With all the discussion of first sentences and paragraphs perhaps we can have a little fun?
I began a recent response with "Like an ex-smoker I can have a distate for something I have escaped from - but there is still the occasional craving..."
I winder whether anyone would like to play with this sentence as the start of a paragraph to share here? Probably keeping preety close to the original but maybe ameding tense or viewpoint?
Anyone want to have a go?
David
Brilliant Constantin! I love that :-)
So Damien? Are you going to give it a try?
David
Great idea, David. This is great practice for writing flash fiction. Here is my paragraph:
Like an ex-smoker I can have a distaste for something I have escaped from - but there is still the occasional craving. In the ashtray the cigarette consumes itself. I let it burn and slowly inhale. The smoke doesn't rise immediately, it twists around an invisible obstacle and sometimes it even sinks and touches the ring she has placed on the table. Then, it ascents in endlessly undulating movements creating graceful shapes. If my life should resemble smoke, I would at least like it to be as be as beautiful as that. Not for the pleasure of a mortal, but in the hope that it would momentarily enchant an eye looking from above. There can be beauty even in a wasted life. However painful and unbearable, you should never allow it to be ugly as well. What’s left of the cigarette is the part she kept between her lips. It’s slightly pink and it burns differently. I open my mouth and inhale this last kiss, stolen and distilled, and it spreads inside me like a fast growing cancer.
sounds fun...