You've heard that if the first paragraph of your novel isn't strong enough, agents and publishers won't read the first page, let alone the first fifty. Now you can learn how to separate fact from fiction and remain true to your story. Learn to draft a first line that will grab an acquisition editor and announce your authority as an author. This is a unique opportunity for you to learn how pros consider the merits of the material and the intent of the author, covering everything from glaring grammar errors to story-structure flaws to the overall storytelling and more.

Join us as this panel of professional editors discuss the right way to hone your work into a masterpiece (i.e.: worthy of publishing) by knowing what to look for, and offer tips on how to fix it yourself. Selected works will be read aloud, so the audience can follow along and learn how an agent or publisher reviews a manuscript. Time permitting, they may suggest improving the samples.

This “Read and Critique” is Free. Time permitting, we will discuss when is the right time to bring in a professional editor, and what it might cost.