You could start with a thought or a feeling. Say, 'I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I entered the old, decrepit house.' This gives the reader an insight into your emotional state from the start. And also, starting with a dialogue that you are part of can be interesting. 'I said, "I'm not going in there," but my friends just laughed and pushed me forward.'
One way is to start with a strong statement or thought from the narrator. For example, 'I knew from the moment I saw her that my life would never be the same.' This immediately grabs the reader's attention and gives a sense of the narrator's voice and perspective.
One way is to start with a strong statement about yourself or your situation. For example, 'I knew from the moment I woke up that this day was going to be different.' Another way could be to begin with a description of your immediate surroundings as you experience them. 'I opened my eyes to a room filled with an eerie silence, the only sound being the faint ticking of the old clock on the wall.'
Start with a sudden, unexpected event. Like a car crash in the middle of a desolate road at midnight. The protagonist is dazed and confused, and then they start to notice strange things around them. It gets the reader's heart racing immediately.
You could start with an exciting action scene to hook the readers right away.
One way could be to describe an eerie setting. For example, 'The old, dilapidated house stood at the end of the overgrown lane, its broken windows like empty eye sockets staring into the darkness.'
Use a story that creates suspense. For instance, start with a story about a mystery that was finally solved. This hooks the audience as they'll be eager to know how it all unfolded. It makes them listen attentively to your speech to find out more.
Another way is to start with a setting that is inherently spooky. For example, an old, abandoned asylum with peeling paint and broken windows. As the reader imagines this desolate place, it creates a perfect backdrop for the horror to unfold. You can then introduce the main character arriving at this place, perhaps on a dare or because they have no other choice, and the reader is already primed for something terrifying to happen.
One way could be to start with a captivating opening line that hooks the reader's attention right away.
You could start with a captivating action or a mysterious statement. Something like, 'The door creaked open in the dead of night.' That grabs the reader's attention right away.
Begin with a question. For instance, 'Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world without colors?'