I took a Writer’s Digest Webinar a couple of weeks ago. Conducted by an agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency, Katie Shea Boutillier, the title was “What Agents and Editors are Looking for in First Pages.” Since that’s the usual topic of FtQ, I decided to invest and see if this agent's approach reflects mine.
Another part of the appeal was that the agent would read and critique a query letter for your work and its first five manuscript pages. Since I’m deep into writing a novel, I thought I’d take those first five pages out for a spin while seeing if I could craft an intriguing query letter. I should get the critique by July, if not sooner. It’s good to have an objective look by a professional.
She noted that she currently has between 50 and 100 queries in her query inbox, so you can see the odds of connecting. Below are some of the things Katie said about how she reads and reacts to submissions, sometimes vaulting right over the query letter to look at the first pages. So, in my view, it’s even more important to get your first page compellingly right.
“Query slush”
Katie refers to working on “query slush,” an interesting reference to the old term “slush pile” that referred to novels submitted to publishers without an agent. That doesn’t happen so much any more.
Perhaps it’s the sheer volume of queries she has to deal with that causes her to skip directly to first pages because, she says, the very first sentence on the first page can lose her.
“If I’m not connecting with that very first sentence where that first sentence feels unique and it feels fresh and it feels like something I can already wrap my mind around or connect with that feeling you’re trying to convey. If I don’t, you have probably lost me already.”
Other tips:
- Your main character should be on the first page. This proposes an interesting conundrum for thriller, suspense, and crime writers who want to start out the bad guy or the victim. An interesting challenge.
- In the first pages, you need to show that the main character has a struggle of some kind.
- Voice, the way you tell your story, is all about emotion. Does the voice command attention? Voice can sell a novel, it’s what makes her not want to put it down.
- Bring the reader into the story. Show setting, but briefly. Something happens. She likes a sense of urgency in the opening narrative.
- She recommends limiting the amount of dialogue in the first pages. Instead, move story forward with each sentence, balancing urgency and conflict.
Depending on the result, I may share her critique of my query and first five pages when I get it. Stay tuned.
For what it’s worth.
Ray
© 2017 Ray Rhamey
My books. You can read sample chapters and learn more about the books here.
Writing Craft Mastering the Craft of Compelling Storytelling
Fantasy (satire) The Vampire Kitty-cat Chronicles
Mystery (coming of age) The Summer Boy
Science Fiction Hiding Magic
Science Fiction Gundown Free ebooks.