Calling All Writers… the First Page Rodeo is back!
The first page of any novel must do so many things – it should establish voice, it should create tension and excitement, and most of all, it should make the reader want to keep reading. What are the secrets to creating a wonderful, attention-grabbing first page? Well, a long, long time ago - at the very first Unbound, in fact - we sought to answer that question at a fun event called “First Page Rodeo”. We invited people to submit the first page of their unpublished novel for review/critique by a panel of experts. It was fascinating and a lot of fun, so we decided that we would do it again in 2024 as part of the “Write On!” workshop festival that takes place on Sunday, April 21.
So… if you have an unpublished novel lying around in a drawer somewhere, or if you’ve always dreamed of putting pen to paper, or you’ve wondered what a publishing professional would make of your work – well, now’s your chance to find out.
All writers are invited to submit the first page (only the first page) of their unpublished novel for consideration. A panel of judges will choose five winning entries. These will be posted to the festival website ahead of the event, and then will be discussed and evaluated in public by a panel of industry experts at “Write On!”
Rules:(because you have to have rules or it doesn’t count)
One page only, people. We cannot stress this enough. And by that we mean 12 point, single-space. (But hey, you get to choose the font.)
The work must not have been previously published (this includes self-published.)
Fiction only. Your novel does NOT have to be finished when you submit.
One entry per person.
By submitting your entry you approve and consent to the publication of the work on the festival website.
Submit via email to mail@unboundbookfestival.com, with Word document attached. Please put “FIRST PAGE RODEO” in the subject line. Please include your full name, address, and telephone contact number in the email.
Deadline for submission: 5 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024. No exceptions.
The decision as to which pages make it to the final five will be taken by a panel of judges and will be final. We will only notify the winners.