Grab your reader’s attention from page one!
Learn how to grab your reader’s attention from the first page of your short story, novel, or personal essay! Many editors and agents never read more than a few hundred words of any submission or query, so having a compelling and well-crafted first page is critical to getting past the gatekeepers. In this hands-on, discussion based workshop, you will learn about the promises a writer makes on the first page by what they include and what they leave out, then you’ll learn how to write a compelling opener for your own work. Finally, you’ll learn how to read your first pages with an editor’s eye. By the end, you’ll leave with a concrete understanding of how to make your first page shine. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Revision tips for first pages
- Techniques to grab a reader’s attention—and how to keep them hooked
- First-page structure
- The importance of knowing your genre
- What turns editors off
Time requirements
- Participants are welcome to come with a first page of their own to reference/ but there is no required time outside the session.
Materials
- Reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those tackling revision on a specific piece/ and for writers curious to know what publishing professionals/ such as literary journal editors/ look for in submissions.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
