The most important job of the introduction is to get the reader's attention and make them want to read the rest of your story.
Introductions – Good Ways to Begin
1. Question: What’s the fastest I’ve ever flown? I don’t think there’s a tool that could measure it.
2. Quote (Dialogue): “Mom, the school bus is here!” I shouted. I was always running late.
3. Action: Manuel and Maria ran as fast as they could. Surely they could reach their house before the funnel scooped them up.
4. Onomatoepia (sound word): Bzzzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz! The killer bees were buzzing all around me!
5. Command: Call me Ishmael.
6. A Vivid Description – The sun was warm on my back as I raced toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I nestled into the worn leather seat, I was greeted by the friendly voices of other excited children. The look on my face was one of confidence and contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down the road and I was on my way into one of the worst days of my life.
7. Make the reader wonder: It was a bright, cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
Every summer Lin Kong returned to Goose Village to divorce his wife, Shuyu. — Ha Jin, Waiting
Off Limits!!!
NEVER begin a story with...
1. Hi, my name is….
2. I am going to tell you…
3. Once upon a time…
4. This is my story about…
5. I am writing this…
Read some great introductions here.