This year each writer attending the Galle Literary Festival has been asked to give us an opening line for a story, poem or essay as yet unwritten! We’re now inviting any writer or budding writer out there to turn these lines into stories, poems or essays of their own. The writers of the winning entries will be invited to read their stories at the Galle Literary Festival and will receive Festival Passes to the week’s events. Here are a few lines to begin with.

Antony Beevor, historian

'In history, as in politics, intellectual honesty is the first casualty of moral outrage'.

David Blacker, novelist

‘He hit the morning, running, Benzedrine and ginger beer -- more wakeup per milliliter than the most hardcore coffee -- getting his tired arse out of the sack and into the trees.’

Gillian Slovo, novelist

'Although he had forgotten his own name, he knew a table when he saw one'.

Ian Rankin, crime writer

'As Joe unlocked his car, he saw that there was something lying on the driver's-seat, something he definitely hadn't left there.'

Lal Medawattegedara, fiction writer

’Even the clock, I sincerely suspected, was a conspirator: there was a deliberate withholding of every “tick” that denoted a second, and the resulting tension reminded me of my brother on his death bed minutes before his life ebbed away.’

Louise Doughty, novelist and dramatist

'My father's funeral took place in great secrecy - he was buried under the cover of darkness and the only attendees, apart from myself, were the cleaner who had looked after him in his last days and a man from the Ministry who Identified himself only as 'a very old friend'.

Michelle de Kretser, novelist

'She said they had a choice'.

Rana Dasgupta, novelist

‘When you broke it down, he thought, life was mainly about moving things from one place to another.’

Ru Freeman, novelist

‘Everything had changed and nothing had changed.'

Shehan Karunatilaka, novelist

‘He woke up in a pile of vomit.'

Shyam Selvadurai, novelist and children’s writer

‘In her letters, my grandmother had told me about the renovations toChandra’s home, but I was still amazed when I saw it.’

Wendy Cope, poet

‘When you step outside, perhaps you’ll see…’

Do you have an idea for how these lines should continue? The Festival will read entries of any kind up to 3000 words (there is no minimum word limit). Email your entries to info@galleliteraryfestival.com or send by post to No. 61, Ward Place, Colombo 07. Entries should reach us by the 10th of January 2010. Please remember to include your name and telephone number.

The Galle Literary Festival will run 28 January – 1 February 2010.