Where should we begin?

Sabyn Javeri on writing strong openings

by Eshna Sharma

What makes a good opening for a novel or a short story? Moreover, why must we write a good opening?

These are questions that Sabyn Javeri, Senior Lecturer of Writing at New York University, Abu Dhabi, answered eloquently in an hour-long masterclass with us, the mentees of Write Beyond Borders.

Sabyn, who is not only an accomplished author but also a wonderful teacher, commenced the class with some reflections from her personal journey into the world of writing, sharing witticisms and insights from her experience of writing in the early 2000s and contrasting the modern “Age of Submittable” with the time when editors were still willing to accompany their rejection letters with kind feedback. It was this very feedback—Sabyn admits—that allowed her to finally get a piece published after a few months of rewriting and back and forth with the editor.

In a masterclass that held our attention from beginning to end, Sabyn illustrated the importance of good openings and the various small details that go into writing a commendable opening line.

“You must think of openings as a door, a door that must offer to the reader a glimpse into the world of your story. What lies behind it? What is heard behind it?  Who opens it?” Sabyn asked us. These are important questions to consider when writing the opening lines of any piece of fiction—whether a short story or a novel. Sabyn’s session familiarised us with the various nuances and subtleties of writing.

Moreover, she also discussed at length other interesting aspects, such as the three-chapter rule, stressing the importance of capturing the interest of the reader within the frame of three chapters.

What made the session particularly enjoyable was the rich list of reading recommendations that Sabyn offered us—by constantly referring to openings from various pieces of literature and offering examples throughout, she gave us a veritable goldmine of sources we can go back and refer to whilst writing.

The session became interactive towards the end, as we got the wonderful opportunity to discuss our writing projects—some of us are knee-deep in the process of writing full-length novels (how exciting!)— with Sabyn, who generously offered practical advice and encouragement. Many of us even decided to revisit our own pieces of writing and engage with them critically, with Sabyn’s advice in mind.

An enriching and engaging session overall, the masterclass was thoroughly enjoyed by all.