The variety of the story beginning — 57 and counting

start with something & keep writing

What better post to discuss beginnings on than In the beginning….  Where to start the story?

1. Start with any word that comes to mind — the beginning is just that: a place to start.
2. a character talking to another character
3. the character talking to the reader
4. the character talking to the self
5. start when things went wrong
6. start when things finally went right
7. begin with the ending
8. begin with an argument
9. describe an image
10. the main character meets someone new
11. a favor is called in
12. start with an article of clothing and have your character put it on
13. describe what the main character sees
14. describe a smell
15. start with a cup of coffee, a glass of juice, a piece of toast
16. have him place groceries down before the cashier
17. describe everything but the visual in a scene
18. start with a woman crying
19. start with a man laughing
20. a fretful child
21. blow something up
22. knock something over
23. land a plane with difficulty
24. have the car skidding out of control
25. drive around the circle of a town’s central square looking for a parking spot
26. stand up from being knocked down
27. have the cat licking its paw seated next to a severed hand
28. roll up a garden hose, water spraying everywhere
29. wake up to the sound of a dog barking 
30. have him pack his clothes into a grocery bag
31. the family scrambles to exit a house when a car pulls into the driveway because it is not their house
32. pull a ticket from beneath the windshield wiper
33. a stack of papers on the desk,and an empty out-box
34. run out of staples and cry about it
35. the chair leg breaks
36. pick at a sore
37. dye her hair another color and put on clothes that don’t quite fit
38. a pipe burst in freezing weather
39. the car breaks down 500 feet from the entrance to the drive way
40. the car loses power while your character is driving down the highway
41. lock their keys in the car
42. the character checks every day under the car for rattlesnakes.  One day one is coiled beneath.
43. step in a mudpuddle
44. step off the curb and be struck by a bicyclist
45. set a stone in a cobbled walkway
46. draw money from the bank
47. the loan goes through
48. go looking for a new car
49. quit his job
50. walk away
51. run away from something dangerous
52. run away from someone who loves her
53. break a promise 
54. bury a pet
55. talk to God, tell him how things are going since last the two talked
56. ask your character a question and write down what she answers
57. have your character describe someone he doesn’t like