Finding the Heart of the Story
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What is the emotional impact of parenting a child with Down syndrome?
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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 and 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 and i've designed checklists actual checklists that you can use to ensure that your story's beginning is seducing your reader
We'll cover how to write a great first line, different types of beginnings and how you can choose the best one, the best place to start and the best way to start, yes, these are totally different things, when it makes sense to add a prologue and when it doesn't, how to frame your inciting incident in an appealing way, how to balance exposition and mystery, how to include context but not weigh it down with too much backstory, and what to do if your story has more than one POV or timeline. Most of all, I'm going to show you how to make readers want to turn to Chapter 2. Join me for this multi-day course designed to help you break through the noise. You'll leave with a clear, actionable breakdown of exactly what goes into a terrific beginning.
If you've already signed up, come prepared to take lots of notes. We're talking hundreds of slides with real-world examples and specific techniques, plus a super fun surprise that I can't wait to share. I hope to see you there.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the emotional impact of parenting a child with Down syndrome?
0:01–18:39
2
How do personal experiences shape memoir writing?
18:39–20:08
3
What critiques are made about the memoir query letter?
20:08–33:56
4
What elements are essential for a compelling narrative arc?
33:56–45:35
5
How does the critique of the medical AI thriller differ from the memoir?
45:35–55:55
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
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Shooting the Shit About The End of Nonfiction And Immersive Trends In Fiction
An Acquiring Editor on Books With Hooks
Shooting the Shit About Advance Sizes and E-Learning Economics
In Conversation with Editor and Author
August Bonus Episode