A Free-tique Round is Open: Free-for-All for First Pages

UPDATE: THIS FREE-TIQUE ROUND IS CLOSED. I’m responding to submitted pages as fast as I can. Please be patient as I return your free-tiques! It may take me a few days, given the number of submissions.  If you missed the free-tique round and you’d like to have a paid critique, I am booking slots for 2012.  Do sign up for the paid-critique list for rates and submission instructions.

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This free-tique round is the first of its kind. I just announced some sad news to the Free-tique email list but that doesn’t mean Free-tiques are over.  The Free-tique will live on, and I’m turning a new page (quite literally, in fact).

To participate you must submit your first page for a free-tique! This would be the first half-page an editor or agent would see in a manuscript – 125 words max for the purposes of this round, if you aren’t sure.

The rules are so simple, you’ll be stunned.

• You must PASTE in your text, no attachments, no re-dos. Do it right the first time, please.  If you screw this up, it’s automatic elimination; It’s really hard to keep track of submission count by email,  so don’t make it harder for me!
• Submit no more than the 125 words.  If the sentence gets cut off, that’s okay.  So 125 words only! If you send me more, no free-tique for you!
• Title your email in the SUBJECT LINE according to this format (Format, MS title, and Word count of the entire book) – example (PB, F IS FOR FREETIQUE FUN, 500 words).  Format can be PB (picture book), ER (early reader), CB (Chapter book), MG (middle grade), and YA (young adult).
• Submit your first page to SUB AT CYNTHEALIU DOT COM before the free-tique round closes, and you win the tique.
• You’ll know you’ve won, when I reply with your critique!  Please be patient as I turn these around as fast as I can.
• If you do not receive a reply at all, check this page for this free-tique round; it probably closed and you didn’t make it in time.
• Only one entry per person.
• FICTION works only.

I’ll be returning responses as fast as I possibly can.  And everyone, at minimum, will receive one important piece of feedback. It goes something like this

“Yes, I’d turn the page.” Or

“Nope, I’m sorry but I’ve got better things to do like clip my nails or pick lint off my sweater.”

The purpose of this round is to get you to think hard about making good first impressions.

And one last thing, if you missed the free-tique round and you’d like to have a paid critique, I do have a few slots open before Thanksgiving.  Do sign up for the paid-critique list for rates and submission instructions.

Happy First-Paging,

Cynthea