Comments on: The Pain of First Pages

By: Leon Dixson

Leon Dixson — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:11:51 +0000

Great job, Julie. Can't wait to see you in Granbury again. I bet I've re-written my opening to Feeding Buzzards twenty times. I think I'm happy with it now. At least until I read it again. 0:)

By: sam

sam — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 18:42:49 +0000

As a writer I frantically try and cram in all and every first page list I have run across. And I always find something better later.
As a reader I must be old school, I give the opening a lot of leeway and let the world and characters grow on my. Theme will make me smile after I finish, Genre is in the title ( or should be) stakes come and go, voice and setting and such details are flowers meant to grow.
And, old school, I never not finish a book. Seems rude not to give a persons work a try. Though I might skim the dull parts.

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:45:39 +0000

In reply to Kathleen Baldwin. Thanks, Kathleen! I always love your first pages.

By: Kathleen Baldwin

Kathleen Baldwin — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 00:51:11 +0000

Wow! Great list, Julie! Encouraging article. The dreaded beginning--always the hardest part for me. Thanks for the encouragement.

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 22:38:41 +0000

In reply to Rachel Heller. How great that you found a process that works for you! (I'm one of those who loses some interest in the writing if I plan too much ahead of time. ~shrug~) Thanks for the tip, Rachel.

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 19:38:49 +0000

I use a worksheet I created to fill in all the important details on location, time of day, which characters are in the scene, and what the main character wants going into the scene. Once I have the entire story set up, I worry about crafting the prose later. It's much less stressful, and it gives you space to make changes along the way. Great article!

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:05:07 +0000

In reply to Denise. Same here, Denise! But my first full chapter tends to get edited a lot.

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:04:20 +0000

In reply to Piper Bayard. That's a great kind of weird! Keep it going, Piper. :)

By: Denise

Denise — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 04:44:38 +0000

Most of my first lines have stayed, but some were edited out because they didn't fit.

By: Piper Bayard

Piper Bayard — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 04:43:10 +0000

Feeling kind of weird here. My first pages and even the first few chapters always come right out. Then there's the rest of the book.

Great post, Julie. Thank you!