Bill Clinton's Boring First Line | Bad Writing 

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"Bad writing only communicates. Good writing gives us an answer and makes us ask more questions."

"I was born on the outskirts of hope..." Memorable!

I've always picked the books by the synopsis on the back. I'm gonna try the first line test.

My favourite opening line, I can't remember where I read it or even heard where it was from, but my favourite opening line is: 'The last man on earth is sitting alone in his room, when suddenly there is a knock at the door!' Its just so brilliant and it opens to literal door to any genre, anyone may wish to explore. It's amazing.

Now I wanna read the other book!! 😄😄

Scratching my head. Seems time to rewrite some of my opening first lines!

I look forward to getting to a book store and reading some first lines.

Currently reading As a Decade Fades and thoroughly enjoying it.

Points well taken. I'm still at 3:13 on your video. Stopped. Went to Amazon and ordered Mothers and Other Strangers...........now back to your video.

This was the first You Tube video that ever taught me something in less than 5 minutes. It's a good thing I was looking for a horrid political video because when I signed into You Tube the first thing that popped up was your Bad Writing video. I have to write a blog for my company and now I know why most of the blogs there are boring with a capital B. Bad first sentences. I am going to explore your teachings more. Definitely. But now, back to searching for that horrid political You Tube Video.

Love watching all your videos

Thank you for this!

What a great video, Joshua! It compels me to explore that first sentence of a book!

The 2nd book is way more vulnerable and authentic.

Gooood info! Thank you 🙏🏼

Simple, yet powerful tip. Can’t wait to put into practice! Thanks, JFM 👏🏽.

Loved every bit of this.

The pretentious tone of this video is such a turn off. Your opinion is valid and I support your right to express it, but perhaps try doing so with a little humility. Next time maybe consider comparing works of similar genre, as fiction writers can certainly take liberties non-fiction autobiographical authors cannot.

Awesome video! Thanks, Josh! 👍

The question is how to get from bad to good. That’s the challenge.

Thank you!

With a background in formal/scientific writing, my biggest struggle is to avoid boring/factual writing that isn't compelling for readers. In fact, the first book that I wrote I struggled to not insert references (yes, it was that bad). Needless to say, I've improved "slightly" since then... but I still have a long way to go. Thanks for this video.

What a great teaching in this video!

Nice video!

Thanks creating this video and sharing your insights and tips. A great exercise or rather habit for me to start, the reading of first lines.

I totally agree. Bill's first line doesn't really touch me.

Excellent example.

Just write. Write badly. Then write better. In her book, Seven Drafts, Allison Willaims calls draft one the Vomit Draft. Just get it OUT of you and you'll begin to feel better.

Bad writing usually holds me back from publishing

thumbs up

starter like

From now on, I’ll try to read only those books that have great first lines.

I have added my email address to your site several times to download your 15 ways to write better and I still have not received it. There seems to be a glitch and there is no way to reach out to you but here.

Like it

Bill should have started his book with "My first taste of power came when the wretched stench of lifeless bodies filled my airways"

Thank you!

Your writing makes me want to "read" more. I'm currently listening to one of your audio books. 🙂 Thank you for sharing the free tips! ❤️

Calculus books definitely give me emotion. Dread.

It's interesting, because the ghost writer probably wasn't even compelled to make a good book for Clinton -- because of the subject's fame, there is the luxury of knowing people will read the book no matter how uninspired :/

So true Josh! I want to sit down and keep gazing at the picture a great first sentence paints. (Patreon supporter)

I enjoyed the video. I want to improve my writing skills. I've just returned from two months of hiking on the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, and I want to improve my writing skills so that I can write about my experience.

Interesting tips about good writing. I agree what you say the first sentence should be interesting, and should instantly grab your attention and want you to read it.

Top man JFM thank you. After the car spun three times in the air and landed six feet from Gordon Athol's table, he supped the last of his Americano, got up, and walked towards the subway. Dont know if its ok to post this here. A potential opening line i wrote yesterday. 🙏

What a great explanation, motivation, and encouragement toward great writing! I can see showing this to my children as they develop in their writing!

Perhaps the first line of Bill Clinton's memoir is intended to be boring, to communicate his humble and unextraordinary beginnings. The reader already knows that he becomes president and so knows there is more to the story. Yes, if a reader read that line without knowing the author of the book, they might instantly lose interest, but in this case they do know the author, which is why they picked the book.

The Cliton title is rather narcissistic isnt it? In addition to his face plastered all over the cover.....

Your video made me want to learn more from you about writing! I never understood why some first sentences really grab me and others leave me flat. I was also inspired to read more of "Mothers and Other Strangers" because the first sentences were so compelling. I just checked it out from the library! Thank you! I look forward to more from you.

Great examples JFM. Love the start of this series!

Awesome, JFM! Tell me more!

You are so right!! Can you recommend some more authors of fiction books? Thank you!!!

Oh wow. I've never would've thought to read the first line in a book. I always read the back. I will start doing this from now on. Thanks for sharing this tip.

I will apply this when I get back to writing my story and I'm going to download this book. Thanks Joshua.

I'm a student of How to Write Better. It helped me tremendously and was worth the investment.

We do that with greeting cards, will now start this at the book store. What fun!

Thank you for your generosity. I'm excited to write better.

The best writing comes from the heart not the head

That was as phenomenal 👏