Your Novel’s First Pages
$340
So much of a novel is contained within its first pages. We can think of these pages as the entryway–what welcomes the reader into the story and sets expectations. We can think of these pages as a hook to catch the reader’s attention. We can think of them as a microcosm for the whole of the project–everything to come is laid out here in some way. These pages are also what you will generally send first to agents and publishers once your novel is ready for submission. In this workshop, we’ll read the first pages of novels by writers like Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Louise Erdrich, Celeste Ng, Julia Armfield and more. We’ll consider the craft of a novel’s beginning and ways this can fit into the process of writing the full manuscript. Students will workshop their own first pages with each other and receive instructor feedback on up to 25 pages that begin their novels. Students at any point in the writing process are welcome. Whether you have a full draft or are just beginning your novel, this course can help to inspire your writing, deepen your process, and refine your craft.
Access Program
We want our writing classes and seminars to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and seminar tuitions at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.
Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.
Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts.
Apply here for the liaison position.
Miranda Schmidt
Miranda Schmidt is the author of the novel Leafskin (Stillhouse Press 2025). Their writing circles folklore, ecology, and queer magic and has appeared in Triquarterly, Orion, Electric Literature, Catapult, and more. With an MFA from the University of Washington and PhD from Bath Spa University, they have taught creative writing at Portland Community College, University of Washington, the Loft, and the Portland Book Festival. Their newsletter and teaching project, Writing Toward Nature, explores methods for bringing the more-than-human more deeply into our writing craft. Miranda lives in Portland, Oregon.
