An excellent piece HERE in Granta by Jonathan Lee: How to Start a Novel.
The first sentence of a novel is an entryway. An open door. But how many
doors have you seen in your life that you’ve actually wanted to walk
through? It takes energy and trust to cross a threshold. You may have to
take your shoes off. Stop fidgeting with your phone. Prepare. Be alert.
Some clumsy fool with a baseball bat could be waiting on the other
side, ready to clobber you to death with his unsubtle story.
