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“Ultimately, I surrendered to my own truth in writing and instead of trying to figure out what American audiences would like to read, I wrote the only thing I could write…A story so specific to my own life and the lives of people like me that I wasn’t sure anyone else would ever care to read it,” says Masha Shukovich, selected for the 2021 shortlist.

“Usually I'm pulled in by the moment that it doesn't seem like my mind is correctly autofilling the next word or sentence—by the moment of deviation or surprise,” Author Rivka Galchen on what makes those first pages magic.

photo credit: Sandy Tait

“A confident voice. Intellectual and emotional stakes. Simple, elegant prose overlaying many layers of unspoken (and unsayable) things.” Author Dina Nayeri on what makes first pages unforgettable.

“[The First Pages Prize] gave me the motivation to keep working on my novel this past year. I think without that encouragement, this past year would have been a wash for me as far as writing goes. “ says Suzanne Bailey, 2021 2nd place winner. “I’m surprised at how motivational it has been to hear, ‘Hey, this is good,’ from people who only know me from my writing.”

“It definitely built my confidence,” says Tej Rae, 2020 4th place winner. “Keep sending your work out! Let the rejections slide off. Recently, I had a story that was rejected multiple times, and then one editor told me it's the best thing he's published—ever. You never know!”

“Being one of the winners did wonders for my confidence,” says Phil Taylor, 2021 4th place winner. “Having such a positive reaction to my work from unbiased, experienced evaluators was tremendously encouraging.”

“The First Pages Prize genuinely seems to care about fostering their winners’ writing, which was evident to me from the first contact,” says Carrie Cogan, 2020 2nd prize winner. “Do it. Even if your novel isn’t complete or perfect. Try and make sure your opening pages are actually your most compelling—or, to put that another way, make sure your novel begins where it should.”

Advice from 2020 2nd Place winner Jessica Emerson McCormick: “Just SUBMIT! Do it. Today. Don't doubt yourself. Don't second-guess your place in the market. Send your beautiful story and see what comes of it.”

“Trust your gut feel. Step away from being the author and think of what’s important to readers,” says P.J. McKay, 2020 1st place winner. “Your first pages can reveal a lot in a short space of time and I think it’s important to take time over them to ensure you are delivering up that strong opening which grips your reader and draws them into the story’s world.”

“Winning definitely boosted my own energy and enthusiasm for the project. It has also been helpful, as I apply for grants and other kinds of institutional support, to point to this prize as a tangible piece of evidence that the work has some appeal, and that it's already garnered some kind of interest,” says 2021 3rd place winner, Mariam Bazeed.

“Electricity. Authority. The sense of a door opening.” Writer Ayşegül Savaş shares her thoughts on what makes a captivating beginning—and some of her favorite first pages.

“I want to be surprised, but I’m also a sucker for beautiful writing. Whenever those two things intersect, I’m hooked.”

“Maybe all you’ve got right now is an opening chapter, but who knows where that can lead? I’ve always felt that, if you are a careful craftsman in even the smallest of things, nothing is ever wasted. The time you spend today—whittling away, one sentence at a time—might well be the beginning of something great,” says 2021 1st place winner Alan Sincic. “I say go for it!”

“The developmental edits made me ask questions about my work that I had never considered,” says 2021 5th place winner, Stephanie Mullings. “I am so excited to keep pushing forward. I have been writing, writing, writing!”