What Makes or Breaks a First Page?

Craig Pyette, editor with Random House Canada, and Robyn Read editor with Freehand Books, have seen their share of first pages. They know what they like and what they don't. Recently, they spoke to a group of seventy writers at Humber School for Writers eager to hear the words, "Yes, send us your manuscript. We’d like to read the whole thing.”

Set a scene on page one. Get the reader invested. Show, don’t tell us, what the character is like.
The page must show substantive editing. Proofread several times.
The opening sounds contemporary, relevant to today’s reader. (Avoid openings that sound too much like an early Canadian novel – too much like Sinclair Ross, for example).
Dialogue shouldn’t need commentary around it. It should be strong and stand on its own.
Too many plotlines on page one is a problem. It means there’s going to be too much editing involved in clearing them all up.
I won’t go to the next page if the writing is too “spelled out” for me.
Body language, the adjustment of a purse on the shoulder is good. It provides a beat between things, provides pacing. Avoid too much head nodding, shaking of heads. Head gestures are overdone.
A kooky character is interesting. “The father’s paranoia grabs my attention, but then you go and kill him off on page one. I was just getting to like him.”
Establish the point of intrigue soon.
A hint of zaniness on the first page is good.
Don’t start with weather. It was a dark and stormy night…”Uh huh? Where have I heard that one before?”

The first page is important. People walk into a book store and open the first page. What are you going to put on it to get their attention?