CONTEST CLOSED! SEE YOU NEXT MONTH
Before we get to today’s critique contest, I’d like to take a minute to share the beauty of the world we live in. Sometimes the ugliness around us can be overwhelming, but our planet is an amazing and inspirational place. It’s easy to forget this, especially when circumstances dictate that we can’t go out and see it for ourselves. If that’s your situation, here a few images from Angela’s and my world.




Try not to let current events overwhelm and consume you. Do what you need to maintain mental health—by taking a walk, baking some cookies, snuggling with your furry family members, or polishing that first page.
For me, I’m going to get 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.
Ok! The winners for this month are Judy Levine, Kathleen Keenan, and One Ryan Walker. Thanks so much for entering, everyone! I’ll see you next month 🙂
Fantastic opportunity, thanks for the always helpful tweets and articles!
I would love to have your critique. Thanks for the helpful emails. Jessie
Great photos! I’d love to have my first page critiqued. My novel’s women’s fiction, light reading but not chick-lit.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures!
I live in southern Oregon and here is my local beach. I love living where we get beautiful sunsets like this almost every night.
The pictures you chose are beautiful, so peaceful and calming. I would love to hear your thoughts on my first page. Thank you for this opportunity.
I LOVE this pic of the local beach! There’s something magical about moonlight upon the waves. My husband and I loved to take walks on the beach at night.
Great photos! Especially love the last one of your local beach. Thank you for offering the chance of winning this critique.
They are lovely pictures. I came to your website today because I am recommending it to members of a writing group. I am currently studying subtext and today’s post is useful to me.
Judy, Becca asked me to pass on a link in case it helps you – I will be doing a webinar on hidden emotion and subtext in February. It’s $20 or free for members: https://ntrwa.org/february-2021-meeting-info/
Lovely pictures — a great way to start the day. And thanks for offering your services!
Always love seeing nature pictures. I’ve almost completed my first novel–young adult historical fiction.
Ooooo….oooooo…pick me! (LOL) Those frozen methane bubbles are one of the coolest things I’ve seen recently. Thank you for sharing. :-)j
Those are great pictures; thanks for sharing! Always look forward to the critiques.
What a great idea! who can’t use he;p with the 1st page.
Yes, please!
Those images are lovely! Thanks for the encouraging note.
Hi there, new to this blog, so intrigued and ready to be critiqued! Your photo’s are fabulous.
Hi, my name is Ruth Alger, I’m turning 17 in a week. I just started writing my fictional romance novel called Guarding My Past, Escaping My Future.
Love the pictures! I have to check out that lake. And a first page critique would be great.
Always looking forward to your monthly critiques! Thanks for the opportunity!
Hello my name is Sherika Arnold. My genre is Inspirational/Suspense.
Thank you for sharing yours and Angela’s photos, so lovely to see beauty from other parts of the world 🙂 I’ve never seen frozen methane bubbles!
Thank you also for continuing to offer the critique content; I’ve yet to be chosen but the fun’s in the taking part as they say 🙂