The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile

Discover how to craft a manuscript that immediately stands out and avoids the rejection pile from New York literary agent Noah Lukeman.

Whether you are a novice writer or a veteran who has already had your work published, rejection is often a frustrating reality. Literary agents and editors receive and reject hundreds of manuscripts each month.

While it’s the job of these publishing professionals to be discriminating, it’s the job of the writer to produce an unforgettable manuscript. And this must be apparent within the first five pages.

With insight and accessible advice, The First Five Pages reveals the necessary elements of good writing, whether it be fiction, nonfiction, journalism, or poetry, and points out errors to be avoided, such as a weak opening hook, uneven pacing, and more.

With exercises at the end of each chapter, this valuable reference will allow novelists, journalists, poets, and screenwriters alike to improve their technique as they learn to eliminate even the most subtle mistakes that are cause for rejection. The First Five Pages will help writers at every stage take their art to a higher—and more successful—level.

Noah Lukeman is a literary agent based in New York City whose clients include Pulitzer Prize nominees, New York Times bestselling authors, Pushcart Prize recipients, and American Book Award winners. Prior to becoming an agent, he worked on the editorial side of several major publishing companies. He has been a guest speaker on the subjects of writing and publishing at forums conducted by numerous organizations, including the Writer’s Voice, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Wallace Stegner writing program at Stanford University.