For our last look at Dr. J. Berg Esenwein’s 1908 book Writing the Short-Story: A Practical Handbook on the Rise, Structure, Writing and Sale of the Modern Short-Story, let’s see what he has to say about how it all should begin.

This is what he advised a century ago:

In opening your story:

Don’t be pert.

Don’t be lengthy.

Don’t be general.

Don’t be garrulous.

Don’t be roundabout.

Don’t describe when you can suggest.

Don’t be heavy, pompous, or too serious.

Don’t tell the reader what he can imagine.

Don’t be content with a commonplace opening.

Don’t think that sincere simplicity is commonplace.

Don’t let the introduction weight down or overshadow the story.

Don’t strike one note in the introduction and another in the body of the story.

Don’t touch anything which is not a live wire leading direct to the real centre of the story.