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Studies show people make judgments about your character in a tenth of a second. And readers, agents, and editors may decide almost as quickly whether or not to keep reading your story.

First pages and chapters carry a lot of weight: They must introduce characters and give readers a reason to care about what happens; set up enough suggestion of conflict to intrigue; and create questions that keep us turning pages. Readers need enough information to orient them to the story and journey to come.

But it’s not enough to open with a bang and hope readers will hang on for the rest of the ride. You have to keep us reading—and that’s where many opening pages and chapters falls short. Authors may spend so much time trying to craft the “perfect” grabby first lines or paragraphs that they overlook how to convince readers to stay in the car for the entire ride.

Readers need to know who they’re going on the journey with, why they care, what makes it matter, where they’re going—and why now? Readers need some sense of our destination (even if it changes).

Your opening pages make a promise to readers that the rest of your story must deliver on—but it’s that promise that draws us in.

In this 90-minute live webinar we’ll explore what it means to “hook” readers. That includes how to fulfill the crucial responsibilities of your first pages:

• Establish character and make readers care about them
• Create a sense of conflict, struggle, or unrest, or what’s not right in their world?
• Set up story stakes, or why do readers care about your character’s issues?
• Establish the narrative perspective and voice
• Begin to set up the journey of the story: the plot
• Clearly establish the protagonist(s) “point A,” or the beginning of their arc
• Paint a picture of the story world
• Immediately create questions in readers’ minds that engage their curiosity
• Get—and keep—the story moving

We’ll also look at:

• How important are first lines, really—and what should yours accomplish?
• How prologues affect your opening chapters
• What makes readers stop reading?

Tiffany has more than 30 years of experience working in the publishing industry—with major publishers and bestsellers as well as successful indie authors—seeing what separates the stories that sell from the ones that don’t. In this class she shares the principles she’s culled from editing thousands of manuscripts to help you create dynamic, irresistible opening pages.

Who this class is for

• Authors who want to learn how to immediately draw a reader into their story
• Authors who struggle with how to start a story
• Authors who’ve been told their manuscript “just didn’t grab” readers
• Authors who aren’t getting full manuscript requests from agents or offers from publishers
• Authors who have gotten positive response to their work or submissions, but have been told something is missing or not quite working
• Authors who know their opening pages don’t have a strong hook
• Traditionally published and self-published authors alike where readers may consider only the back cover copy and first pages in determining whether to buy a book

Who this class may not be suited for

• The class focuses on fiction and examples will focus on fiction. Writers in other genres (memoir, narrative nonfiction) may not find all principles or examples applicable.
• The class focuses on adult fiction and YA fiction and may not apply to children’s work.

Is this class for memoirists and narrative nonfiction writers?

We welcome memoirists and narrative nonfiction writers to attend, as the storytelling lessons and principles in this class apply to you as well. However, this class will focus on fiction examples and the craft of fiction. It will also assume familiarity with fiction craft and technique. As long as you’re comfortable taking a class that isn’t geared primarily for memoirists, and you believe novel writing principles are often the same as memoir writing principles, we hope you’ll register! Do keep in mind this class will not address some of the unique issues facing nonfiction writers and memoirists who must craft stories from real-life events. (Fiction writers can manipulate their characters and story line to create the desired effect; memoirists cannot make things up—or at least shouldn’t!)

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology (see system requirements). You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

• When: Wednesday, October 30, 2024
• Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. Eastern / 10:00 a.m. Pacific
• Fee: $25

The webinar is broadcast via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service, which is about 80%+ accurate. We use Adobe Premiere to generate a lightly edited transcript, provided with the recording.

All students receive the following

• Access to the live class. After roughly 75 minutes, the instructor will take questions during class using in-class chat/text. The class will end after roughly 90 minutes.
• A recording of the class—audio and video. This is especially helpful if you have a conflict with the class time or something comes up and you can’t make the session. Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for 30 days. You do not have to attend the live event to access the recordings.
• Presentation slides. All participants receive a copy of the slide presentation in PDF form.
• Rough transcript. We use Adobe Premiere to create an automated transcript of the entire webinar, which is lightly edited for you.
• Opening pages checklist. This handout will help you ensure that your first pages accomplish everything they need to in order to grab and keep readers.

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee, presenter, or staff—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

• That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
• That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be disconnected from the live event.