#WriteCBC tip and task from Jonny Geller
BY Katie Smart
2nd Nov 2023
Welcome to our Nov 2023 #WriteCBC prompt challenge. I hope you’re ready to be inspired by our latest writing tip and task! If you haven’t taken part in a #WriteCBC Twitter competition before, we’re excited to welcome you to our writing community. Get up to speed by reading our blog full of information about how to play and the prizes on offer. It’s a lot of fun, and you might just win a free place on one of our online writing courses (worth up to £220).
We are delighted that our special guest this month is Jonny Geller – literary agent and CEO of The Curtis Brown Group. Jonny is also the tutor of our brand-new four-week online course: The Literary Agent – The Deep Dive. Read about Jonny’s experience of over 30 years working in the industry, the esteemed clients he represents and what students can expect from his course by reading this interview.
Jonny’s tip:
- The opening sentence is a doorway through which we glimpse the novel. But it can easily be overworked – try cutting your first paragraph, page or chapter to see if there's a better opening moment that comes later, when the story really begins.
Readers at every stage of the process – from the friend you’ve asked to read your first draft, through to literary agents and publishing professionals, and right on to potential buyers in bookshops and online – make their decisions about whether to read on or put the book down on the basis of that very first page.
Jonny’s suggestion of starting your story in a new place (perhaps from later on in the story) can be a great way to ensure you’re starting the novel in the middle of the action. You have one chance to make a first impression with your opening, so it is important that your first page really serves your story.
Jonny’s task:
- You've probably written and rewritten your first sentence so many times. How about road-testing a new one today, or trying one from a later page of your WIP? Share it here, and you might surprise yourself with what you discover.
It isn’t unusual to agonise over your opening page – it is the first impression of your writing style that literary agents and readers get. However, this can mean that writers overthink the opening line and rewrite it until it no longer makes sense.
The opening of your novel should instantly transport the reader into the world of your story, introducing us to the central characters, the setting, and to the question at the heart of your novel. An opening sentence usually does one of three things:
- Introduce us to a protagonist.
- Tell us when and where the story is happening.
- Set the tone for the novel and show us what genre we’re in.
These are not hard and fast rules, some authors choose a more experimental approach to their opening, and some manage to do all three things at once! For more tips on writing a great opening read our blog on the topic.
We can’t wait to read your reimagined opening lines! Remember to keep them tweet-length. Tweet @cbcreative with your responses to Jonny’s task and you might win a free place on a short online writing course (worth up to £220). Competition closes Fri 3 Nov, 10am (winner announced at 11am).
For insights into what literary agents do for their authors and what they are looking for from new writers – from a gripping opening page to the pitch letter and beyond – join us for The Literary Agent – The Deep Dive. Inaugural course begins Thurs 16 Nov.
Congratulations to this month’s winner, Mary Portser @MaryPortser
- Squashed between two clothing racks in the cramped closet, the parrot reached from Annie’s shoulder to pick through her wardrobe. With his smart brown eyes he studied each outfit, rejected it, and moved on to the next.
We loved Mary's fun parrot scene! We were instantly transported into the scene of the cramped closet and introduced to the central character of Annie and her parrot. We have so many questions: What occasion is Mary dressing for? Does her parrot pick her outfit every morning? We were left desperate to read on! Well done, Mary– you get a free place on a £220 online course.
And this month’s runners-up – each getting a £50 course discount – are Estella Rua @estella_rua and Georgina Edwards @Gina_E123. Congratulations, all!
To redeem your prizes please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
Brilliant fun – hope you all enjoyed it. Stay tuned! #WriteCBC will be back next month with a festive twist.