Revising
I'm in the middle of another revision for my YA book, Beyond the Trees . So far, I've sent out a total of 30 query letters (over the last year and a half), and no one (not one) has asked for even a partial manuscript. Which means that I need to revise something...the query letter, the first pages, maybe even the whole book. So yesterday, I looked at the first three chapters (the ones that most people will ask you to attach with your query letter) and realized that I'm not happy with the opening. I don't have a memorable first line, and while I do think the actual story is good, I need to make sure people want to read from the beginning. (I think I knew this before I started querying, but by golly, I want to get this book out there!) Hence, my quest to find a great first line, a wonderful opening chapter, and a means into the reader's heart. Of course, I have my own thoughts on what makes a great first line, but as I learned from a writing conference I attended...