No. There's nothing intriguing about this sentence. I realize we will probably see as we read on why this is ordinary detail is significant, but it doesn't stand out as a sentence opener.
No: On its own, nothing remarkable. I'd need her reaction for there to be enough conflict. To tell the truth, this feels like a first sentence that clearly depends on the following sentences, and there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you're confident with the rest of the paragraph.
No - I like where the story is going, so if it was tweaked a little, I would totally say yes! A better choice could be made for the first sentence, though.
No, but I think with a few additions it might work. What I need is some emotional reaction. For example, "Paige stepped off the bus, heart dropping when she saw...." Obviously this is not the best example, but meant to illustrate what I found missing.
No to the actual sentence structure as it is now (someone geting off the bus feels too common to really grab interest), but I think "Kathy’s beat-up Volvo was in the driveway again." might possibly work on its own.
No. Maybe if I had a sense of whether she was happy, sad, scared, whatever of Kathy and her Volvo, but, lacking that, all this is is a girl seeing a car.
Honestly, there's not a whole lot to go off from this one sentence, not really enough for me to give it a yes or a no. But the voice is good, so I'd keep reading to see what this becomes. Also, I wish you'd given us the genre as a bit more to go off of. YA is just an age group.
Qualified yes. I liked the hint that Paige is dismayed to see Kathy's Volvo. I want to know why or what it foreshadows. But the set-up is a little on the mundane side.
No--I don't get the sense the story is beginning in the right place. What is significant about this day over every other day? Starting with the unusual is usually a great place to brainstorm a starting point, rather than stating what is normal, regular, not changed. Just some food for thought (cliche alert!).
No. Seems you could use a stronger way to say the car was there than "there was..." A visceral reaction to seeing it would up the stakes that are missing.
No--Perhaps instead of saying Paige stepped off the bus, which is mundane, show Paige having a reaction to the car in the driveway, so we get a sense of whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. And 'again' is a pivotal word. Perhaps let it stand alone as it's own one word sentence.
Yes,I like the title and neighborhood details like school bus, garage and beat up. Probably could do with a tiny bit of spice like could you squeeze in a reaction from the protag? A sign, a sick feeling, a heartbeat....?
No. There's nothing intriguing about this sentence. I realize we will probably see as we read on why this is ordinary detail is significant, but it doesn't stand out as a sentence opener.
ReplyDeleteNo sorry, nothing interesting grabbed me.
ReplyDeleteNo. There is nothing that intrigues me based on this sentence alone.
ReplyDeleteNo. Nothing really grabbed me, maybe if there was some emotion connected to seeing Kathy's car in the driveway.
ReplyDeleteNo. It's too passive - find a better verb than was. Maybe, Kathy's beat up Volvo littered the driveway.
ReplyDeleteNo: On its own, nothing remarkable. I'd need her reaction for there to be enough conflict. To tell the truth, this feels like a first sentence that clearly depends on the following sentences, and there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you're confident with the rest of the paragraph.
ReplyDeleteNo - I like where the story is going, so if it was tweaked a little, I would totally say yes! A better choice could be made for the first sentence, though.
ReplyDeleteNo. I'm having trouble interpreting if the car in the driveway is good or bad.
ReplyDeleteYes, when combined with the title which I love.
ReplyDeleteNo. It didn't grab me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I like that we aren't sure what the car means yet. It makes me want to read more and find out.
ReplyDeleteNo, but I think with a few additions it might work. What I need is some emotional reaction. For example, "Paige stepped off the bus, heart dropping when she saw...." Obviously this is not the best example, but meant to illustrate what I found missing.
ReplyDeleteNo. I think I need the next sentence. It is a good sentence, I'm just missing...something.
ReplyDeleteNo to the actual sentence structure as it is now (someone geting off the bus feels too common to really grab interest), but I think "Kathy’s beat-up Volvo was in the driveway again." might possibly work on its own.
ReplyDeleteNo, this just feels too boring and everyday. It doesn't give any sense of character either.
ReplyDeleteNo. Maybe if I had a sense of whether she was happy, sad, scared, whatever of Kathy and her Volvo, but, lacking that, all this is is a girl seeing a car.
ReplyDeleteNo
ReplyDeleteNothing really grabbed me, though the writing was fine. This strikes me as maybe a first paragraph book, which some books just are
No (sorry!)
ReplyDeleteNothing grabbed me.
Yes- the fact that Kathy drives a beat-up Volvo says something about her, and I'm curious to know why her being there AGAIN means something.
ReplyDeleteYes?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, there's not a whole lot to go off from this one sentence, not really enough for me to give it a yes or a no. But the voice is good, so I'd keep reading to see what this becomes. Also, I wish you'd given us the genre as a bit more to go off of. YA is just an age group.
Basically everything Christine just said, especially the part about YA just being an age group (rather than a genre). :)
ReplyDeleteYes. 'Again' is the promising word. the next sentence or two would make or break this. First lines are hard!
ReplyDeleteQualified yes. I liked the hint that Paige is dismayed to see Kathy's Volvo. I want to know why or what it foreshadows. But the set-up is a little on the mundane side.
ReplyDeleteNo. Nothing to catch my interest.
ReplyDeleteNo. I need to have a hint of why that beat up volvo matters to care.
ReplyDeleteNo--I don't get the sense the story is beginning in the right place. What is significant about this day over every other day? Starting with the unusual is usually a great place to brainstorm a starting point, rather than stating what is normal, regular, not changed. Just some food for thought (cliche alert!).
ReplyDeleteYes
ReplyDeleteI'm immediately wondering who Kathy is.
I'd like it better if it were shorter, snappier. Maybe: Kathy’s beat-up Volvo sat in the driveway again.
ReplyDeleteNot yet, but you're close.
ReplyDeleteYes. The "again" at the end makes all the difference--makes me want to know why this is a regular thing.
ReplyDeleteNo. I'm on the fence, but leaning toward no. Sorry. It's not intriguing enough.
ReplyDeleteYes. It was close, but like Cynthiarox66 said, the "again" is what pushes it over.
ReplyDeleteNo. Seems you could use a stronger way to say the car was there than "there was..." A visceral reaction to seeing it would up the stakes that are missing.
ReplyDeleteAlmost. I like that the Volvo was beat-up, gives us an immediate sense of Kathy. But there is no reaction or sense of Paige in this sentence.
ReplyDeleteNo. I didn't grab my attention.
ReplyDeleteNo--Perhaps instead of saying Paige stepped off the bus, which is mundane, show Paige having a reaction to the car in the driveway, so we get a sense of whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. And 'again' is a pivotal word. Perhaps let it stand alone as it's own one word sentence.
ReplyDeleteNo - it seems to be setting the scene, as far as I know as a reader at this point, there's nothing significant about the Volvo being in the drive.
ReplyDeleteYes,I like the title and neighborhood details like school bus, garage and beat up. Probably could do with a tiny bit of spice like could you squeeze in a reaction from the protag? A sign, a sick feeling, a heartbeat....?
ReplyDelete