Comments on: Agents and the First Two Pages http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/ about the craft and business of genre fiction Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:49:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sean Ashby http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-49821 Sean Ashby Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:02:39 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-49821 Great article, thanks! I received another request for a partial yesterday and, after getting several turned down, I decided I needed to go back and chop off the front porch and craft a more compelling first line. But after reading this, I'm going back again and giving the first two pages some very careful attention! Great article, thanks! I received another request for a partial yesterday and, after getting several turned down, I decided I needed to go back and chop off the front porch and craft a more compelling first line.

But after reading this, I’m going back again and giving the first two pages some very careful attention!

]]> By: Jeaniene Frost http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-40453 Jeaniene Frost Sat, 24 Nov 2007 21:14:32 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-40453 Very good, practical points, Therese. I ended up nixing my prologue and deleting the first three chapters of my book before landing a request for a full (does that tell you how much backstory, descriptive scenery, and general blathering I'd had? :) In the end it boiled down to a friend telling me, "Your book doesn't get interesting until Chapter Four," and me getting over my instinctive reaction of "But those first three chapters are NECESSARY!". No, they weren't, and once they were gone, things turned around. Very good, practical points, Therese. I ended up nixing my prologue and deleting the first three chapters of my book before landing a request for a full (does that tell you how much backstory, descriptive scenery, and general blathering I’d had? :) In the end it boiled down to a friend telling me, “Your book doesn’t get interesting until Chapter Four,” and me getting over my instinctive reaction of “But those first three chapters are NECESSARY!”. No, they weren’t, and once they were gone, things turned around.

]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-36125 Therese Walsh Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:27:16 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-36125 Welcome, Perle! Best of luck with those first pages and with querying. Welcome, Perle! Best of luck with those first pages and with querying.

]]> By: Perle Champion http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-36124 Perle Champion Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:25:13 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-36124 Thank-you. Just discovered you today and this is the most helpful information I’ve read lately and it is timely. I have a 3-novel series, which I have been editing and fleshing out for some time – feels like forever. I am ready to start sending out queries and pages, and I will be editing chapter 1, one more time with your advice in mind. Perle perlesink.blogspot.com Thank-you. Just discovered you today and this is the most helpful information I’ve read lately and it is timely. I have a 3-novel series, which I have been editing and fleshing out for some time – feels like forever.

I am ready to start sending out queries and pages, and I will be editing chapter 1, one more time with your advice in mind.
Perle
perlesink.blogspot.com

]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35539 Therese Walsh Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:20:23 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35539 Thanks Mary and Linda. :) Your "Email or Snail Mail" article is excellent, Anthony, thanks for the link. I have some scoop to share on snail vs. query, too, but it'll probably be in a post next week. Thanks Mary and Linda. :)

Your “Email or Snail Mail” article is excellent, Anthony, thanks for the link. I have some scoop to share on snail vs. query, too, but it’ll probably be in a post next week.

]]> By: Anthony S. Policastro http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35354 Anthony S. Policastro Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:42:39 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35354 WOW! Thanks Therese for such an informative piece on agents and how to get them interested in your work. I knew I should have attended this conference. I especially liked the detail you put into the post with such helpful information. I've rewriting my first pages now and throwing out my prologue. For more on how to best query an agent, take a look at my blog post, "Email or Snail Mail an Agent?" at http://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2007/07/email-or-snail-agent.html Thanks again for the great post. WOW! Thanks Therese for such an informative piece on agents and how to get them interested in your work. I knew I should have attended this conference. I especially liked the detail you put into the post with such helpful information. I’ve rewriting my first pages now and throwing out my prologue. For more on how to best query an agent, take a look at my blog post, “Email or Snail Mail an Agent?” at http://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2007/07/email-or-snail-agent.html

Thanks again for the great post.

]]> By: Linda Nightingale http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35328 Linda Nightingale Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:58:29 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35328 This must have been quite an experience. Thanks for sharing with us. I'm not sure I'd have been brave enough to lay my children on the chopping block. :-) This must have been quite an experience. Thanks for sharing with us. I’m not sure I’d have been brave enough to lay my children on the chopping block. :-)

]]> By: Mary Marvella http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35223 Mary Marvella Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:49:42 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35223 Excellent notes, young lady! Thanks for sharing. Mary www.Pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com Excellent notes, young lady! Thanks for sharing.

Mary
http://www.Pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com

]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35219 Therese Walsh Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:35:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35219 Ray, thanks for sharing that info on experiential description. THAT would make a good post for next go-round, too! :) Chris, the Backspace seminar is like a hidden gem, don't you think? I know I've never been in a room with so many agents at once, and they were all pretty approachable. It was a very worthwhile experience. Ray, thanks for sharing that info on experiential description. THAT would make a good post for next go-round, too! :)

Chris, the Backspace seminar is like a hidden gem, don’t you think? I know I’ve never been in a room with so many agents at once, and they were all pretty approachable. It was a very worthwhile experience.

