Fiction Writing Workshop | Feb 7th, 9:30a-12p

How to get an editor to read past the first page!

First pages are like blind dates—a good first impression is everything and can be the deciding factor if the relationship goes any further. But don’t let that stop you from writing that first page—honing a great first page is all in the editing. Author and full-time professional editor, Wendy Wimmer, will show you what she looks for when selecting work and the kinds of hooks that grab a reader from the first paragraph—or even the first sentence—and keep them invested in reading on. She’ll give you an easy barometer to “Editor/Agent test” your first page and also reveal some of the opening page moves that novice (and advanced) writers commonly make but are nearly impossible to pull off. She’ll share real life examples of first pages from the publishing, classic and literary world, and give time to talk through your own first pages live.

Writers at all stages of their careers and processes are welcome!

About the Instructor | Wendy Wimmer's debut short story collection, Entry Level, contains a range of characters who are trying to find, assert, or salvage their identities. These fifteen stories center around the experience of being underemployed—whether by circumstance, class, gender, race, or other prevailing factors—and the toll this takes on an individual. Wimmer pushes the boundaries of reality, creating funny, fantastic, and at times terrifying stories. Her characters undergo feats of endurance, heartbreak, and loneliness, all while trying to succeed in a world that so often undervalues them. From a young marine biologist suffering from imposter syndrome and a haunting to a bingo caller facing another brutal snowstorm and a creature that may or not be an angel, Wimmer’s characters are all confronting an oppressive universe that seemingly operates against them or is, at best, indifferent to them. These stories reflect on the difficulties of modern-day survival and remind us that piecing together a life demands both hope and resilience.