I think the standout so far of Query Saturday was that paranormal with the crime scene photographer. No info dump. Very much in the moment. It took a bit to even realize the main character was female. That first page had some wobbles, but it very much stood out, so much so that I still remember it. So I think a first page can stand on its own. I like the idea of the one-sentence set up, and I do think this entry needs a “byline” because I couldn’t tell when it was.

I never buy a book on blurb alone. Blurbs are usually written by the marketing department to sell the story, and sometimes they’re not incredibly accurate. Blurbs only make me open the book to see how the writing is. The writing makes me buy the book. And that’s why this First Page Saturday is important.

That said, I don’t necessarily want a full blurb with these first pages. I think blurbs can color my reaction a little too much set me up for something before I’ve even begun reading. And if the goal is for “cold eyes” as this author calls them, then a blurb wouldn’t work for me. I would like a time, setting, type of romance description.

Mostly I’d like the exerpts to be a little longer which I think would alleviate the need for a blurb. Two pages as Jane suggests? I don’t know. But a little more would be welcome. Of course that just makes it harder when I like what’s been posted (makes me want the book right now!).

But that’s not how agents and editors read books. The blurb isn’t part of the book, it’s part of the packaging. The first page has to engage the reader–that doesn’t mean that it has to be a “contrivance” or anything of the sort.

And if you give a book a chance for 50 pages, I applaud your patience. The conventional wisdom in publishing is that you have to connect with the reader on the first page, and that’s how agents and editors read manuscripts.

The conventional wisdom may well be wrong, of course. But at the moment, it’s something that writers would do well to keep in mind.

And there are a lot of ways to engage readers on the first page. You don’t have to do all your characterization or worldbuilding or whatever. You don’t have to start with a gripping action scene.

But you do have to establish a compelling voice that draws readers into the story.

The first page give a very good view of the author’s writing style and voice. It’s all that’s needed to know if we are or aren’t intrigued by the characters introduced. In this case, it’s enough for us to know there is some very nice writing lost in TMIland.

I’m not saying having a scenerio review or blurb is a bad thing, I simply see it as something separate. The first should be able to stand on it’s own.

I also understand what you’re saying about word counts, however I don’t see it as a priority until the book is getting down to the final draft. Even then it comes down to the words being justified. I’m not saying word count guidelines should be thrown out the window, just that they shouldn’t be considered a firm cap… and as Robin said, it’s easier to cut than add.

You want a first page that keeps the reader reading.

I’m sorry, but my attention span’s not that short. I buy on the blurb, period. I don’t look at the first page when buying because I don’t expect it to hook me; I want to be drawn in gradually, which ties into…

But I definitely think that we’re getting more underdeveloped books these days, and I am a bit concerned about that.

There is no time for development, a gradual blossoming of story like a lotus flower, when you must must must at all costs and forever and ever amen have a first page that’s a contrivance to get my attention. My attention was got with the blurb; that’s why I’m reading it.

I also think it does a disservice to readers by implication: That the reader isn’t tolerant enough to read for 25 pages or whatever to find out if they want to continue. It takes me about 50 pages to figure out if I want to buy the lie I’m being told and the abrupt beginnings only annoy me into giving it less of a chance.

I don’t want to be jarred with that trick all the time (which is a must for the shorter books and to me, 75k is a SHORT book).

Draw me in, seduce me, caress my mind.

Yes.

You want a first page that keeps the reader reading.

The first page doesn’t need to contain all of the information in the book, of course. But it needs to be able to engage the reader on its own, without any of the information that’s in a blurb or jacket copy or the rest of the manuscript.

Of course not. The fact is, we’re not getting the whole MS which presumably stands on its own, so why not have something to provide a bit of essential information?

It might be helpful in evaluating how well the first page sets up the rest of the book.

But it wouldn’t be necessary to evaluating how well the first page works on its own.

I suppose it depends on which goal is primary in this exercise.

As a reader, I’m not sure which is more disappointing to me, a bloated book or an underdeveloped one. But I definitely think that we’re getting more underdeveloped books these days, and I am a bit concerned about that.

Oh, and I second the idea that it’s much easier to cut than to add. It’s like wrapping a present: if you have too much paper, you can cut without anyone knowing the excess was there, but if you have too little, everyone can see the patch.

This is true. I did not mean to imply I thought the author should censor themself when writing. On the contrary: i know I throw in everything I think needs to be there in the first draft, elaborate even more in the second. The missing step might be that once I get the story structure in shape I go back in for some hardcore hack and slash to tighten my book into a literary hard-body.

I’m not advocating self-censoring or muse muffling to manage word count. I am advocating a hard editorial eye and ruthless red pen to keep stories that don’t need to be overly long in check.

My fault for not making that distinction clear enough. Sorry.

Can I just say that I miss the longer, epic-scope Romances?

Heartfelt ditto.

Me three.