CeCe Lyra

What's up, everyone?

This is Cece.

So I recently grabbed lunch with an acquiring editor from HarperCollins who told me that the number of submissions she's been getting has nearly doubled.

And I wasn't surprised at all because every agent and editor I know has been talking about how the volume of submission keeps increasing.

So personally, that is a wonderful thing, because it's more reading for me, but it also means I have more chances of matching with authors.

I consider it a privilege to review queries on Books with Hooks, and of course, in my submissions inbox.

But at the same time, I talk to writers who tell me that they wish agents would read more than a few pages because...

And I quote, my story gets better in chapter two.

I have to be honest, this kills me.

It's like me wanting chocolate chip cookies to have the nutritional value of kale.

It's just not realistic.

Like it or not, no agent, no acquiring editor is going to stick around to see if a submission gets better.

It's not because we're mean.

It's because we get dozens and dozens every day.

I know it's harsh, but ambitious writers embrace harsh realities.

So here it goes.

It's your job to make your opening pages irresistible, to make agents crave it, to make agents want to read more.

That's why I'm so excited about my upcoming course, Starting It Right, How to Begin Your Story in the Best Place and in the Best Way.

I created this course after studying hundreds of books.

I've mapped out elements that are present in the beginning of all successful novels and memoirs.