In fact, he tells it this way:
Have you ever been told your writing belongs in the toilet?
I have.
I wanted to know what was wrong with it and how to fix it, but all I heard from an editor was that it was excrement, and that wasn’t the word he used.
Have you grown tired of hearing that your writing “doesn’t meet a current need,” and are you ready for some straight talk on how to make it salable?
I’m seeking first-page submissions for a Manuscript Repair & Rewrite session, which I normally limit to members of my Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. This request is open to everyone.
That includes you.
My team will choose at least one page of fiction and one of nonfiction, on which I’ll conduct a heavy edit and rewrite and, in a free live webinar on April 17, thoroughly explain why I recommend every change.
I’ll be straightforward without being unkind, but I do tell the truth.
Even if your page isn’t selected, you’re sure to benefit from watching the work I do. Pencil in the session on your calendar and watch your email for the details later.
There is no cost to submit your page, and again, the webinar session is free.
My goal is to teach you to ferociously self-edit your own work and give you the best chance to succeed with your writing.
For a list of self-editing terms I refer to frequently, click here, and keep them handy.
Submit just the first page of your work-in-progress, whether it be fiction (flash fiction, short story, novella, novel) or nonfiction (print or eZine article, blog post, or book).
- Microsoft Word .doc or .docx file format
- Normal Microsoft Word top, bottom, and side margins
- Left justification, not full
- .5” paragraph indents
- Double-spaced
- No extra space between paragraphs
- 12 pt. Times New Roman font
- Only one spacebar click between sentences
- First page only
- Your name should not appear on the page or in the file title, as your work would be critiqued anonymously
- Indicate fiction or nonfiction in the file name