FIRST PAGES
FIRST PAGES: HOOK THEM OR LOSE THEM
INSTRUCTOR: BETH ILER
Recommended for students of any skill level aged 18+
Your first page is one of the most important sections you’ll ever write. It’s what convinces an agent to keep reading, what pulls a reader off the bookstore shelf, and what sets the tone for everything that follows. In this four hour workshop, we’ll focus on what truly makes an opening succeed, and what causes it to stall. Through targeted craft instruction and an in-depth critique session, you’ll gain practical tools and actionable feedback to strengthen your manuscript’s opening pages.
Students will learn what agents and readers are looking for on page one, how to establish voice, character, and stakes from the very first line, as well as how to evaluate your own opening with a clear craft framework
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students must submit their first pages at least one week before the workshop date to allow time for instructor review. Submissions should follow these guidelines:
• Maximum 10 pages double-spaced
• Standard manuscript format: 12-pt Times New Roman or Courier, double-spaced, 1” margins, with manuscript title and page numbers in top right corner
• Include your name, title, genre, and any content warnings at the top of the first page
MATERIALS
Please bring a laptop or device for notes and in-class writing exercises.
REGISTER NOW: SATURDAY | JUNE 27 | 12 PM TO 4 PM | $90
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Beth Iler is an independent editor, journalist, and author with a BS in Journalism and an MA in Publishing. With over ten years of editing experience, she brings versatility and precision to every project. She enjoys hiking, going to poetry slams, and Swedish metal concerts. She reads way too many books at one time, from poetry to weird medical non-fiction. But her true love is fantasy and myths.