The First Page Challenge is back!

May 29, 2022

The First Page Challenge—a writing contest for novelists

The First Page Challenge 2022

If you want a reader to buy your book or an agent to offer you representation, then it only makes sense to have a stunning first page. That's what the First Page Challenge is all about—we're open to fiction or narrative nonfiction, short stories or full-length manuscripts.

Our judge, Michelle Barker, will be asking herself one question:

how likely am I to turn this page and keep reading?

First place: $700 CAD

Second place: $200 CAD

Third place: $100 CAD

All three finalists win publication on the Chopping Blog
and receive complimentary access to one of our self-paced courses.

The Finer Points

• Entry is $5 CAD
• One page: double-spaced, 12-point font
• Original, unpublished, unrepresented work only
• Once you've paid, send your docx/pdf to contest@darlingaxe.com
• Submission deadline: September 30

Check out the 2019 winner here.
And the 2020 winner here.
And the 2021 winner here.

New: Optional Feedback

Would you like to know how your first page lands with our contest screeners? For an additional $20 CAD, we will send you brief feedback about your entry's strengths and snags. This will come in the form of an email with a few notes about what our screeners thought, a score out of five, and any relevant resources. Please note: this feedback will not be sent until after the contest closes and winners are announced—sometime in October 2022.

Click here for entry + feedback

Click here for entry only

About the Darling Axe

Our editors are industry professionals and award-winning writers. We offer narrative development, editing, and coaching for every stage of your manuscript's journey to publication.