Episode 34

Chase Replogle

There's No Sentence Like The First Sentence

Writers pay attention to the first sentence. Writing great first sentences is an art worth practicing.
Writers pay attention to the first sentence. Writing great first sentences is an art worth practicing.
00:00 23:02

Show Notes:34. Chase Replogle — There’s No Sentence Like The First Sentence

I’m obsessed with the opening sentences of books. Working on this episode, I stood in front of my bookshelves for over 30 minutes opening book after book to reread the opening lines.

By no means does my interest in the topic mean I have mastered its execution, but for the sake of helping you learn to appreciate the masters, I want to work through some common approaches. It’s not exhaustive but here are six possible ways to approach first sentences.

  1. 1. Surprise!
  2. 2. The Dramatic
  3. 3. A Bit of Philosophy
  4. 4. With Voice
  5. 5. A Story
  6. 6. Detail, Detail, Detail

There are plenty of other ways to begin. What matters most is not that you choose from my list. What matters is that you take the time to make the most of your start.

Be intentional. How can you help a reader connect from the first words? Try different openings. Rearrange paragraphs, moving unexpected things to the front. Add detail. Drop a quote. Surprise your reader.

But more than anything else, I hope I’ve peeked your interest in gathering your own list of best opening sentences. I hope you’ll pay more attention to the opening sentences of the books you love.

Host: Chase Replogle

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  • Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
  • Fall after school sunset cruise.
  • My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
  • It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
  • Link in Bio This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
  • For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
  • More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
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Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
1 month ago
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Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
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Follow
Fall after school sunset cruise.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
2/8
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
3/8
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
4/8
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
5/8
Link in Bio This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
Link in Bio This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
6/8
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
7/8
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
@thepastorwriter
@thepastorwriter
•
Follow
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
8/8

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