for adding your line, Liz.
(If Shaily doesn’t use this one, I will! 🙂 )
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hey Pete, You can use it too. I’m sure your imagination will be completely different from mine.
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You’re welcome, Pete! I’m glad you like it. (“A bit sinister and very Victorian” came from another blogger–only I can’t remember who to properly attribute it.)
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Thanks Liz. This one looks promising!
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You’re welcome–and thank you!
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The misery I felt at the sudden death of my old friend Daniel was utterly at odds with the tingle running through me as his wife appeared at Heathrow arrivals . .
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Thanks for adding that line, Ro.
Cheers, Pete. x
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Nice one! Just the kind I like.
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It was almost dark when I realised that the four of us were suddenly five
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Thanks for adding your line, Sarada.
Best wishes, Pete.
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OMG!
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Thank you, Sarada!
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The death of the goldfish was the last straw.
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Thanks for adding your line, FR.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you, FR!
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Oh, I like this. It’s the best!!
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The doorbell rang with shrill urgency.
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Thanks for adding your line, Marina.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you, Marina!
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Hi Marina, here you go. I hope I did it justice 🙂 https://fishinthetrees.home.blog/2022/10/14/the-bell/
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Tomorrow I am going to kill Caroline, but I can’t decide how to take her life away.
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Thanks for adding your line, Lucinda.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I hope Carolina stays safe until I’m done with her. Thank you!
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I had only just come indoors from the cold and wet, putting the kettle on while I was to change into something warm, yearning for that hot brew, when the phone rang.
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Thanks for adding a line, Gavin.
Cheers, Pete.
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Thanks a ton, Gavin!
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