First Pages Sessions (FREE with conference registration)
(Submissions due by August 23, 2025)
One of the most beloved events at the SCBWI conferences are the First Pages sessions when industry professionals are partnered with experienced Midsouth members to offer on-the-spot first impressions about the first pages of anonymously submitted works-in-progress. Would they keep reading? What grabbed them? What could be improved? Even if you don’t submit your own work, attending First Pages sessions are a great way to gain insight into what makes a great beginning of a book.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Register for a First Pages session for either:
● a Picture Book
● Or a Middle Grade novel
● Or a Young Adult novel
(NOTE: these sessions will occur simultaneously, so you may only pick one to attend. You will choose a session during registration, even if you do not plan on submitting your own page.)
PARTICIPATING FACULTY
· Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, agent, Red Fox Literary (middle grade)
· Mikaela Luke, editorial assistant, Stonefruit Studio (young adult)
· Nicole Tugeau, agent/owner, T2 Art & Literary Agency (picture books)
GUIDELINES AND SUBMISSIONS
Prepare your submission according to the following guidelines:
● Each submission should be a single page (no longer than 250 words) standard formatting with 1-inch margins, black font, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font and double-spaced.
● No author name or other identifying information should be included on the submitted document. A title is allowed, though not required.
● Only one submission allowed per attendee.
● Submissions that exceed the one-page and/or word limit, have identifying information or do not follow formatting rules will not be read during the session.
● Save your submission as a Word document or PDF using the following naming convention (AUTHORLASTNAME_1PG_PB for a picture book submission; AUTHORLASTNAME_1PG_MG for a middle grade submission; AUTHORLASTNAME_1PG_YA for a young adult submission. Ex. SMITH_1PG_MG)
● NEW THIS YEAR: Email your saved file as an attachment to [email protected] with either FIRST PAGES-PB, FIRST PAGES-MG, or FIRST PAGES-YA (according to which session you registered to attend) in the subject line of the email by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time/10:59 p.m. Central time on August 23, 2025. You should not bring hard copies of your First Page to turn in at the conference, though you are welcome to bring a single copy of your first page to follow along and take notes if your submission is selected for reading.
Note that every effort will be made to get through as many First Pages as possible during the session, but that time will not allow for all submissions to be read.