Call for first sentences

I'm hungry for your words.

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

I’m popping in real quick with a call for Friday Office Hour submissions. I want to see (and comment on) your first sentences. Here’s how it works:

• In an email to thequerydoula@gmail.com enclose the title of your work, the genre, and the first sentence. Use subject line: “First Sentences.”

• I don’t want to see the synopsis of your project, that is part of the fun. Just the first sentence from the opening to your work.

• You can submit from any kind of work: short story, short story collection, novel, memoir.

• I’ll only get in touch if I plan to use the opening sentence in a forthcoming post on the power of first sentences. I’ll be reviewing these on a rolling basis, but would love to get a first batch in over the weekend so I can possibly put a first post together for next week.

• You need to be a paying subscriber to participate in Friday Office Hour calls. You can upgrade here if you would like to! We are building a really fun community over in paid land where we share and improve work.

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• I’m not a big Black Friday person, but I do think that giving yourself or someone else the gift of inspiration is pretty cool. Accordingly, all my online masterclasses are discounted through Monday. For my Domestika classes (writing memoir and creating a book proposal), if you book through my website, the discount will come off automatically. For my Catapult class, use MONDAY20 at checkout. Visit all my classes here. Remember: you can give these as a gift! Same with my newsletter.

https://www.courtneymaum.com/courses

• Mira Ptacin got so much interest from you, my writing family, that she’s offering another Flash Fiction course on January 25th! Email mira.ptacin@gmail.com to sign up or with any questions.

• The Chronicle of the Horse is seeking a staff writer! This is such a cool opportunity for a horse loving writer. I’ll put all the info in a footnote.¹

• Come see me in NYC! I’m lecturing on the surprising benefits of fear next week at the National Arts Club in Manhattan— this event is free! Books will be for sale— great chance to get them personalized for holiday gifts. Sign up here.

• And speaking of gifts, I’ve got bookplates for the holidays and I will send a signed bookplate and a card to anyone you’d like to gift one of my books to. Or I can send it to you: dealer’s choice! Write thequerydoula@gmail.com with subject line “bookplate” to work out the details.

• If you’re looking to up your literary citizenship in the new year, look no further than The Resort literary community in Queens, NY. Their newsletter alone is a trove of opportunity, but they also have in-person and virtual events every week and office space for rent.

• And finally! The nonprofit art retreat I run, The Cabins, has a DIY group retreat that closes for applications on December 1st. Basically, you and 3 free creative friends can apply for the free use of a cozy Catskills cabin in February. All info is here— the deadline’s fast approaching!

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I’m writing you on Friday which is the day we’re celebrating Thanksgiving with our friends, because our hostess is a doctor and had to work the overnight shift last night. So I’m signing off now to watch the World Cup soccer matches (my French husband insists on this) and for Turkey time.

xo

Courtney

1. The Chronicle of the Horse, an award-winning equestrian sports publication, is looking for a full-time staff writer. The Chronicle covers English equestrian sports nationally and internationally online and in a magazine published 18 times a year. It also has a quarterly lifestyle publication, Untacked. Writers can work remotely or from our office in Middleburg, Virginia. Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include vision, medical, dental and life insurance, paid time off and flexible hours. Applicants must provide references and writing samples.  Please send resume, cover letter and at least two writing samples to lslade@coth.com.