I’d be up to anything! My WIP is almost completed and there are a few areas that I need help with.

You have no idea how much I love you gals on this blog

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By Steena on 07.19.09 7:55 pm | Permalink

Personally, I’d like to see a query + 1st (or 1st 5) page for a critique. I’ve seen a lot that’s a query OR a first page, but I think to really get an idea of what an agent would look at, it would be best to see both–and discover where one quits reading (whether it’s the query or the first page that’s preventing an author from reading on).

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By beth on 07.19.09 9:07 pm | Permalink

I’m with Beth. I think that’s a great idea.

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By Sarah on 07.20.09 10:34 am | Permalink

Ooh, that would be good. Query and first page especially, I think, because multiple first-five-pages entries could get quite long. (I assume that’s what you mean – like the first five sentences critique?)

It would also be interesting sometime to do a “character introduction” critique. Obviously, many characters show up with little description or immediate action/dialogue, but it might be cool to have a critique of the scene (maybe a page or less, with a paragraph of summary setting up the situation?) in which a new character appears or is first active (first speaks, etc.). If the character is your protagonist, of course, this would often be the first few sentences of the work, but it could otherwise be a good chance to see readers’ first impressions of your antagonist, romantic interest, protagonist’s best friend, whoever. It could also give good feedback on the nature of the character’s introduction (too much focus on appearance/too little description, and no one can picture the character/and so on).

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By Anica on 07.20.09 1:30 pm | Permalink

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

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By Valerie on 07.20.09 3:03 pm | Permalink

Yep. Agree with the above folks.

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By Robyn on 07.22.09 6:07 am | Permalink

Whatever works for me. Critiques – painful, heart rending, earth shattering – are essential! : )

S

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By Scott on 07.22.09 3:56 pm | Permalink