Let's start at the begining, crafting an opening sentance

Crafting an effective, eye catching opening sentence is an invaluable skill in the arsenal of any writer.  Opening sentences can hook your reader or turn him away.  Beyond this, an opening sentence has the ability to bring attention to major themes, characters or setting.  Remember, this is the starting point in the eyes of the reader and if done well, the opening sentence has the potential to be the most memorable line in your entire work.

Today's Creative Writing Prompt:  Follow the link and look over the list of famous opening sentences, see what about them you like, what intrigues you, and pick three.  Once you have them, why don't you write them down on a pad of paper (or if you prefer you can type them into a word processor) in order to better become acquainted with words that inspire you, with their flow, their rhythm.

Now that you have three, try to identify three things that you specifically like about each sentence, for example the way "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" communicates conflict between social classes using only 12 words, or how its use of repetition forces the reader to reflect upon what is different before and after the comma (the words "best" and "worst").

Once you have your three aspects defined, use them to create your one opening lines modeled after the ones you picked paying special attention to what attracts you.

Remember, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.   Hunter S. Thompson taught himself to write by copying the entirety of The Great Gatsby by hand to become acquainted with how the best of language should sound.