70 Comments

Thanks Renee, very valuable advice, even for my about-to-be-self-published erotic memoir! I’ll go back and run a ruler over the first 10 pages.

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Sounds good, Rebecca. Self-published or traditional, it’s always important to get and keep your reader engaged.

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Nov 2Liked by Renee Fountain

I was so looking forward to reading this because I wanted to test it against my current first ten pages. I really struggled with the info dumping my first time around (and the amount of rejections I got proved it lol).

But I have done a ton of work and I really believe my first ten pages have a lot of the good elements you listed while avoiding many of the items you mentioned that can lead to a rejection. So I’m very excited when I finish this current draft of my manuscript. I think I might actually get some full requests!

Thanks as always for providing your insight, Renee!

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Awesome, Colin. Fingers crossed. Let me know if you have any questions.

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Thank you for sharing these tips. I laughed at myself, for I indeed did open my creative nonfiction with the protagonist looking in the mirror. 🤦‍♀️However, I do it specifically to introduce the conflict right away--that she does not see who she thinks she is supposed to see. I am wondering if that still might be a cliche? 🤔

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Shell, that's a good point. If she's looking in the mirror saying, "I see mousy brown hair and realize this is not my reflection..." it could be interesting. Or if the character is walking by a mirror and catches the reflection -- the cliche is usually someone brushing their teeth and looking in the mirror, getting ready for something and looking in the mirror or just simply looking in the mirror to dissect their appearance... if you can put a new spin and surprise the reader, then bonus.

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It’s hilarious that you mention “mousy brown hair”!! That’s how I always described myself. 😆

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"within the first five to 10 pages" I can tell in the first page. But then I'm a scoundrel : ) All kidding aside Renee this is absolutely splendid advice. I'm jealous, a couple of these I thought were my own private ace cards... Like throwing in a joke, or at least an absurdity as fast as possible.

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I can see it within the first page too, if it’s there. However, I like to ensure I’ve read enough to make a more informed decision.

For those who say, “But it really takes off on page 50”… have answered their own question on why people stopped reading. That’s often the first clue to writers on moving up the action and starting in a different place.

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Nov 21Liked by Renee Fountain

You know what’s funny about this though. I remember reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as a ten year old, and barely making it through the first 50 pages, which was where to my young mind the story picked up. As a nostalgic adult, I love those first fifty pages now, but back then? Hard sell!

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This is wise

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Thank you so much, Renee! This is amazing advice...and now I'm off to review my first 10 pages and see where I'm making these mistakes both in the novel I'm pitching and my current WIP.

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Nov 1Liked by Renee Fountain

I've saved this for future reference.

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Renee, love this. Writers could also use some of this advice for writing personal essays on Substack. Thank you!

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Absolutely, Debbie.

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Nov 1Liked by Renee Fountain

Treasure trove of information and advice here!

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Thank you, Maryann

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Great advice! You capture the problems I see all the time.

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Thanks, Karin.

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I wish I could save this!

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Well if you can't - it will be right here for you.

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Fabulous advice that applies to all types of writing. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. Your advice is invaluable.

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Thank you, Gary. I appreciate you saying so.

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Nov 21Liked by Renee Fountain

A well written explanation that answers so many questions m! Thank you ☺️

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So glad it was helpful to you.

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Well, it’s time to write the “reject in 1 page” because that’s more like it. ;-)

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You mean write the article how agents reject in one page? It can happen. I do go further to make sure it's an issue that carries through. I'm fairly confident you're not getting rejected in a page ;)

The best thing about writing though, including that really bad first page, is you can absolutely improve and become a better writer.

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"Characters waking up and getting ready for their day"

Guilty! I give myself a small pass due to it being my first novel. Thanks for the assist with the upcoming rewrite.

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You are officially forgiven. Pass confirmed :) Good luck on the rewrite.

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Nov 20Liked by Renee Fountain

Thank you!

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You're welcome :)

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Nov 20Liked by Renee Fountain

I paid an editor (who does freelance work) from a literary agency and she helped me wade through much the same things you just said here. It opened my eyes to how cringe-worthy my writing was once upon a time.

One thing I wanted to ask was about literary agents MSWLs....do they come straight from publishing houses? Some items I see on these lists seem very obscure and, if I'm honest, outright weird.

I grew up reading space operas and watching Star Trek the Next Generation, Babylon 5, etc...so much of the scifi today is not anything like I'd consider scifi as I knew it. Is classic scifi dead today?

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Glad what I said tracked with your experience. Trust me, most writers have that feeling when they work with an editor -- and it's awesome, it means you're learning, growing and getting better at the craft.

The MSWLs usually come straight from the agent -- and I agree with you. I've read some of them and thought "what does THAT mean?"...I thought it was just me. Some of the asks can very well be the "wishlist" of a house editor that the agent is trying to fill a need. I know it's difficult to navigate the wants and needs of agents when what they're looking for sounds more like a soufflé than a book... I'm joking, but I understand exactly where you're coming from.

I enjoy Orson Scott Card and Piers Anthony, myself. I don't think classic sci-fi is dead - but these iterations are why I don't represent Sci-fi, because I don't "get" these hardcore Sci-fi/Space Operas, so I don't believe I'm qualified to determine what would be commercially viable.

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