Class

Powerful First Pages: Pro Tips, Pitfalls, and Practical Advice

Writers are often told that our novels’ opening paragraphs should “hook the reader,” but how do we do that? What does that even mean?

Using examples from published genre-fiction novels, award-winning author Tamara Hogan offers a practical, craft-oriented take on this advice: Which details must we quickly supply to help an agent, editor, or reader feel confident they understand our point-of-view character’s current circumstances? How do we encourage them to read on?

In this 4-hour class, writers will learn how to leverage point of view, setting details, time references, and careful word choice to improve story clarity, grab our reader’s attention, and keep that reader hooked. Writers will also assess the degree to which their opening page provides hints about characterization, genre, and the story conflict to come.

Bring the first five pages of your work-in-progress to use for an in-class exercise. (A rough draft is fine.) While we’ll have ample opportunity to discuss individual learnings, manuscript feedback will not be supplied during this single-session class.

Accessibility: Please submit this request form at least two to three weeks in advance if you have any accessibility requests for this class. This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.