Award-winning author, screenwriter, and editor Mike Robinson believes there are a few necessary elements when writing a strong opening for your story. First, your opening needs to be unique, and your opening line needs to pop and immediately grab the reader.
Second, the tone of your story needs to be clear in the first couple of lines. For example, is this a romantic rom-com or a dark fantasy? The reader should know pretty quickly.
Third, you need to find a good balance between detail and economy. This means giving just enough details to set up the scene, main characters, etc., but not telling the reader everything up front in an info dump. Robinson says, "Let us into the shallow end, and if we like the temperature of the water, we'll swim out farther."
Last, you need to use smart paragraph design, meaning shorter sentences and maybe even single lines. This will help ease the reader into the story. Whether you are a new writer or more established, readers are taking on something new with your book, so make your beginning as inviting as possible.