TRANSCRIPT

With rejection after rejection and the endless ghosting, trying to get a picture book manuscript published can be a brutal process. One way to improve your odds… your manuscript’s first sentence.

I saw a blog post recently where a literary agent said that agents receive between 5,000 and 20,000 manuscripts a year.

So, I want you to put yourself in an agent’s or publisher’s shoes. Imagine reading 50 manuscripts every single workday. What would make a manuscript stand out from all the others in a way that doesn’t just introduce a scene or a setting or a character, but makes you as the reader feel something?

That is what you’re aiming for with the first sentence of your manuscripts.

What’s more, I mean I can’t imagine that agents and publishers actually read every single one of these manuscripts all the way through. So I imagine that they just read the first line and that first line has to grab them before they even consider reading the next.

That’s just another reason why your first sentence has to be as powerful as possible.

Just to get you kind of in the mindset of thinking about first sentences here are a few examples that are so good, you can actually name the book just by hearing the first sentence…

“All children grow up, except one.”

"Once upon a time there lived... 'A king!' my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood."

"'Where's Papa going with that axe?' said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast."

Now, not to say my work compares to the classics, but here’s an opening line from my book, This Book is Not for You:

“Are you a kid?

Are you reading this book?

If so, drop it like a hot potato.

Seriously, skipper.

This book is not for you.”

This opening line delivers a sense of intrigue that begs the reader to ask the question, “Well, if this book isn’t for me, who is it for?” Having a sense of intrigue with this first sentence leads to a page turn.

Your book’s first sentence can mean the difference between getting another rejection or getting a publishing contract. Take the time to make your first sentences awesome.

Thank you so much for watching. If you got any value out of this video, please like it, subscribe to my channel and share the video with other aspiring picture book authors.