The Original StorytellerSample

IN THE BEGINNING

BIG IDEA: A story’s beginning sets the tone for everything that’s about to happen.

In 1830, Edward George Bulwer-Lytton wrote the novel Paul Clifford. Almost 200 years later, the book is largely unknown, except for its opening sentence:

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

Critics point to this opening line as the worst introduction to any novel ever. The sentence is long-winded, uninspiring, confusing and rambling. It’s so hilariously bad, there’s even an annual writing contest in its (dis)honor called the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.

If Paul Clifford gives us an example of a terrible beginning, then the Bible serves as its contrast. Read the first sentence from the book of Genesis; you may even have it memorized. It’s that simple, impactful and memorable.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

In ten words, this sentence sums up the entire first chapter of Genesis. That’s the power of a good beginning and the essence of effective storytelling. Always begin by drawing in the audience.

Almost every story begins in medias res—a Latin term meaning in the middle. This is because almost all stories have something that comes before. The opening line places us in the midst of a situation that will be explained during the course of the story.

The exceptions to this rule are Creation Myths. Every culture and religion has some explanation for how the world started. And nothing comes before the beginning of the world.

These traditional stories helped ancient societies make sense of their world. These historic peoples understood the importance of story in helping explain the unknown.

A common theme in these myths is an all-powerful being who establishes the world from nothingness and creates order from chaos. It’s not a coincidence that folklore from across the globe shares so much in common with the Biblical creation.

That’s because each of these stories shares an origin in the same true story. God’s creation of the Heaven and Earth had an influence on every part of mankind. This impact came even before the story was recorded in the scriptures.

The beginning of the Bible is the beginning. The Bible’s origins come from the creator Himself. No one and nothing was around to witness the Earth’s opening act except for Him. Our Heavenly Father tells the story of how He shaped the Universe from nothing.

Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the Biblical story. This first book introduces several themes, including sin, redemption and man’s relationship with our Creator. These motifs play an important role within God’s narrative.

Memorable beginnings are crucial for any meaningful story. A story’s opening should draw the reader in, while making promises about what to expect later on. Without a good start, even the best stories fail to launch.

PRAYER

God, thank You for starting off the story of life with an amazing beginning. Your creation of the world sets the stage for the greatest story ever told—Your story.

It’s hard to believe that we can have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Help us to better understand the importance of this beginning. Show us how it plays into our lives and the stories we tell. Amen.

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