Writing Craft
Beginnings

Boyd Morrison, Brett Battles, Eric Stone, Jonathan Hayes, Stefanie Pintoff, and Will Lavender host an interactive game built around one of the hardest parts of writing, the opening line. Audience members must decide whether a first line is real or invented, revealing what makes an opening feel authentic, compelling, and impossible to ignore.

William Martin breaks down what it takes to grab a reader from page one and hold their attention. He introduces six key principles he believes every strong opening must address, while also highlighting common language and structural missteps that quietly push readers away. This session offers clear guidance on how to open with confidence and momentum.

A great beginning invites the reader into the story and makes a promise it must keep. Dianne McCartney, Elise Burke Brown, J.L. Yarrow, Lori Robbins, Renda Knapp, and Sara Johnson share how to craft openings that immediately engage through tension, curiosity, and voice. This session focuses on practical techniques for creating first lines and opening pages that pull readers in and set the tone for everything that follows.

An opening sets the contract with the reader. Bill Rapp, Jane B. Lee, Lawrence Allan, Linda Duncan, Michael Bradley, and Robert Mangeot explore what makes a beginning unforgettable, from first sentences to full opening chapters. This session examines how tone, tension, and promise work together to hook readers instantly and signal the kind of story they are about to experience.

A strong opening does more than start a story, it establishes trust with the reader. Benny Sims, Iris Nicole Frank, Mary Dutta, Sharon Hoisager, and Steven Harms explore how beginnings set tone, introduce character, and quietly build momentum. This session helps writers craft openings that invite readers in and prepare them for the story ahead.

A strong beginning does more than catch attention, it establishes stakes and emotional connection. Alexandra Ivy walks writers through crafting openings that engage readers immediately, from the first line through the first chapter. This session focuses on creating beginnings that feel purposeful, compelling, and firmly grounded in the heart of the story.

Keeping readers engaged is as much about psychology as craft. Susan Finch, associate professor and dean at Belmont University, explores how the brain responds to story and why certain openings pull us forward. This session focuses on first chapter fundamentals and the techniques that sustain narrative momentum long after the first page.

The first five pages often determine whether a manuscript moves forward or stops cold. Literary agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary shares what agents look for immediately, how to capture attention fast, and why some submissions stand out while others fade. Writers will gain clear insight into what hooks professionals and keeps them reading.