Abstract: An apparatus and method for starting a single-phase variable reluctance motor defined by a stator having one or more pairs of projecting poles defining a principal axis and a rotor mounted on a rotatable shaft co-axial with the principal axis of the stator is provided. The apparatus includes a device for preventing the rotor from being halted in a position of zero-developed torque thereby enabling reliable starting of the motor. The device includes a vane defined by a ferromagnetic disk having alternating mark regions and space regions which is mounted to the rotatable shaft and may form part of a rotor position transducer. A permanent magnet is positioned so as to move the vane into a position at which starting torque of the desired direction will be developed when the motor is energized. A further embodiment combines the magnet with a Hall-effect sensor so that, in conjunction with the vane, a rotor position transducer is formed.