Interested in how an audience of writers will respond to a fifteen-minute sample of your work-in-progress? Then sign up for Reader’s Corner with Dirk Wyle (dirk@dirk-wyle.com).

Authors read a fifteen-minute excerpt from an as-yet-unpublished work. Top priority will be given to not-yet-published members who have registered for Third Degree Thursday, with slots assigned on a first-come, first served basis. Published authors receive any leftover slots. Make your reservation with Dirk sooner, not later; the slots tend to be filled quickly.

Practice to ensure that the reading takes no longer than fifteen minutes, including a brief self-introduction and set-up of the passage.

In selecting your passage, keep in mind that you can really make more than one dramatic point in fifteen minutes. Also, you can increase the likeliness that the audience will “get it” if you announce your dramatic intention at the beginning of the reading. The following is a partial list of categories:

Beginnings that hit the ground running
Calls to action
The usual suspects
Peeking through keyholes
Clever tricks
Milieu scenes
Stark confrontations
Mulling over the case
Crazy characters
Cliff-hanging suspense
(or make up your own category)

The atmosphere is informal, with lots of coming and going of the audience, but readers are expected to be present for the entire program. We will distribute and collect audience feedback sheets. Hors d’oeuvres are available.

We look forward to being riveted by your reading! For additional information, email Dirk Wyle at dirk@dirk-wyle.com.