Let’s talk beginnings. Does your article have a killer first paragraph? Your novel grab readers from the opening line? This post, Why Editors Focus on Page One, highlights how editors quickly assess a book from its first page. If you haven’t got that all-important opening magic, your work probably won’t get seen no matter how good it is. This blog post also discusses the need to have solid foundations for your novel. Check out how your opening line would match up against the American Book Review‘s top 100 (no pressure!). This video is an excellent example of how to open a scene in a screenplay for maximum punch, and this video shows John Irving talking about the excitement of a blank page (for all of you out there currently staring at one).

Opportunities and Events

Are you a fan of Lian Tanner’s Keepers series? If so, you might be interested in this competition, where you can use a quote from the books and design an image based on the quote. Entries close June 16. More details here.

Thanks to our friends at Scissors Paper Pen, Canberra writers can attend book reviewing masterclasses with Marion Halligan at Gorman House Arts Centre, where the best reviews from the workshops may be featured in the Canberra Times. Applications to be part of the masterclasses close June 20. Check out the Facebook event for more details.

Quick Response Grants applications are now open through Regional Arts NSW for arts/professional development opportunities that arise at short notice. Applications are open now, and available on a first come, first served basis so get hopping. Information on the website.

Reminder: you now have under one month to submit your novel to Hologram books. Get writing!

What is there to say about beginnings?

The scariest moment is always just before you start – Stephen King

Tell us how you write your first line/chapter/paragraph…

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