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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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Let’s Look At Openings – Round Two

Back in September we gave five different writers the opportunity to have the openings of their work posted here at Spec Faith and to receive feedback from you, the Spec Faith community. It’s time for Round Two.
Rebecca LuElla Miller on Jan 30, 2012
No comments

How compelling is the first page?

Back in September we gave five different writers the opportunity to have the openings of their work posted here at Spec Faith and to receive feedback from you, the Spec Faith community.

It’s time for Round Two. To remind you how this works, anonymous participants who aren’t afraid of the comments they’ll receive submit the first 100 words of their work, and you, the readers, say if they would like to read more and why or why not.

This time, rather than taking the first five entries, I’ll make a random selection from those that submit their openings between now and Saturday. In order to do so, you must be brave enough to put your work forward for the public to shred discuss. 😉 If you would like to submit your opening, you may email the first hundred words of your unpublished novel in the body of your email (no attachments, please) to rluellam at yahoo dot com. Next Monday I’ll post the randomly selected openings, and then the fun can begin.

Rebecca LuElla Miller
Best known for her aspirations as an epic fantasy author, Becky is the sole remaining founding member of Speculative Faith. Besides contributing weekly articles here, she blogs Monday through Friday at A Christian Worldview of Fiction. She works as a freelance writer and editor and posts writing tips as well as information about her editing services at Rewrite, Reword, Rework.
Website ·
  1. Maria Tatham says:
    January 30, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Becky, I hadn’t yet discovered Spec Faith when this was done the first time, so I don’t know what I may be in for. Shredding…?
    Thanks for a potential opportunity!

    Maria  

    Reply
    • Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
      January 30, 2012 at 8:01 pm

      That’s right! I thought that first endeavor was a great success. I’d like to see Spec Faith run a contest some time. If we get enough interest in this, we just might do it.

      Becky

      Reply
  2. Bethany A. Jennings says:
    January 30, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    Oooh, I would love to submit mine!  Going to review/tidy it a little bit, then will send… 🙂

    Reply
    • Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
      January 30, 2012 at 7:49 pm

      Great, Bethany. I know for me, it’s motivating just to know others will read and evaluate.

      Becky

      Reply
  3. Kessie says:
    January 30, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    I put one up last time, so this time I’ll merely sit back and participate in the shredding. Goody!
     
    Lately, the best opening line I’ve seen was from one of the Dresden novels.
     
    “The building was on fire, and it wasn’t my fault.”

    Reply
  4. Galadriel says:
    January 30, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    That’s a great one, Kessie.

    Reply
  5. Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
    January 30, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    Kessie, I don’t know how many submissions we’ll receive. You’re welcome to put another one in if you have it — they’re anonymous and I’ll select randomly. Your call.

    Becky

    Reply
    • Kessie says:
      January 30, 2012 at 10:29 pm

      I’ll poke around and see if any of my other stories have decent hooks on them. My hook-sharpening skills are rusty. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Randy Blackwell says:
    January 30, 2012 at 8:25 pm

    Wish I would have seen this a year ago. I’m in negotiations with a publisher and cant really share my work with large groups of people at this time. But it encourages me to see what you guys are doing at this site and I will spread the word. Also, I see that you have some accomplished authors/editors who blog on this site.  I would not mind sharing my work in private with one or two people if they were interested and willing to give a critique.
    Randy Blackwell
    CEO Lamplight Media
    Author “Secret of the Magi”
    http://soterion.com/Stories.html
    http://soterion.com/Gallery.aspx

    Reply
  7. Bob Menees says:
    January 31, 2012 at 10:35 am

    Becky,
    Last time it was a ‘fun’ seeing everyone else’s entry shredded. I plan to summit  – for the chance at a learning experience.
     
    I propose a change to the game. Allow six entries, one of yours being added to the mix. It isn’t fair to exclude you from the fun.
     
     

    Reply
    • Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
      February 1, 2012 at 3:02 pm

      Thanks for thinking of me, Bob. I’m tempted. But we have submissions coming in left and right and it’s only Wednesday. I hate to take up one of the spots. If I do submit, I’ll throw mine into the mix and let Random do the picking. 😉

      Becky

      Reply
  8. Paul says:
    January 31, 2012 at 3:32 pm

    I’m in – it could be a good learning experience to get shredded.

    Reply
  9. Jay DiNitto says:
    February 1, 2012 at 8:27 pm

    Sent! Good idea. I must’ve missed the first contest.

    Reply
  10. Maria Tatham says:
    February 4, 2012 at 10:26 pm

    Becky, did you receive my entry? I sent it to:
    rluellam at yahoo dot com
    Thank you,
    Maria

    Reply

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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