Ryan Mathews mentioned in passing:

While I'm at it, someone else brought this up:  Now more than ever, it 
is important to begin your story with a "grabber", something that the 
reader will immediately see on his or her newsreader, something that 
will pique the curiosity and will encourage him or her to read for a 
few pages, during which time you can convince the reader to stick 
around for the long haul.  You have no flashy cover to catch someone's 
eye; only your writing can sell your writing.

Sad, but true.  Unless you have a 'name' (like Ryan Mathews for one), you've
got to do something to grab your audience.

Since I write BGC, I can make it easier for the audience to find my story -
I send the finished version to alt.fan.bgcrisis (it's not against the rules
there).  Then I've got it into their computer via their newsreader.
Hopefully, they'll open it up, and then the opening 'grabber' will, well,
grab them ;)

For example, I'm 
beginning ACADEMY DAYS right in the middle of an action sequence, at 
the end of which the plot premise has been established, as well as the 
style and tone of the story.  Hopefully it'll work.  Only you can tell 
me.

What's "Academy Days" going to be about?


Jeanne Hedge

     jhedge@waterw.com ==================== 75512.1214@compuserve.com

       "Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers."
                                   -- T.S. Eliot (1888 - 1965)

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