CONTEST CLOSED! SEE YOU NEXT MONTH
Happy February, everyone! Angela and I are hard at work doing all the things, as I’m sure you all are, too. We’re hoping that you’re finding time to dedicate to your writing. If so, you might have a first page that could use some extra love, and I’m just the person to give it ;).
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.
Alrighty! The winners this time around are Janet Wright, Vicky, and Patricia Bradley. I’ll be in touch shortly.
Thanks, everyone! We’ll see you next month.
Please can I join in with the first page…
Love to have a first page critique!
I’d love to participate as well.
Entering myself! My first page needs love please!
I’d love some feedback on my Time Travel/ Romance first page, please. Thanks.
I’d love to participate!
I would like to do this!
So generous! Thanks, and yes, I’d love feedback!
What a great opportunity! I would love a chance to get your eyes on my first page.
I’d like to participate!
I’m interested. Every little bit can help my book be the best it can be. Thanks for this.
I love your blog. Also, I am the proud owner of all your thesaurus which are very helpful.
I’m curious- how many people give up reading if the first page doesn’t grab their attention? Or does it take a chapter? Or what makes you decide a book isn’t worth the effort?
Hi, Jessica. I think the answer to this varies from person to person. Some people have more patience and time with story openings than other people, and everyone has certain things that they just can’t tolerate. But there are some near-universal issues that everyone should avoid in their openings. Editors and agents are often the ones with the least amount of time and the most submissions to comb through, making the first page(s) incredibly important; if that first page has typos, weak writing, pacing issues, too much telling/exposition, etc., that’s a sign that there will be more where that came from, making the decision of whether or not to keep reading an easy one.
I’m definitely trying to make first page interesting, but I’m not sure if I’m succeeding…
Suddenly February is not dragging anymore!
This is a comment.