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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

September 23, 2021 by BECCA PUGLISI

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly first-page critique contest 🙂

This contest is closed. See you next month!

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. Resources for common problems writers encounter in their opening pages can be found here.

  ▪    This contest only runs for 24 hours, start to finish, so get your comment in there!

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!

PS: If you want to amp up your first page, grab our helpful First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. And for more instruction on these important opening elements, see this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.

BECCA PUGLISI
BECCA PUGLISI

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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BECCA PUGLISI says

    September 24, 2021 at 8:50 am

    Alrighty! The winners for September are Autumn Perales, Jessica Swafford, and Haley DelPlato. I wish I could choose all of you, truly—especially those of you whose names I see pop up repeatedly. Please keep entering! Perseverance usually does pay off :).

    See you next month!

  2. Joy V Spicer says

    September 24, 2021 at 7:27 am

    Ooo! That time again and I shall try again 😊

  3. Ruth Khan says

    September 24, 2021 at 3:51 am

    That would be so incredibly helpful! Thanks for such a generous offer.

  4. Megan says

    September 24, 2021 at 3:06 am

    What a great idea, I’d love for you to read mine, please.

  5. Haley DelPlato says

    September 23, 2021 at 11:59 pm

    I’d be so grateful for an objective set of eyes on my first page! Thanks for the chance!

  6. Jo Edgar-baker says

    September 23, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    Becca, I would love for you to read the first page of my current POV. Apologies if this comment is late, and outside of the 24 hours (I’m on Aussie time)

  7. Steven PELZERelzer says

    September 23, 2021 at 5:27 pm

    I’d love to have my first page critiqued. Thanks for offering to do them!

  8. Jet says

    September 23, 2021 at 4:27 pm

    Yes. I would love to have some feedback on my first page.

  9. Lora D says

    September 23, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    Thank you so much for this opportunity! 🙂 I hope I’m picked…

  10. Anna Hughes says

    September 23, 2021 at 2:59 pm

    Would love and greatly appreciate your feedback! (:

  11. Mica Rossi says

    September 23, 2021 at 2:39 pm

    Would love to have you take a look!

  12. Camilla says

    September 23, 2021 at 2:14 pm

    Trying again, would love another set of eyes on my first page.

  13. Fred Snyder says

    September 23, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Thanks for all of your hard work!

  14. Christina K Gross says

    September 23, 2021 at 1:23 pm

    She didn’t want to answer.

  15. Autumn Perales says

    September 23, 2021 at 1:18 pm

    I would love to have feedback on my first page before I go to a writing conference next month! Thank you for the opportunity. 🙂

  16. Mel says

    September 23, 2021 at 12:45 pm

    Thank you for the opportunity!

  17. Jessica Walters says

    September 23, 2021 at 12:16 pm

    Would love some help with my first page! thanks, x Jessie

  18. Kimberly Burkhardt says

    September 23, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    What a great opportunity! Fingers crossed.

  19. Tanya Brooking says

    September 23, 2021 at 11:33 am

    My first page is sooooo ready to have some new eyeballs on it!

  20. Laurie Wood says

    September 23, 2021 at 11:32 am

    Thanks for offering this opportunity again! Would love to have eyes on my first page!

  21. Joanne Reinbold says

    September 23, 2021 at 11:19 am

    My first time entering this contest!

  22. Catherine Misener says

    September 23, 2021 at 11:10 am

    Would love to win – one of these days, I just might! Thanks for hosting these contests!!

  23. Kimberley M Bailey says

    September 23, 2021 at 10:12 am

    Thank you for the chance! Would love to win!

  24. Christina Wise says

    September 23, 2021 at 10:04 am

    I would love the opportunity!!

  25. Jarm Del Boccio says

    September 23, 2021 at 10:00 am

    Thanks for the possible opportunity!

  26. Mary Luce says

    September 23, 2021 at 9:16 am

    I’d love a critique. I’m in!

  27. Barb Summers says

    September 23, 2021 at 9:16 am

    Would love to have you critique my first page, if possible! Thanks for this opportunity.

  28. Jessica Swafford says

    September 23, 2021 at 9:00 am

    I love this contest!

  29. Rita monette says

    September 23, 2021 at 8:38 am

    Love your posts. Would love a first page critique!

  30. Eddington McClane says

    September 23, 2021 at 8:16 am

    Cool–I hope my name is among the 3!

  31. Mary Patrick says

    September 23, 2021 at 8:14 am

    It’s fall. Can you believe it? It’s great writing weather. I’m getting excited for NaNoWriMo!

  32. Cathy Hendrix says

    September 23, 2021 at 7:38 am

    I would be so grateful for you to read my first page!!! Please pick me!
    Cathy

  33. Joyce says

    September 23, 2021 at 6:36 am

    Excited for this month’s contest! Would love another set of eyes on my first page 🙂

  34. Mercedes says

    September 23, 2021 at 6:17 am

    “Mom, it happened again.” Tears poured from her face as she slowly picked things up from the local supermarket. “I’ve lost so many friends this way. No mom I don’t think they’d understand. How do you explain to a group of people that you’ve only known what… A month? That you’re easily angered and throw tantrums because you can’t control your own reactions to simple situations.” Her arm crossing over her face as she choked on the air leaving her lungs to make more room for tears. “Please, come get me. No, they didn’t wait! Why would they? I was a total spazzy bitch.”
    It was only a month yes. But they, the five friends she made, strolled behind her at a distance which not to disturb her but still eavesdrop on her phone call. They shared worried glances. Why would they leave her? They weren’t exactly being easy about the way they played, and she is a newer friend and they should’ve been more mindful.
    “I knew… I knew I should’ve stopped this. Mom, I tried so hard this time. I just wanted friends like a normal 20 year old.” She squatted against the outside wall, voice muffled in the sleeve of her oversized hoodie. “Yeah… I’m fine now. Mm, the one off Spring. Okay.” She hung up shoving the phone into the pocket of the hoodie. Both hands covering her face she groaned loudly causing Lyrik to let out a chuckle. The startled Rhythm flinched and looked up.
    “Hey.” His voice sounded like rain hitting the roof of a house after a drought. But also like a breeze in a field of flowers, simply Rhythm loved the sound of his voice. Lyrik was like the lead singer of the band expect this wasn’t a band and Rhythm was at least 87% sure they didn’t sing. “So we kinda heard everything…” He said rubbing the back of his neck in guilt. “We didn’t intend to listen in but we did.” The other four stood in the background and looked on somberly. “We didn’t know. You could’ve told us though. I mean we may act like a group of dumbasses but we are kinda smart and we care.” He sat next to her, his face directly in the line of the sun. His skin was so clear and Rhythm swore the sun light got brighter just for him.
    “About me?”
    “Yes, silly. We came with you and we won’t leave without you. We don’t abandon friends.” He put his hand out waiting for Rhythm to take it. She looked at it, she’s never held anyone’s hand especially not a guys hand.
    “Wanna go grab lunch? We were thinking Chili’s.” Melody chimed in. Her voice sounded like her name soft and singsong. Lyrik and Melody have been friends since 5th grade. Pretty much going everywhere together. Rhythm danced with the idea that they were dating at first but Melody isn’t into guys or girls really shes romantic but asexual. She loves love as long as it’s not directed towards her. Rhythm looked up at her as she leans over Lyrik. Her short light brown hair falling to one side and her greyish blue eyes shimmering in the sun.

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