The Key to Good Writing
When this key snapped off in the door leading from our garage into the house, it thankfully was a minor incident, hardly worth writing about. Unless, that is, you use your imagination and picture one of the infinite number of scenarios that could accompany such an occurrence.
Of course, merely picturing something is hardly edifying or entertaining to the rest of us. On the other hand, if you were to, say, give us an opening sentence in a novel that had a broken key as one of its major plot elements...well, now we're getting somewhere.
What say ye?
Update: OK, here's my offering...
Mis_nomer, it's actually a scan. I decided it would be easier to do put the key on the flatbed instead of hauling out the camera and then downloading a photo. And, of course, Photoshopping occurred. But, thanks anyway. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at December 18, 2006 06:51 AM"It was a dark and stormy night on the fjord, when Pieter came home to a darkened lighthouse with the parcel and a heavy ring of keys…"
Oh wait...sorry Eric...I just noticed the title of this post had the word "Good" in it...
Oh boy! At last a game I can play.
"It occurred to Grainger, as the head of the key broke off in his hand, that just because the key slid into the deadbolt, that didn’t mean it was the right key to unlock it, but he took comfort in the fact that unless the other key holders were carrying locksmithing tools, no one else was getting in either."
Posted by: Deborah at December 18, 2006 10:51 AM"I want to play! I want to play!" she screamed.
There was a flurry of activity behind the locked door, but no one acknowledged her urgent knocks or shouts. Desperation was thick in her voice as she cried once again to whoever might hear her pleas.
"I WANT TO PLAY!!"
Then...
A thought.
The key. Of course!
She fumbled for what seemed an eternity until the gold ring finally emerged triumphantly from her handbag. Once, twice she attempted to hit the target. And, finally....success. The lock tumbled hesitantly beneath her insistent turns. And then it happened. SNAP! The head of the key skipped across the floor as it broke free from her hand.
And the game behind the still-locked door continued...
Mark, funny, but I thought you'd be shorter. Anyway, "goodness" is in the eye of the beholder, and any opening sentence containing both fjord and Pieter is bound to have some redeeming value.
Deborah, it's the mystery of the "other keyholders" and the implied competition that makes your sentence compelling.
Sherry, I especially like the triumphant emergence of the gold ring. And we'll try not to make too much noise as we continue the game on the other side of the door; don't be too jealous...we're probably not having as much fun as you think we are. Probably.
Posted by: Eric at December 18, 2006 03:46 PMYour "intended" victim is a winner! "Broken Key" could be the start of a whole new genre.
Posted by: Deborah at December 19, 2006 08:06 AMAbout the publisher
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I say... that photo's fantastic!
Posted by: mis_nomer at December 18, 2006 01:50 AM