Write First Lines THAT Wow Editors

& Make You Stand Out in the Submission queue

with Justine Payton & Aslan Gossett

Person writing with pen on desk in a cozy room.
Enroll

$75 — Saturday, November 9 @ 12 PM EST / 9 AM PST / 11 AM CST / 5 PM BST

2 Hours via Zoom

Overview of the Workshop


"As Stephen King once said, “An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” 

While there's no one-size-fits-all “secret formula” for nailing the first line, first stanza, or first paragraph, all readers know the experience of being swept away by an enthralling opening that catalyzes their interest in a piece. Compelling openings excite readers for everything to follow, and they are essential for acceptance into literary magazines; when reading through slush piles, a good opening can be the difference between a reader dismissing your work out-of-hand or giving it a complete read. Knowing this, it is paramount to capture your reader's initial attraction with stirring introductory lines!

In this multi-genre workshop, we'll spend the first half analyzing the craft of openings for both prose and poetry, looking at shining examples as a means of discussing what works and what doesn't. In the second half, we'll focus on feedback for workshop participants' own openings, allowing time for revision and sharing. Participants will leave with a strong understanding of how to craft the most gripping opening lines for their work, increasing the chances of having their writing published.

Instructor BioS

Selfie by instructor Justine Payton.

Justine Payton is an MFA candidate at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington where she is a recipient of the Philip Gerard Graduate Fellowship and the Bernice Kert Fellowship in Creative Writing. She has been published or has work forthcoming in the Bellevue Literary Review, Isele Magazine, The Masters Review, The Keeping Room, and others. She is currently the Managing Editor of ONLY POEMS, an Editor for Ecotone, a Guest Editor for The Masters Review and CRAFT, and an Editorial Intern with Tin House.

Aslan Gossett is an MFA candidate and instructor at the University of North Carolina–Wilmington. They serve as poetry editor for Ecotone and are the coordinator for Sundress Publication's "Poets in Pajamas" Reading Series. As well as being a Tennessee native, Aslan is a lifelong lover of coffee, meditation, and corduroy.