Happy almost-end-of-August, everyone! I spent the past month moving my family from New York to Florida, and I must say that it was kind of a crazy ride. I’m now convinced that the moving truck pulling up to your new house is one of the happiest sights ever—right up there with kittens and Christmas trees.

Luckily, we’re moved in now and things are starting to get back to normal. The house is unpacked. There is chocolate in my desk drawer. The garage has been organized enough that I no longer break into hives just thinking about it. And I’m finally able to focus 100% on work. That means I’m ready to get back into critiquing!
CRITIQUES 4 U!
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, I’ll be able to contact you if your first page is chosen. Just please know that if I’m unable to get in touch with you through that address, you’ll have to forfeit your win.
Two caveats:
▪ Please be sure your first page is ready to go so I 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 me right away, let me ask that you plan on entering the next contest, once any necessary tweaking has been taken care of.
▪ I’d like to be able to use portions of winning submissions as illustrations in an upcoming presentation on first pages. By entering the Critiques 4 U contest, you’ll be granting permission for me to use small writing samples only (no author names or book titles).
Three commenters’ names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow morning. If you win, you can email me your first page and I’ll offer my feedback.
We run this contest on a monthly basis, so if you’d like to be notified when the next opportunity comes around, consider subscribing to our blog (see the left-hand sidebar).
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.
I was lucky enough to win the first page critique and received my feedback from Becca yesterday.
Thank you so much Becca for your insightful and very positive comments. I had received two requests from agents at a recent conference here in Toronto for my pages and I’ve held back sending them because I wanted to hear your comments. You are absolutely bang on and I’m going to touch up the areas you honed in on. Then send and cross my fingers.
Once again, thank you. This came along at exactly the time I needed it.
I’m glad you were safe from Dorian. It’s high winds have buffeted the Maritime provinces but nothing to the devastation it caused in the south.
I’m so glad you found the critique useful. And congrats on your requests! Crossing my fingers for you 🙂
Becca as an Army Wife I can’t say I enjoy moving it’s just part of the landscape.
Thanks for the chance!
Thanks for entering and for all the well wishes, everyone! The winners for this round are:
Jan Sikes
D Owen Powell
Beverley Burgess Bell
Lucky folks, I’ll be messaging you shortly. Bless you all, and keep writing, everyone! I’ll see you next month.
I would like to have my first page critiqued. I’m not sure how to get it to you or how this works.
Hi, Robbi! For future reference, you just leave a message to enter. Then, if you win, I’ll send you information on how to get me your first page. Easy peasy.
Would love to have you critique my first page. Thanks for the opportunity.
What a great idea! Here’s hoping…
Aww, thanks for doing this for the writing community. I love free love!
Thanks for this opportunity for your critique. My book is a romance.
Thanks for this opportunity! I’d love to have my critiqued!
I hope I get the chance to have a critique done !
Hi, Becca! Congrats on the move! I am working on a Romance with paranormal aspects and would LOVE to be able to submit the first page for critique!!
I am currently working on a non-fiction self-help/health and wellness book, and would love a critique! Thank you for providing this opportunity to us.
I checked my desk drawer and there was no chocolate!! I had to settle for Fritos.
Congratulations on your move. I hope you enjoy the new location and meet some great people.
KAT
Fritos work. I like the chili cheese ones 🙂
Hi Becca,
I have a fantasy I’m working on. Not sure if it’s for adults or kids. I’d love feedback.
Congrats on your move and glad you are settled in. I would love a first page critique. Thank you for the opportunity
I’m happy I refound your blog. Got my Feedly working again. It would certainly be nice to have a one page crit. I use your Emotional Thesaurus ALL THE TIME.
So glad to hear it, Todd! Happy to have you back :).
Thanks for helping out. Hope you will be very happy in your new home.
So far so good. Of course, there’s a hurricane approaching, but that’s part of the Florida package ;).
Thanks for the chance! Glad y’all are settled in.
Would love to show you the first page of the sci fi romance I was telling you about at the WisRWA Conference!
I’m going to add Hawaiian beach to the best sights ever. I’d love a critique. That email in my inbox would definitely be a happy sight too.
Hi and congrats on your move — very exciting!
I have a WIP that’s nearly ready for publication and I kinda love my first page, TBH 😀 Would love to be considered for your critique. It’s SF with a strong female MC. Here’s my super-condensed blurb:
“They told her women can’t be warriors. But this young rebel will risk everything to make her dreams come true…”
Cheers,
Thomas
Thanks for offering this and your other contests as well. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Congrats on getting settled in your new home.
Hi Becca – I would love to be considered for the first page critique for my new manuscript. I just started the manuscript but the first page is ready for editing.
I love all of your thesaurus…esp the new expanded Emotions thesaurus. Thanks for hosting this contest – Chris (w/a Sedona)
Oh, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the second edition!
Thank you for the opportunity!
Hi, Bella, I’ve just worked out that I’ve moved house 20 times – and three of these moves were also from one country to another; so I empathize with your feelings!
Oh my gosh. Twenty times? That’s crazy!
Glad things went well with moving houses. Thanks for taking the time to offer critiques.
I would love my first page critiqued.As always, I applaud you for offering this contest.
But, Becca. If South Florida, it’s still hot down here.:)
For another three months, at least. *cries*
Thanks for another chance! I hope I’m lucky.