We've done "First Sentence" once or twice, and the rest is mostly the first 250 words. Today, let's chop off a zero and look at the first TWENTY-FIVE.
Starting now, send the following to me at facelesswords(at)gmail.com:
TITLE
GENRE
25 words
---
That's it! Please don't go over 25. Stop before you get to 25 in order to finish a sentence.
The focus? Here it is: As readers, we're thumbing through a shelf of tasty morsels, deciding what to read. We're short on time, and we want to read something that grabs us in the first twenty-five words. So, in your comments, simply let us know if the 25 words grabbed you or not. NO HEFTY CRITIQUE NECESSARY--I mean, how much critiquing can you do of 25 words? Just let us know if you were hooked, and why.
Even more fun: I'm going to put the genre in each subject line. So you can "open" the books in which you're interested!
I'll keep submissions open for the rest of the day (because, yanno, I'm a glutton for things-that-end-up-bleeding-all-over-my-day).
Questions, below please! And let the 25-word storm begin.
Miss Snark's First Victim
Oh, fun! I've revised my first 1-2 pages of my manuscript from the last Secret Agent contest, so I guess this is my chance to find out if it's any better (at least as much as you can tell from 25 words). I can't wait to read other submissions!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea!
ReplyDeleteGlad I posted something on my blog this morning so I could see this note:)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I revised my opening recently! My old one was so blah. We'll see how this one goes. Looking forward to reading these snippets.
ReplyDeleteCool! Thanks, Authoress. I didn't have anything else fun planned for this morning.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I've been concerned about my opening for a while. It just doesn't seem catchy enough.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Boy, my last comment reads like a girl reluctantly accepting a date: "Well, I guess I don't have anything else to do on a Friday night...."
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant was: YAY! Something FUN to do! Yippee!
are there similar rules here, as in 'from a completed manuscript only'?
ReplyDeleteDo picture books get included this time? :)
ReplyDeleteLia -- It does not have to be a completed manuscript.
ReplyDeleteBeth -- Since it's only 25 words, I'll say yes, go ahead and submit your PB. (I know they get left out of everything else!)
Lia -- It does not have to be a completed manuscript.
ReplyDeleteBeth -- Since it's only 25 words, I'll say yes, go ahead and submit your PB. (I know they get left out of everything else!)
What fun! Thanks in advance...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the simple contest. You've got my umpteenth revision. I still have umpteenth times to go.
ReplyDeleteJay. I can see reactions to my new opening. I'm in.
ReplyDeleteHave been away for too long. Both from writing, and from your blow.
Yea! I just did my umpteenth first page revision. And like the others, I'd like to see if maybe, I finally got it right. Thanks, Authoress.
ReplyDeleteFun! Twenty-five words is a lot less than I thought it was!
ReplyDeleteYay! Good times for all.
ReplyDeleteYou are great (crazy, insane) for taking these submissions to give us (lunatic) wannabe writers a forum to aid (and abet) our chosen career.
ReplyDeleteSuch courage! Such fortitude! Such masochistic tendencies!
Thank you.
*g*
This is great fun and gave me an excuse to rearrange the opening couple of paragraphs of my WIP to get that all important "hook" in the first 25 words!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing this.
Thanks for this contest. Certainly seems like a fun way of sharpening the very beginning. Looking forward to reading all the entries.
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
ReplyDeleteMan! That's what I get for going on vacation. : ( Sure hope you'll do another one of these in the near future, Authoress.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. I was so busy over the last week that I missed it. Make sure to do it again soon.
ReplyDeleteSorry. I sent mine today thinking the post was from today. My bad. Good luck to those who entered. :)
ReplyDelete