Top 2014 Posts – #1 – The Worst Ways to Begin Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents

To end the year, I’ve decided to spotlight my top 10 blog posts from 2014. I went into my stats page and looked up those articles, stories, and other published pieces that had the most number of views. Some surprised me, others did not.

Drumroll please…

And the number one post of 2014 is: The Worst Ways to Begin Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents

This is probably my favorite article I found for my Twitter Treasure Thursday this year. The advice given in it is beyond helpful. In fact, after reading this, I went ahead and applied many of the tips to the first chapter of my novel. And I’m so glad I did! During Chuck Sambuchino’s writing workshop, I had my first page critiqued by agents during the “Writers’ Got Talent: A Chapter One Critique-Fest.” session. Thanks to this article, it wasn’t rejected because I avoided the common mistakes so many writers make.

So, if you haven’t checked out these important tips below, I strongly encourage you to do so!

Welcome to Twitter Treasure Thursday! Today’s gem comes from the ever helpful Chuck Sambuchino. He offers a wide range of amazing tips from industry experts on how to make your first chapter shine. No matter what genre you write, these tips are sure to help you improve your work and avoid the pitfalls so many writers stumble into.

The Worst Ways to Begin Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents

No one reads more prospective novel beginnings than literary agents. They’re the ones on the front lines, sifting through inboxes and slush piles. And they’re the ones who can tell us which Chapter One approaches are overused and cliché, as well as which techniques just plain don’t work. Below find a smattering of feedback from experienced literary agents on what they hate to see the first pages of a writer’s submission. Avoid these problems and tighten your submission!

To read the entire article, click here!

And for more useful advice, follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter!