First Pages, Prologues, and Agents Pet Peeves, Oh My

Or as has become a most popular panel at the James River Writers Conference each year, First Pages Critiques.    

The Conference is in October - here’s the blurby from the JRW site, if you want more info’ and to keep up with all the news and latest happenings - yes, we have them! - Check in at the JRW site 

And Sign up for the James River Writers Newsletter.

The 2013 James River Writers Conference will be held Saturday & Sunday, October 19-20, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Attendees can also register to attend pre-conference master classes Friday, October 18, at the Virginia State Capital.

The First Pages session has also gained ‘other’ names over the years such as ‘Simon Cowell / Idol for Writers’ depending on which agents we get to the Conference, but Really it isn’t That bad.  Really.   And the comments are always helpful to everyone!    It really has been one of the most popular sessions for several years.

So put the Conference dates on your calendar, start saving your money, and while you are waiting check out the authors who are coming to the Conference in their JRW Twitter Chats  -  #JRWC13 -

And check them out on the JRW Goodreads ‘book club’ 

These thoughts on First Pages has been brought about by a Writer Unboxed blog post.

The post is titled       What NOT to do when Beginning your novel.

But as we at the James River Writers Conference call it    1^st Pages 

- the importance of those First Pages, and all after that really, cannot be emphasized enough.

You think you’re busy trying to write the dang great novel, agents are inundated with ‘great novels’ all the time.

So get real.   I am Not going to be doom and gloom though, it might take some time, and a Lot of hard work.   But I read something recently that surprised me, several well known writers were saying they knew they weren’t the best writers, that often it’s not the greatest writers that get published, it’s the ones that are driven and never give up.    Does explain some books though doesn’t it.   

The writers and writing teachers were saying that the most gifted extraordinary writers often gave up, rather than persevere.  Rather than figuring out what was going to sell or even making themselves better perhaps.    And it’s a Lot of work!   Not just always trying to write better and be a better writer, but also understanding that books are a business.  And these days it’s even more important to do your research to know what your options are - and what your limits and tolerances are, and to figure out what’s right for You.

Since no matter how much time it takes you to research and write your book, your work isn’t over.  You have to research agents as well.   Not to mention the business of promotion and marketing.  But that’s another discussion.

And since this one is about how Critical and Important those First Pages of your books are, the post on Writer Unboxed gives many agents giving their pet peeves.

One of the things I saw that was probably not intended was what we’ve been told and shown at James River Writers over the years —   agents are human.  They have their likes and dislikes and pet peeves just like the rest of humanity.

Which is why after you Finally get your book finished to the Complete best of your ability, done the best you can, you Have to research agents to try to figure out the best ones you think would be the best ones for your precious work.   Course you do realize that They see Lots of people’s precious work so as anything in that much abundance, it loses it’s preciousness in those kind of quantities.  Right?   Yeah, yeah, not what we want but if you can embrace that, even a little, it’s helpful, believe me.

After you have researched your group of agents to send to, and Perfected your Query letter [another discussion] [and after perfecting your book, remember] and sit and anxiously wait, and perhaps get the dreaded Reject letter, it’s okay to sit and blink a moment.  Then dust yourself off and research and send to more.  Remember the surprising comment above about great versus persevering writers.  Persevering writers who are working to get better we hope.

As the Writer Unboxed post highlights, agents are human, likes, dislikes, bad days and all the rest.  Just because one thinks your precious stinks and sucks the universe, doesn’t mean every one will.  

Remember, Every reader is different too.   We all don’t like the same books so why would agents.

Hang in there.    Believe me, most writers have been where you are - wherever that is!

Keep at it.  

The post I keep talking about on Writer Unboxed is here.

Run-by Blogging

This is a run-by blogging.

Since I don't have time - or maybe just the inclination right now, to do more.

Oh I had such good intentions when I started this thing --- okay so a lot of it had to do with peer pressure, my Writing Group all had neat blogs....

But somehow Life has a way of getting in the way. Not to mention all the Other writing I should be doing on the books I have in various stages of completion, or incompletion, or just incomprehension maybe.

As witnessed by last night's Writing Group session. Everybody's life has pretty much gotten in the way of their writing, well, except for Bill [the Wildcat] who is obviously a Lot more disciplined than the rest of us? Or a lot more excited about his writing? He's the only one that had 'real' pages to submit anyway. So smart savvy Katharine - with an 'a' of the Eat Cookies Be Quiet blog fame - suggested rather than lose what discipline we have ;-D ! of our meeting once a month, that we should bring first pages. Also to honor the very popular First Pages session of the annual James River Writers Conference [coming up October 10 and 11 for those that need to go check it out now - http://www.jamesriverwriters.com/ ].

So there was a mix of our own first pages and favorite published book first pages. My own were dredged up from abandoned writing of Years ago, which obviously need a lot more work and thought if they are ever rattled forth again.

But I brought one of my favorite books for a first page also, that I bought in hardcover long ago no less!, that reminds me of what a good first page is, and a good mystery book is, for me anyway. Fast Forward was from what I understand Judy Mercer's first book. And even though I read the rest of the series they just never had what this first book had. Evidently I wasn't the only one that thought so, since when I went looking to see if she'd changed and done something recently, I couldn't find her. Did find a recent review of someone else that re-discovered her book Fast Forward and liked it as much as I did. But no website or other info' listed.

But since I was searching I went searching again for one of my Favorite authors, Jeanne M. Dams and discovered her site - that would let me actually use it! All previous times her site seemed to be continually stuck on the first page! Even though I didn't take her book, The Body in the Transept, to read for first page, it is one of my all time favorite books! That I read over and over. And especially each year at holiday time.
And I was irritated that I could only get it in paperback when I finally went searching to buy it, and I had to even special order that!

And to explain that I guess I should mention that I am a writer. Which also means, for me anyway, that I am a voracious reader. I would rather read than write. Which might account for the fact I am as yet an unpublished writer.
And given I am a voracious reader and an unpublished writer, I usually hit the library for my reading. Or mostly buy paperbacks [see above notes about being an unpublished writer]. But I like Jeanne M. Dams' Dorothy Martin series so much that I have snatched up as many as I can in hardcover. And am still on the lookout for The Body in the Transept in hardcover. So if you are ever in my vicinity when I spy one, Especially for a good price [see above note about being an unpublished writer], do not get in my way please.

So this is my homage to good --- no, should be Great first pages..... to good books, good reading. And hopefully Published writing and books some day so I can get more books!

Happy Reading.