For All You Writers Going to Minicon

[mmerriam]

Lisa Freitag is putting together a special panel at Minicon about how editors read the first pages of manuscripts. For this panel, she needs some writers who are willing to submit the real first pages of their stories in advance. What editors will be on the panel? Shawna McCarthy (editor of Realms of Fantasy and respected literary agent), Jim Frenkel (editor at Tor) have already agreed. She's hoping to get Jane Yolen and Eric Heideman to join in as well.

If you have a tough skin and want real feedback on your story openings, this is a tremendous opportunity. If they don't get enough submissions, they can't do the panel.

~ LISA SAYS ~

"The names of the panelists are tentative, except for Frenkel and McCarthy, but I will not be inviting anyone else to do this unless they come highly recommended. Depending on how many volunteers we get, either I or Shawna will read them and choose which ones are most appropriate. The selected pages will be xeroxed and distributed at the panel. We will ask everyone to turn them back in at the end.

I think the first 300 or so words should do it. I need paper submissions, since I'll need to have real printed pages, and my email does not decipher most attachments. The "manuscripts" should have only a title, and fit on a single page, double-spaced and in the usual fonts. People may want to include their name and email on a separate page, though I'm not likely to be able to contact everybody about them.

Mail pages to:

Lisa Freitag...
(email me or comment with your email, and I will send you Lisa's address. I'm not plastering her home address all over the internet -- MM)

The panel description is below. I will not have a time until I know who is willing to be on the panel and exactly when they will be available. I expect we will want to put it sometime Saturday afternoon, but no promises.

Lisa Freitag
Minicon 43"


~ PANEL DESCRIPTION ~

First Impressions
Editors receive far more pages than they could possibly read, so it’s important to make a good impression from the first page. Our panel of experts will evaluate the first 400 words of sample manuscripts, and discuss how they would feel about turning to the next page.
Shawna McCarthy (M), Jane Yolen, Eric Heideman, Jim Frenkel, Patrick Rothfuss


ETA: Yes, I plan on submitting a page. What's the worst that can happen? They can hate it, then explain why.

Comments

[will-couvillier.livejournal.com]

After reading this I have to ask if the submissions have to be from an attendee of the con. I would be highly interested in comments on my opening, and I have a fresh story in my group for a crit at this time.

Only con I can attend is WorldCon in August. But this sounds too cool to pass on, if it is open to non-attendees.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

My understanding is it is for con attendees. They want you in the room so the editors can explain what they are thinking and how they would react to this first page.

[pezwitch.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a cool panel idea.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I think it's a great idea for a panel.

[pameladean]

No, no, the worst that can happen is that they don't pick your opening and then you obsess about why, why, why.

P.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Ack!

But I'm going to submit my page.

[pameladean]

Oh, absolutely. I'm tempted myself, though I probably won't. That's a dynamite panel, really it is.

P.

[careswen.livejournal.com]

Because it was too perfect, of course! ;)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Don't I wish...

[one-undone.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I couldn't do it. Crash and burn on my first page in public panel = stumble and fall at my keyboard for months, I'd think. I have a pretty thick skin one-on-one, but to have my work held up before a room full of people and picked apart? Nopers. Can't do it. :P

You're a brave soul.