200 followers book give away and Act I critique!

By Laura on February 25, 2011 in Uncategorized

200 followers celebration! (Everyone get up and dance the chicken with me. Ready. Go.) (Yeah, I didn’t do it either.)

I know 200 followers is a sneeze in the breeze to some of you out there, but we’re told to celebrate the small moments. So gosh darn it all – that’s what I’m going to do!

In the past couple months I’ve been blessed to win incredible first chapter critiques and query letter critiques. I’d like to give back.

So to celebrate and give back, here’s the giveaway.

One winner will receive a copy of SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder. If you already own this must-read book on story structure, then you may choose a book of equal value or less from Amazon.

And, if you want, I’d be honored to read Act I (about the first quarter) of your current work-in-progress and break it down according to Blake Snyder’s beat sheet. It’s not a line edit or even a regular critique. It’s just me analyzing the story structure in the opening of your work, and offering suggestions if I see ways to make it stronger. Click here and here for two examples. I’m not an expert by any means, so feel free to say no to the crit. I won’t be offended. Seriously.

Okay, here are the rules.

Must be a follower.
Must tweet and leave a link in comments. Don’t forget your email address.
You may tweet up to once a day and leave another comment on this post with the link to improve your chances.
If you choose to blog about it or put it on your sidebar then leave another comment!
The critique is worldwide but the book will be U.S. only. Unless I can send the Kindle version? Not sure how that works.

Contest ends MARCH 7^TH AT NOON eastern time.

Good luck everyone! And thanks for all your support – you guys are the best!

About Laura

View all posts by Laura →

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.

← Plot Busters – PRINCESS FOR HIRE (part 3)

Creating the best-worst character. Do you need to? →

43 Responses to 200 followers book give away and Act I critique!

christine danek February 25, 2011 at 12:40 pm #

Congrats on 200. I’ll put in my sidebar and tweet.
Have a great weekend!

Reply
Jamie Grey February 25, 2011 at 1:08 pm #

Congrats Laura, 200 followers is fantastic! And what a great contest to give back 🙂

I have tweeted about the contest and am a follower.

http://twitter.com/Jamie_Grey/statuses/41122021110849536

Reply
anne gallagher February 25, 2011 at 1:17 pm #

Congratulations Laura. I just hit 250 on Weds. Like you said, a drop in the bucket for some but I like my friends just as they are.

Reply
Stina Lindenblatt February 25, 2011 at 1:29 pm #

Congrats, Laura, for reaching 200. That’s a huge deal.

I bought SAVE THE CAT because of your posts. I can’t wait to delve into it and see how I can improve my ms. I’m going to try analyzing it like you do on your blog (it just won’t go on my blog). That should be entertaining. 🙂

Reply
Jennifer Shirk February 25, 2011 at 1:59 pm #

I totally have had Save the Cat on my radar. Would love to win it!
Will retweet this contest!
And congrats on your followers! We need to get the word out because you should have way more. 🙂

Reply
Sophia Chang February 25, 2011 at 2:01 pm #

I found you from the fab Jamie Grey’s tweet. Save the Cat is my ultimate wishlist book!!!

Here’s mine:

Sophia’s tweet

Reply
Matthew Rush February 25, 2011 at 2:10 pm #

I have no idea how to make a hyperlink to a tweet, but I just tweeted this, I swear! I’m @MatthewMRush if you can check that way.

Awesome contest!

Reply
Juliana Brandt February 25, 2011 at 2:12 pm #

I’d definitely be up and dancing for 200. Congrats!

http://twitter.com/#!/julianalbrandt

Reply
Kris February 25, 2011 at 2:36 pm #

Great achievement! YOU are the best, Laura!

Thanks for all your support and positiveness.

I’m tweeting…

Reply
Susan Kaye Quinn February 25, 2011 at 2:56 pm #

Congrats on the 200! I just received Save the Cat! but I would LOVE a crit/breakdown from the Master. 🙂

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/laurapauling/status/41113543176617984

Already a follower, natch. Here’s to the next 200!

Reply
Patti Nielson February 25, 2011 at 3:27 pm #

Congratulations on 200 followers. With your great posts I’m sure you’ll be at 300 in no time.

Reply
- Laura February 25, 2011 at 3:35 pm #
  
  Thanks everyone! Your support is amazing! Don’t forget to leave the link or put @laurapauling in the tweet! And let me know if you’re being supportive or are entering the contest! I can’t always tell. 🙂 Either one is fine. Thanks1
  
  Reply
Margo February 25, 2011 at 3:41 pm #

Oh, I’d love to win this book! It’s definitely been on my list to get since your How to Train posts.

I think the critique is a great idea, too. Congrats on your milestone.

Reply
Margo February 25, 2011 at 3:42 pm #

I tweeted at http://twitter.com/writerWyoming/status/41160975465984001

Reply
Lisa Green February 25, 2011 at 4:14 pm #

Oy! If there’s a critique I could probably use… LOL!! I will bow out of the contest though because it should go to someone who doesn’t have an agent who is there to help with this stuff anyway. I’d feel bad. But I AM interested in buying the book. Oh and I’ll tweet the contest because it’s awesome and so are you!!

