It’s time for our monthly critique contest, and boy do I have exciting news for you! Former Resident Writing Coach Sara Letourneau, who has her own editing and coaching business, reached out to see if she could maybe do some critiques on our next contest, and I jumped at the chance. I mean, a professional editor providing you guys with feedback on your first pages? Absolutely, 1000 times, yes!
If you’re game, here’s the amazing person you’ll be working with:
Sara Letourneau is a poet, freelance editor, and writing coach based in Massachusetts. At her company Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services, she offers editing and creative coaching packages for authors, poets, and other storytellers. Her editing offerings in particular range from in-depth manuscript critiques and developmental editing to basic copy editing and proofreading. She specializes in fantasy, speculative fiction, YA, and literary fiction, though she’s happy to work on other projects that seem like a good fit. You might also recognize Sara from her previous posts as a Resident Writing Coach here at Writers Helping Writers, or at her bimonthly column on literary themes at DIY MFA.
Visit the Heart of the Story website to learn more about working with Sara, or her writer website to read some of her poetry and freelance writing.
Contest Guidelines
This month’s contest will work exactly the same as it usually does, only Sara will be the one contacting you if you win.
If you’re working on a first page (in any genre except erotica) and would like some objective feedback, please leave a comment. Any comment :). As long as the email address associated with your WordPress account/comment profile is up-to-date, Sara will be able to contact you if your first page is chosen. Just please know that if she’s unable to get in touch with you through that address, you’ll have to forfeit your win.
Please be sure your first page is ready to go so she can critique it before next month’s contest rolls around. If it needs some work and you won’t be able to get it to her right away, let me ask that you plan on entering the next contest, once any necessary tweaking has been taken care of.
Three commenters’ names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow. If you win, Sara will be in contact to get your first page and offer her feedback. Best of luck!
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.
BECCA PUGLISI says
Thanks so much for entering, everyone. The winners for this round are
Karla Diaz
Adam
Glynis Jolly
Winners, Sara will be in touch with you via email. I’ll see you all next month!
Karla Diaz says
I hope I’m not too late. This is such a great opportunity. Thanks!
Sara Beth says
Really nice to meet you Sara! Thanks for volunteering your services 🙂
Lisa Hoffman Wagner says
What an amazing opportunity! I’ve compleyely rewritten the beginning of my story and would love some professional feedback. Thanks!
stephanie olivieri bourbon says
Oh how great!! I love this opportunity.
Ranae Watts says
Thank you for this opportunity. Good luck everyone!
Jay Jay says
Sign me up! Thanks
Karen McAtlin says
What a wonderful opportunity. Thank you so much!
L Deborah Sword says
What especially interests me is the poetic input. When I read poetry, I’m so impressed with the word choices, the imagery and emotions, all with economy of words. I’d really benefit from a poet’s opinion of my page.
Antoinette Truglio Martin says
This is great! I look forward to the opportunity.
Emile Horne says
Thanks Sara for such an amazing opportunity. I would love to hear your feedback on my YA contemporary.
Darlene Foster says
What a wonderful opportunity for us. Thanks!
Nancy J. Farrier says
Wow, great opportunity. Thank you.
Julia Faye Smith says
What a lovely thing to do. Thank you Sara.
Katlyn Duncan says
What an amazing opportunity, thank you!
Shelley O'Rourke says
Thanks for doing this!!!
GOODIS says
Hi, first pages critique will offer the image of reader thre rader’s finger on the page: would he turn it?
Suzanne Purvis says
Fantastic, please include me.
Suzanne
margie says
Thanks for this fabulous opportunity!
Kamola Taflan says
So curious to see the critique even if it isn’t my page! Good luck, everyone! 🍀
Stephanie Wayman says
Yes please!
Vicki Whitlock says
It would be a much-appreciated opportunity to be chosen for a critique. Thanks for the chance!
Jessica Swafford says
Thank you Sara!
Jennifer (Rupp) Trethewey says
Please include me!
Jackie says
Thanks for this great opportunity. And good luck to all the entrants.
Elli Comeau says
Yay, you are amazing. Thanks for the contest!
Angela m D'Ambrosio says
Yes, please and thank you!
Harry Wegley says
I have a page that could certainly use some critique. Thanks for doing this for us!
Sandra Franco-Larson says
Wow! Great opportunity! I’d love a chance to get a critique.
Thanks
Susan Grillo says
Thanks for such a great opportunity.
LN Russell says
Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity.
Kimberley Bailey says
Great opportunity!! Thanks for the chance!!
Kangume Ali says
Motivated by the opportunity thus feeling much more interested
Adva says
What a lovely opportunity, thanks!
Tracy Perkins says
That is freakin’ fantastic. What a wonderful opportunity.
Marlene M. Bell says
Thank you so much!
Nicole Zoltack says
Thank you for the chance!
Kimberly B. says
Wonderful opportunity! Thank you!
Mary Incontro says
Thanks for the opportunity, Sara!
Terri Frank says
Would love this ❤️
Terri Frank
Katja Rammer says
Thank you for the opportunity. 🙂
Tracy Lucas says
Trying out a new genre. Definitely need a hand.
Glynis Jolly says
Thank you for considering me.
Catherine Moore says
I’d love to have my first page critiqued!
Thanks for offering 🙂
Adam says
Sounds like a great opportunity!
Patrick Hanford says
Living in small town Texas, it is difficult to receive helpful constructive reviews. I would appreciate this opportunity.
Deb Cushman says
This is a wonderful opportunity! Thank you for the offer!
Deb Baker says
Lovely opportunity. Thanks so much!
Gwen Gardner says
Wonderful opportunity, thank you!
Lisa Fowler says
Thank you for this opportunity!
Amanda says
Great opportunity! Thank you.
Anne Greening says
Yes, please. I need help with the introduction of several characters in Chapter one.
Anna Hague says
My first page of this one definitely needs a look.
Stephannie says
Very interested, thanks for the chance!
Susan Policoff says
Amazing contest! Thank you for these.
Nathan Chamberland says
I’m interested in the critique! Thanks for the opportunity!
Judith Field says
Here’s my comment!
Enisa Haines says
Ooh, such a great opportunity. Love that you offer critiques and then this bonus. Wow!