What’s an Opening to Do?
Albert Liau explores how the openings of stories function and proposes a flexible taxonomy of story openings based on narrative technique and effect. Openings are more than hooks, he says, they are orienting tools that ground readers in who, where, and when the story is, while often establishing tone, voice, theme, or tension. A successful opening doesn’t just grab attention—it prepares the reader to experience the story on its own terms.