john_amend_all | First lines meme (Reply)

First Lines meme (from lost_spook):

Post the first lines of all your fics.
What does this say about you?

What? All my pretty chickens and their dam? That's an awful lot of drabbles. Or maybe a lot of awful drabbles. Still, I'll hyperlink everything so this post has some use as a masterlist of my fanfic to date.

The main thing I noticed is that works in the drabble class tend to have positively sesquipedalian first sentences, where I attempt to set the whole scene in one go. So do quite a few of the longer ones, even when I'm not pretending to be Colin Dexter.

I also noticed I'm too fond of the word 'glared'. Or I'm conflating Baron Wulfenbach with the Duke of Wellington.

'Doctor Who' stories and crossovers

A Fair Cop: Captain Archer burst into the sickbay, with the Doctor and Jamie close behind him.
A Battle Won: The Redcoats were retreating.
A Name of Ill Omen: Dorothee dropped out of the Time Vortex, landing on her back; fortunately the impact didn't seem hard enough to damage her vortex manipulator.
A Simple 'Thank You' Would Have Been Enough: [Scene: A salt marsh.
Absolutely Delightful: Charles Prentiss leaned back in his chair.
Absolutely Delightful II: Ministerial Intervention: "Charles, are you sure this is safe?"
"All right - I'll take you to...": When Peri emerged from the TARDIS, everything seemed perfect.
An Escape Plan: The ragtag band of rebels took up positions around the entrances to the War Zones control room.
Another Day, Another Diversion: "Killing me won't do the slightest good."
The Arrest: "...Ruthless, cold-blooded, charming and utterly amoral," finished the Doctor.
Attention to Detail: "Will you stop pacing, Zoë?
Bringer of Darkness: Lord Vader advanced slowly, his lightsaber pointed at the oddly dressed stranger.
By The Way...: Considerable turmoil took place in Piccadilly today when a police telephone box was found to be bearing a sign reading "COMPANION WANTED: AUDITION HERE".
Clueless: "I tell you, it's a Shift!
Constraints: Zoë had to hand it to Jo.
Consequences: "Are you lassies feeling all right today?" Jamie asked with concern.
Close to the Wind: The Doctor waved the newspaper in Rose's face.
Cultural Divide: "The corpse was found by the steward the next morning," Adeola continued.
Did you think these were just decorations?: "Just a hint, Rose," the Doctor said.
Extra-Curricular Activity: In its day, Gateway East had been the busiest monorail station in the City.
Flying Visit: Though the Doctor crept into Torchwood Three as stealthily as he could, he didn't go undetected.
Genius and Geniality [The original]: Plucking up her courage in both hands, Victoria swept into the assembly rooms, Zoë close behind.
Genius and Geniality: The Verisimilitude of Videos: Back in her room aboard the TARDIS, Victoria felt she was properly relaxing for the first time in days.
Hero's Tomb: Rose was close enough to the Doctor to feel him stiffen with shock.
I Will Taunt You Again: The Doctor dodged past the creature that had once been Professor Lazarus, and made it through the double doors.
If All Else Fails: The Minister lowered his sonic screwdriver.
... In Boots: "Why can't I play the princess?" Rose demanded.
It's That Minister Again: "So, you're sure you tracked down all of the Minister's duplicates?" asked Dorothee.
Mayhap You'll Never See Such Another: Balmoral Drive is a pleasant, tree-lined street in North Oxford, its massive Victorian houses appearing (at first sight) to present a stolid indifference to time and change.
Midsummer Dreams: Jamie woke with a gasp, to see his wife frowning down at him.
Ministerial Infraction: The three of them looked up once more at the grim fortress.
Near Allied: Baron Wulfenbach glared down at the Doctor.
Nipped in the Bud: The Master stared in disbelief at the election results.
One Good Turn: "It's very kind of you to give us a lift," Zoë said.
On Creatures That Do People Harm: "You know," Samantha said.
Over-Egging it: "So, Doctor," sneered Davros.
Pop the Question: The Doctor glanced across the checkerboard floor at the distant shape of the TARDIS, and then at Rose.
Seasonal Decoration: Leo Ryan looked up at the bunch of greenery hanging from the ceiling.
Should be Easy: Inspectors Tyler and Hunt were, as usual, almost at each other's throats when WDC Cartwright burst in with the vital clue.
The Space Pirate: Wheezing and groaning, the TARDIS materialised in an airlock aboard HMS Newport Pagnell.
That's Going To Cause Some Confusion: Lord Wellington glared at the Doctor and Lucie.
The Tangled Web: Martha bent over the unconscious bodies of the pilot and copilot.
Tall, Dark and Handsome: Dalek Sec was practising his speech before a full-length mirror.
Unexpected Visitation: Even though it was nearly midnight, Sarah knew that neither she nor the other journos would be leaving the Butler Institute until they'd got some answers.
Who Dunnit?: "It's a good thing you're here, Doctor," Professor Nebulous said.
Who Would Keep a Secret: "Jeremy, whose secrets were a little too open this week?"
The Very Secret Diary Of Zoë Heriot: Day 2.
["Day 2" has no verb, so isn't a proper sentence. If I take up to the next full stop, that gives Day 2. Still the cleverest. which isn't a proper sentence either...]
Weapons Test: To the guards at the door of the Ministry of Magic, the sight of approaching Daleks was so familiar that they just yawned.
We'd All Perish: "Augustus Caesar," the Doctor expounded to Peri, as the Emperor and his retinue made their way slowly through the crowd.

