Think you have a great opening to your novel? Check it against this

[paragraphs]

I hang out on Absolute Write in the YA and fantasy sections, and I swear every day I have the time to tromp around I find another gem of a post.  The one I ran across today was posted in response to a guy's opening to his fantasy novel--egads, he's got a looonnngggg way to go, and doesn't want to hear advice, I don't think.  No competition from this guy I don't think.

The best bit came from novelist Anne Mini's blog (a fantastic blog btw). No, I didn't know who she was, but turns out she is the stepdaughter, apparently very beloved stepdaughter of Philip K. Dick (deceased).  You know, BLADE RUNNER, TOTAL RECALL...other amazing stories.  Never mind that though--she took the time to pull together a really incredible list of 74 things a first page must not do if one hopes for it to pass muster in an agent's or editor's hands.  The blog explains how the list came about:   74 Things   

I just ripped my first page through the list and am happy to say, after some minor tweaking, I believe it would pass that muster.  Grin.  It is an eye-opening list, without doubt.

If you write fantasy or YA or are interested in either, you should join me in my haunting of Absolute Write.  I'm echnos on there.  Am laying fairly low though--I'm there to learn, not blather what little I know--at least for now.  

Comments

[liriaen.livejournal.com]

I think a good 3/4 of world literature and classics wouldn't pass that muster. So, na, thanks. ;-)

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Yeah--good point, but this was targeted towards genre fiction submissions, not world literature and classics. The list is based on what the agents and editors used as criteria for reading past that first page (and even the first paragraph). The list has a lot of good points--most things that got the 'pass' had to do with basic writing skills. I found it interesting.

[liriaen.livejournal.com]

Yeah but no but, nobody ever sat down, determined to write what would become a canon classic of world literature.
Even if there is a commonly accepted "how to" for genre fic, I'd wager the next surprise smash hit won't come from someone who's clinging to agents' rules. It'll be something by someone that so completely take them by surprise that they'll gladly ditch their checkpoint sheets. Then again, publishers need to think turnover, circulation, sales margins, and that's where the tried and tested comes into play, sure.
As for all those points, I hear you; there are similar lists for journalism, where I come from, and those are pretty heftily wielded by copy editors everywhere.