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Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

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Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly critique contest. This month, we have a HUGE prize.
3 winners will receive feedback on 20 pages from a professional editor. So exciting!

This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be notified when the next one goes live, consider subscribing to the blog (in the sidebar).

How to enter:

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 you are 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.

Here’s the editor you’ll be working with:

Stuart Wakefield

With 26 years in theatre, broadcast media, and coaching under my belt, I have a visceral understanding of what makes stories work, and I’d like to share it with you because writing a novel doesn’t always have to be difficult and daunting, especially if it’s your first time. Understanding the process, getting started, and seeing it all come together can seem like an impossible mountain to climb.

As an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, I’m passionate about helping new writers craft stories with passion and purpose, momentum and meaning. I have an MA (Distinction) in Professional Writing, and my debut novel, Body of Water, was one of ten books long-listed for the Polari First Book Prize. My latest novel, Behind the Seams, was a 2021 BookLife Fiction Prize Contest semifinalist.

My first TV show is airing on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2023.

So, if you have a story in your heart, just waiting to be shared with the world, I’m here to offer you guidance and support from developing your story right through to pursuing publication. You can find my website, blog, and free self-editing cheat sheet right here: https://linktr.ee/thebookcoach

Contest Guidelines

  • Please be sure your first 20 pages are ready to go so Stuart can critique them before next month’s contest rolls around. 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12pt Times New Roman font. Feedback will consist of in-line comments concerning what’s not working and what is.

  • You’ll need to have a synopsis ready (a rough one is fine) so Stuart can make sure his feedback is in context.

  • 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, I’ll contact you with information about sending it to me. Then, I’ll forward it to our amazing editor for 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 right-hand sidebar). 

Good luck! I can’t wait to see who the winners will be. 🙂

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.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christine Cameron says

    As an older yet budding writer, it would be wonderful to have someone of your caliber read my first few pages.

  3. BECCA PUGLISI says

    Thank you all for entering to win a critique of your first twenty pages from Stuart Wakefield. The three lucky winners are:

    Lavanya Anand
    Jan Sikes
    Cindy.V.F

    Congratulations! I’ll e-mail the winners with instructions and Stuart will be in touch. Thanks, everyone!

  8. Catherine Claar Crawford says

    What an opportune moment…hoping fate kicks in! Thank you, Angela, Becca and Stuart. Thank you, Mindy, for letting us know about this!!

  11. Marilyn Allison says

    Thank you for offering this mentorship to writers. I would love to have my WIP considered.

  27. Maryrose Carroll says

    Terrific! I have a sequel to Love Follows Murder I would love to have you read. It starts with a drug cartel assassination at the table next to where my hero is introducing his love to his bigoted family. She is half-Taos Indian.

  31. Susan Ward says

    I would love to have my first pages critiqued. I’ve only had one full request in a number of queries.

  33. Shannon O'Donnell says

    I’ve been a fan of Angela and Becca since before One Stop existed! They are THE BEST, and I couldn’t write without them anymore. Thanks for this amazing opportunity.

  35. Diane Rinella says

    Awesome. I love that Stuart has a background in theatre. When I mentor, I always tell fiction writers to take acting classes, as they really help you gain perspective on how to build a character. Seems like a great match for my work. Thanks!

  41. Patrick Witz says

    Good day Stuart! Be it luck or destiny, I would enjoy the collaboration of refining my first 20-pages. Cheers!

  42. Frances Sheldrick says

    What a wonderful prize! Whoever wins will definitely benefit from Stuart’s expertise and experience. I know we’ll all be tuned in to find out who will be the lucky one.

  61. Kathleen Saunders says

    It would be fantastic to have my first pages critiqued. Writing well is such a learning process.

  69. Bruce Rule says

    The feedback I am getting from agents is that the story is fun and the characters are good. My problem is that the first pages don’t make the agents want to champion the book. Your feedback on how to change that would be great.

  70. Jan Sikes says

    I would be more than honored to have Stuart critique my first pages! Thank you, as always, for your generous offering!

  87. Judy Broad says

    This is a wonderful opportunity for some lucky writers. The first pages are so important I would love to have you suggest how I can strengthen mine. Good luck everyone.

  90. ROCHELLE GOSLING says

    WOULD BE THRILLED TO HAVE STUART LOOK AT MY WORK! CROSSING FINGERS.

  93. DIANE SHOTTON says

    As a first timer, I’d love to have a professional review pages of my WIP. Best of luck to all!

  94. Virginia Suckling says

    Hey, Stuart, you sound just the person I’d love to work with. Thanks for giving me the opportunity.

  95. Glenda Thompson says

    I would love to win a critique. I couldn’t write without One Stop for Writers. The thesauri help me flesh out my characters. Thank you.

  96. Anand Sivakumaran says

    Just last evening I was wishing for a fairy Godmother/Godfather to pop up and transform the beginning of my book into something no agent can say no to. And Ta -dah…

  98. Lavanya Anand says

    Please. Please. Please help me! I have send 50 queries. Most say no (surprise surprise) but some say that they loved the synopsis but the first few pages didnt grab their attention. My MS was shortlisted for Pitch Wars and I think it has potential. Maybe I need professionally fresh eyes to tell em where I’m going wrong.

    Have I said please help me enough times?

  99. Susan Policoff says

    Great contest! I’ve been following the entries in the fear thesaurus and found them really interesting.