Reply
Margo February 25, 2011 at 5:20 pm #

COming back to say that I posted your contest on my sidebar, and then got sucked into your Princess for Hire Analysis. Great observations! But I have a question: do you think that the protangist being the worst fit for the challenge (Hiccup and Desi, for instance) is primarily an MG thing? I’m wondering with respect to YA. Just curious on your opinion.

Reply
Sherrie Petersen February 25, 2011 at 5:24 pm #

Congrats on all the follows 🙂
I already own Save the Cat! and Save the Cat Strikes Back! so I don’t need a book, but I’d love a breakdown from you — you’re so good at it!

Reply
Carolina Valdez Miller February 25, 2011 at 5:28 pm #

Super giveaway, Laura! Congratulations on reaching 200! Not a sneeze in the breeze at all. I actually don’t own this book, so I’d love to read it. Plus, you’re so freaking good with this breakdown.

Reply
Laura Marcella February 25, 2011 at 5:33 pm #

Umm, I so danced the chicken. Apparently I was alone doing this?

Congrats on 200 followers, Laura!!!

Reply
Michael Di Gesu February 25, 2011 at 5:59 pm #

HI, Laura,

Congratulations! I just tweeted about your giveaway…. http://twitter.com/DAK86

mculi (at) aol (dot) com

Reply
Emy Shin February 25, 2011 at 7:54 pm #

Congratulations on 200 followers, Laura!

Reply
Karen Strong February 25, 2011 at 7:56 pm #

Congrats on the 200 followers!

This is a GREAT giveaway. The Act 1 Critique is most cool — especially since we all know how excellent you are at it.

Here’s my tweet:
http://twitter.com/#!/KarenMusings/status/41224625769816065

Have a great weekend. 🙂

Reply
Julie Musil February 25, 2011 at 7:59 pm #

Laura, congratulations on the (now over) 200 followers! Your blog is awesome, so that number will only grow. I haven’t read that particular writing book yet!

Reply
Terri Tffany February 25, 2011 at 8:06 pm #

Yay Laura!! I will tweat about this now!!

Reply
erica and christy February 25, 2011 at 8:46 pm #

I’m a new follower and I’m going to tweet about this right now! Congrats to you and glad to have found your blog! christy

Reply
Jill Kemerer February 25, 2011 at 9:45 pm #

Congratulations!! 200 followers–I hope it’s 500 by the end of the year–your blog is fantastic!

Tweeting…

Reply
Tana Adams February 25, 2011 at 11:40 pm #

yay 200! Plus I love awesome books so this post is made of win! XOXO

Reply
Jemi Fraser February 26, 2011 at 2:33 am #

Congrats on the 200!!! That’s awesome 🙂

I’ve heard lots of good things about this book, but haven’t read it yet!

Reply
Leigh Moore February 26, 2011 at 3:59 am #

Hey, funny lady–I’d rather a critter than a book~ ;o) <3

Reply
Michelle Julian February 26, 2011 at 4:50 pm #

http://twitter.com/#!/m_julian Thanks for the contest!

Reply
Dawn Simon February 26, 2011 at 6:41 pm #

Fun that we’re both having 200 follower celebrations! 🙂 I love SAVE THE CAT–excellent book! Congrats on the followers!

Reply
John DeJordy February 27, 2011 at 7:42 pm #

Congrats on the 200. Here’s to the critique

Reply
Paul Greci February 27, 2011 at 8:38 pm #

Congrats Laura!!
I retweeted your tweet. 🙂

Reply
Angela Felsted February 28, 2011 at 1:09 am #

Seems like a worthy milestone to me. And what a great idea for a contest. I’d love Save the Cat but as I’m not on Twitter, that makes entering this a bit hard.

Good luck to everyone else. And congrats on 200 followers!

Reply
Lydia K February 28, 2011 at 2:37 pm #

Fabulous idea! I’m going to put you on my sidebar, but, much as I am desperate to own that book, I’m going to pass. I’ve won way too much stuff lately and I need to give other people a chance to win!

Reply
- Laura February 28, 2011 at 2:58 pm #
  
  Matthew – Definitely superheroes! I guess that’s why they need kryptonite!
  
  Lydia – Thanks! And that’s great you’ve won a lot of stuff!
  
  Reply
Alicia Gregoire March 2, 2011 at 5:31 pm #

Great contest. I’m a follower, stuck you on my sidebar, and tweeted (http://twitter.com/aliciagregoire/statuses/42999819723214848)

Reply
Amie Kaufman March 4, 2011 at 11:21 pm #

Hey, I just hit 200 too! Yay us!

Here’s my tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/AmieKaufman/status/43813066344906752

Reply
Amie Kaufman March 4, 2011 at 11:21 pm #

And here’s my blog post: http://amiekaufman.com/?p=312

Reply
Girl Friday March 5, 2011 at 3:14 am #

I just tweeted about this, but have no idea how to link a single tweet 🙁 but I sent it @ you so you can see it.

Reply