The First Line's aim is to jump start the imagination--to help writers break through the block that is the blank page. Each issue contains short stories that stem from a common first line. All stories must be written with the first line provided. For fiction, the story should be between 300 and 5,000 words. They are open to all genres. They also accept poetry and non-fiction. According to their guidelines, they pay $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). To learn more, refer to this page.