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Jeni Hankins's avatar

“Or Emily’s Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales, a book about fairies? (And also one I just got my hot little hands on and can’t wait to read. Case closed.)” Ooh!!! Thank you for this book alert.

And I love this letter.

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

Thank you for reading! And I recommend starting with the first Emily Wilde--Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries. You'll get hooked!

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Simon Brooks's avatar

There's some interesting thoughts! Hmm. Will look at a couple of first chapters!

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

Let me know how it goes!

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Donna Michel's avatar

I love, love, love this post! You've no idea how long I've been waiting for just this very article!

Donna Michel in Nashville

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

Oh that makes me so happy! I'm glad it will be helpful.

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JR Hampton's avatar

Heck yeah it’s hard. But worth gutting through it.

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

Gutting through is a good way to put it.

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

What a relief to know I'm not the only one who rewrites the first chapter a million times. I realized today, it's the same with first paragraphs of chapters. I have to get them just right. Arrrghh. Thank you for reading and commenting!

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Lucy Day's avatar

This is so helpful--and your checklist is all the things I look for in my first chapters, too. I also rewrite them several times--and usually once more when I've reached the end of the book. So insightful, as always! 💙

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