This Time Round stories

Alternative Possibilities: It had puzzled Liz that the Brigadier had not only asked her to dance with him, but had insisted on walking her home as well.
A Casting Conceit: "Lady Catherine?" Wesley asked in disbelief.
Casting and Contrariness: "It's very good of you to take a look at our storybook," said Izzy.
Aggravating Discord: Two thin khaki lines of UNIT troops held the screaming mob at bay, clearing a narrow path for Rose.
Crazy Cathy and the Numbskulls of Northanger: She resolved, therefore, on making her next approach to the forbidden door alone.
Department of Anti-Crime: "I'd like a word with you," the Traken Master hissed.
Easier Said: Dodo was still stoking her brazier with copies of Who Killed Kennedy, but he could see her heart wasn't in it.
Than Done: Tegan put her hands on her hips. "I'm not doing it!"
Excluded Middle: Vicki stumbled down the Round's staircase, yawning.
Fool Me Once: Victoria moistened her handkerchief, and gently applied it to Gwendoline's eye.
Genius and Geniality: The Difficulties of Dialect: "Do I even want to know?" Peri asked.
Genius and Geniality: The Protection of Plot: "You are aware, I take it, of the Protectors of the Plot Continuum?" Victoria asked.
Genius and Geniality: The Transience of Triumph: Zoë paused, sipped her tea, and looked at the expressions of disbelief on the other Angels' faces.
Genius and Geniality: The Subterfuge of Substitution: "What is the meaning of this?" Charles Dickens demanded, as Victoria frogmarched him out of the Round.
Going to Town: The station at Nameless was large, ramshackle and usually deserted.
Here We Go Again: "So," the Fourth Doctor said, sitting down next to Rose.
Holding the Baby: Izzy stormed up the street.
How Adricius Kept The Bridge: Diana smote down Eric;
Douglas laid Tyson low;
Right into Darren's stomach
Adricius sent a blow.
Identity Theft: "Think we're far enough now?" wondered Ben.
Intermission: In a world of swirling purple and black mist, Ezra Tod glared at the seven foot skeleton who confronted him.
Interrogators and Interchangeability: The man's face was very familiar to Polly, but the scarf and the pennyfarthing badge numbered "2" less so.
Jackson & Partners - Removals: In its way, it was very much a people profession.
Kentucky Functionary Conditioning: "You dealt with the KFC, I take it?" the Second Doctor said.
Mirror, Mirror: "A double hydrogen plasma, please."
Mostly Armless: "And this is Donna," said Tenth.
Perfect Perisher: It had taken Barbara all afternoon to persuade Maxil that perhaps the candidates should be given the opportunity to express themselves in their own words.
Quis Spectat Ipsos Spectatores: A long line of white-clad, faintly insubstantial figures made its way into This Time Round.
Quite Irritating: "Why hasn't he got any eyebrows?" Romana asked.
Steel Yourself: "This is very strange," Zoë said.
They Shall Not Pass: "Ye good men of the Commons, with loving hearts and true,
Who stand by the bold Tribunes that still have stood by you..."
Third Time Lucky?: "Are you sitting comfortably?" asked Izzy.
Treasons, Stratagems and Spoils: "Not you again," said Izzy.
Trouble in Store: "Excuse me."
Undermanned: "Of course, you know where they went wrong?" Tom Doctor said.
Welcome to my Knightmare: "Harry," Sarah called.
You Can Run, But...: "Well now," the Minister of Chance said.
Zany Zoë and the Adaptation of Austen: Victoria nervously approached the catsuited starlet and raised a hand.
Zoë Heriot and the Elf-Knight: Zoë sat up and wiped ketchup from her eyes.
Zweimalig Zoë And The Surprising Of Saxon: Harry Saxon entered the Round cautiously, laser screwdriver in hand.

Storytimes

The Bruce-Partington Plans: "Ah," said the Supervisor, still invisible behind his newspaper.
Charles Augustus Milverton: Harold Saxon bounded into the nursery, gesturing rudely at the Dalek sentinels as he passed them.
The Coming of the Hound: "I don't like this idea of yours, Holmes," said Doctor Watson.
The Engineer's Thumb: As he made his way to the Look Who's Talking Pre-School Nursery, Harry Saxon — or, to give him his proper title, the Master — was not in a good mood.
The Flower Fairies: Perhaps, Izzy thought, she shouldn't have mentioned it, even as a passing fancy.
The Goose Girl: "You're early today," little Susan said.
Macbeth: The weather in Nameless, being governed mainly by plot requirements, was of an almost Chestertonian unpredictability.
The Musgrave Ritual: "Miss?"
The Speckled Band: As usual, the Supervisor was nearly invisible behind his newspaper, and showed no signs of noticing Izzy's presence until she was within feet of him.
The Three Garridebs: With Harry Saxon's fanbase temporarily sated, Izzy felt relaxed enough to ask for requests.
The Twelve Huntsmen: Izzy looked at her near-namesake with some trepidation.

First lines meme

'Doctor Who' stories and crossovers

This Time Round stories

Storytimes

Not remotely connected to Doctor Who

??????

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