Question: I realized I start sentences with *the*, *he*, *she*, *it*, *after* and *then* all the time. So I'm starting to use verbs instead. Here is an example of something I wrote:

> 
> Erin left out a sigh. "Why am I thinking so much about this?"
> 
> 
> She decided to forget about the thing, and go lie on bed instead. Talking to herself had really made her tired; a little bit more
> and she would go crazy. She reached to her desk and grabbed her phone.
> Hearing Benjamin's voice would probably snap her back to reality.
> 
> 
> 

I remember having read about this long ago (but I don't remember if the author considered it good or bad writing).

Answer: 
If you are struggling with variety in your sentence structure, I think you should make it a *writing exercise* to begin sentences with verbs. Then do an exercise where you begin sentences with adjectives. Then do an exercise where you begin sentences with words that rhyme with *blue*. Any and all techniques that force you out of your comfort zone and get you to practice new forms of writing are good. Ultimately, you should seek variety in your writing, but this is not something you just do. As you have found, once you get used to a certain organizational structure, you start thinking that way. Other sentence constructions have to become comfortable to you before you can start implementing them effectively. So, while the simple advice is to just unfetter yourself, the hard truth is that it's going to seem like you're writing gibberish until new writing constructions feel natural.
I have pondered on this question for some time. My conclusion is this: providing the sentence makes sense to the writer and the reader, using the verb or the subject to open a sentence is fine. I don't agree with those who say that the subject should always come first. Writers are creative people. Rules are there for a reason, of course. It's redundant prepositions that writers need to be more aware of, in my opinion.