]]> By: chris k http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35187 chris k Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:44:28 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35187 I knew I should have asked who else was going to that workshop. (grin) I was there too and don't understand why more RWA members looking for agents don't attend. the seminar gave a wonderful opportunity to listen to agents on panels and then if you so chose, to chat with them afterwards. I too read for two agents on both days and the key words with most reads were - so what? Lovely writing but there are hundreds of other stories that say the same thing - so what makes this story different? They want fresh, fresh, fresh - (Seemed to be the agents favorite word-lol.) and it needs to be in the first few lines. I think your summation was clear and concise. Well done. Chris k I knew I should have asked who else was going to that workshop. (grin)

I was there too and don’t understand why more RWA members looking for agents don’t attend.

the seminar gave a wonderful opportunity to listen to agents on panels and then if you so chose, to chat with them afterwards.

I too read for two agents on both days and the key words with most reads were – so what? Lovely writing but there are hundreds of other stories that say the same thing – so what makes this story different? They want fresh, fresh, fresh – (Seemed to be the agents favorite word-lol.) and it needs to be in the first few lines.

I think your summation was clear and concise. Well done.

Chris k

]]> By: Ray Rhamey http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35152 Ray Rhamey Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:24:05 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35152 Teri, excellent post, full of right-on insights. For example, I have seen only one prologue, in all the stuff I see and read, that was the right thing to do. The odds are long that ditching a prologue will only help with pace and with hooking a reader. On description, I advocate something I'll call "experiential description." That is, description that is filtered through a character's mind and thus characterizes as well as describes. And if there can be some action involved, even better. Don't avoid description so much as make it slip in so easily that it's unnoticed. For example, much description is of the "snapshot" variety, simply reporting what the eye perceives. For example: Tom's mother wore a red dress with a plunging neckline. Now for experiential description: Tom hated his mother's red dress, the slutty way it showed most of her boobs. For what it's worth. Ray Teri, excellent post, full of right-on insights. For example, I have seen only one prologue, in all the stuff I see and read, that was the right thing to do. The odds are long that ditching a prologue will only help with pace and with hooking a reader.

On description, I advocate something I’ll call “experiential description.” That is, description that is filtered through a character’s mind and thus characterizes as well as describes. And if there can be some action involved, even better. Don’t avoid description so much as make it slip in so easily that it’s unnoticed.

For example, much description is of the “snapshot” variety, simply reporting what the eye perceives. For example:

Tom’s mother wore a red dress with a plunging neckline.

Now for experiential description:

Tom hated his mother’s red dress, the slutty way it showed most of her boobs.

For what it’s worth.

Ray

]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35118 Therese Walsh Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:14:16 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35118 <i>Wait, that reminds me of my husband.</i> LOL, Cath! But you're right, I'll bet there are plenty of fabulous stories we'll never know about because of "faulty" first paragraphs. That's just a shame. Thea, the read-aloud is a great exercise. I think it's one of the best ways to spot faulty word construction. It was an interesting experience, Michelle--but also a frustrating one for many people. Wait, that reminds me of my husband.

LOL, Cath! But you’re right, I’ll bet there are plenty of fabulous stories we’ll never know about because of “faulty” first paragraphs. That’s just a shame.

Thea, the read-aloud is a great exercise. I think it’s one of the best ways to spot faulty word construction.

It was an interesting experience, Michelle–but also a frustrating one for many people.

]]> By: theamcginnis http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35073 theamcginnis Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:36:10 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35073 ter, i did the same exercise at a writer's conference. okay, my language was clunky (even to me when read out loud - another good exercise you can do at home!) but an agent liked it, an editor was iffy about it, and one just hated it. anyway, you've really given us something to think about. thanks! ter, i did the same exercise at a writer’s conference. okay, my language was clunky (even to me when read out loud – another good exercise you can do at home!) but an agent liked it, an editor was iffy about it, and one just hated it. anyway, you’ve really given us something to think about. thanks!

]]> By: Cath http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35063 Cath Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:04:26 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35063 Lots of interesting info, Therese. I'd probably change the first two pages to get noticed. I mean, what's the good of beautifully written prose if it's sitting at the bottom of a slushpile? And we do this sort of preliminary quick screening all the time...first impressions can make all the difference whether it's a book,job interview, blind date, TV show or yes, even blogs. That doesn't make me feel any less sad about it. Wonder how many gems are buried underneath lousy openings? (Wait, that reminds me of my husband :-) Lots of interesting info, Therese.

I’d probably change the first two pages to get noticed. I mean, what’s the good of beautifully written prose if it’s sitting at the bottom of a slushpile? And we do this sort of preliminary quick screening all the time…first impressions can make all the difference whether it’s a book,job interview, blind date, TV show or yes, even blogs. That doesn’t make me feel any less sad about it. Wonder how many gems are buried underneath lousy openings? (Wait, that reminds me of my husband :-)

]]> By: Michelle http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/comment-page-1/#comment-35053 Michelle Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:44:32 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/11/13/agents-and-the-first-two-pages/#comment-35053 Therese, this is very interesting. I think, as you say, the lesson is smooth, flawless writing to let the tone, style and voice come through, so those looking for that type of work will find it easily in the slush. Therese, this is very interesting. I think, as you say, the lesson is smooth, flawless writing to let the tone, style and voice come through, so those looking for that type of work will find it easily in the slush.

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