Slush-Proof Your Pages: Nailing Your Novel's Opening

Agents get hundreds of queries a week—and your opening pages are your one shot to stand out. In this workshop, we’ll dive into what makes a novel’s beginning irresistible to agents and editors, and why many openings fall flat. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling hook, establish voice and stakes right away, and avoid the most common pitfalls that land manuscripts in the rejection pile. Whether you're querying for the first time or revising after rounds of rejection, this session will help you turn your novel’s beginning into a page-turner that demands attention.

In this workshop you'll learn:

• How to craft an opening first line that instantly hooks a reader
• Dos and don'ts of a first page
• Essential elements of your first 10 pages/first chapter
• Top mistakes writers make on their openings that lead to rejection.

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