Why is the first sentence so important?
For you: Clarifying the idea and refining the message for yourself.
For the reader: Quickly understand what it is all about and getting the mind set for further reading.
Evaluators read a lot of proposals. Make it easy for them:
- If you tell them what it is all about in the start they get their mind set
- They do not need to go to page 10 to find out what it is really about
- They do not make their own expectations and get disappointed
- They get excited and not bored
- When they go to panel discussion the can refer to your proposal in one sentence
- Do not start with a global problem description; “Cancer takes so and so many lives ... Alzheimer is a growing problem...” Too many writers do this!
- First present your solution. It is boring to read half a page about a problem everybody knows is a problem. Bring something new. Then you can tell how big the problem is and how good your idea is in solving the problem
- Do not start with me and my group (unless the template say so)
- Listings of names and titles without knowing what these people are going to do is meaningless until you know the idea of the project
- The expectation you raise and the story you are going to tell must be consistent. What you say in the beginning must be answered through the whole text. You must not invent new ideas later on. Keep to what you said in the start. That makes a good story.
You have actually the first page to get the reader’s attention. If you miss in the start it is hard to get the reader back on your side.
©OUS-aro