Pan Five for Five Writing Challenge

Show the WFCAT team your writing chops in this fun writing challenge with five different categories of free-tique (a five-tique) for a great cause!

The author behind the Pan family in The Dare, Cynthea Liu:

Dear Writers, 

This year, to celebrate the release of the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Dare (formerly known as Paris Pan Takes the Dare), I am at it again. I want to show what this special book that means the world to me and my family through acts of kindness. 

For those of you who don’t know, The Dare was my first middle grade novel, and the novel that got me agented with the amazing Jen Rofe with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. It was welcomed by a world of agents, editors, and writers in an amazing launch called Take the Dare: Show You Care, where together, we raised money for an in-need school in the state of Oklahoma, the state where The Dare takes place. The launch was even written up in Publishers Weekly. All I could think was that I have no idea how The Dare will do in the marketplace, but at the very least, I know the book has already done a lot of good just by existing. 

Well, fast-forward ten years. As it turns out, The Dare did receive a lot of fans. Unfortunately, two different major trade reviewers commented on the Pan parents’ broken English with concern that the book was culturally insensitive for the way the dialogue depicted Frank and Dorothy’s English. I knew the reviewers were well-intentioned, but I just couldn’t imagine writing the book where the Pan parents, both immigrants from China, spoke perfect English. And instead of vocalizing how I felt to the reviewers directly, I whined on Facebook and to my friends. I didn’t dare to turn over the establishment as a new author.  

However, I did write privately to one of the trade reviewers years later and asked them to review the book a second time––this time for content and not commentary about how immigrants speak English. Although they agreed, I have yet to pursue a second review. I know reviewers matter, but so do other writers, friends, and family that understand who I am and what this book stands for.  I have yet to take them up on it because now, I know, that reviewers do matter, but they also don’t matter when you have lots of writers, friends, and family that get it. 

So with all that said, I will release The Dare to the world again. This time, in the name of a good cause and the chance for plenty of writing feedback. 

My father (upon which Papa Pan is loosely based) passed away in 2017. Before he passed, I had the opportunity to share with him the new cover of The Dare, illustrated by an amazing and kind woman named Beatrice Blue. My daddy, who was stricken with oral cancer that affected his ability to open his mouth and speak normally, took one look at the cover and said in his broken English, “So good, Baby! Wowowow!” The words came out all garbled and hard to understand, but in his Broken English. Knowing that my family came here for opportunity, worked crazy hard to get that for all of us, and simultaneously learned a new language to help them get through, their way of speaking should be embraced. 

I am dedicating this launch, and all the good it will do, to my father, Raymond Liu, who taught me to give and give back. 

I am excited to share that this launch will be raising “books” for the Off The Street Club, based in Chicago. I was introduced to this organization by Sheila Donovan, a long-standing supporter whose presence at book events encourage me to do something for this great organization that has been a big part of her life. What better way than to give a book for every $5 raised through this writing challenge?

Your $5 will not only get yourself the fabulous 10th anniversary edition of The Dare as an e-book, but it will also be turned around to give a physical copy of The Dare to the Off The Street Club AND you’ll get feedback on any writing you submit. Plus, there will be prizes and more surprises along the way!

Want the paperback? That’s two books that go toward the Off The Street Club. The organization serves over 3,000 children who need a safe place to have fun and participate in enrichment activities–– and what better way to enrich through reading great books that feature parents who speak broken English proudly?

So get ready! Please put aside $5 (That’s less than your a venti order of your fancy Starbucks, people) and get ready to play. 

, 

Cynthea Liu

Each Entry will receive personalized 

feedback from the WFCAT team. For this challenge, we’ve asked the dogs and the fish to take a break from free-tiques. In their place will be the Pan Family Five.

They are:

Frank

Dorothy

Athens

Verona

and Paris

Note: the Pans are a tough bunch. They promise to follow the WFCAT motto and pass everything through the Cynthea Liu wringer. They are not your typical pushover critiquers and are completely prepared to tell it like it is and give you the kick in the pants you need to take your work to the next level.

Rules of Gameplay

Purchase the Dare 

$5 Ebook = 1 entry

$10 Paperback = 2 Entries

You may enter as many times as you want (more books for more kids!)

Receipts for proof of purchase must be submitted on the WFCAT website or emailed to pan5for5@gmail.com with each challenge category in order to be considered 

See step-by-step instructions below

Here’s how it’s done:

Buy one or more copies of The Dare eBook or paperback here: Take a picture of your purchase receipt and it to our email at pan5for5@gmail.com or easily submit the photo via your phone through Drift on wfcat.com Receive a number which verifies your purchase.Submit your writing to any of the five writing challenge categories. Be sure to include your receipt number to be considered!Sit back and relax while you watch for your five points of feedback to appear here and here and in your email inbox.

The Five Categories

Title

The proposed title for your work. Be sure to identify the age range and general plot of the story and the Pan family will provide feedback on how eye-catching and marketable your book title will be. 

Concept Paragraph

A concept paragraph is a brief and general overview of a story, which identifies major themes or lessons to be contained in the book. Entries should be no more than 250 words. 

First Line/Last Line

The first line is what catches the reader’s attention and the last line is what keeps the reader thinking about your book long after they’ve put it down. Show us what you’ve got! Entries should be no more than two sentences. 

Pitch/Query Letter 

A pitch or query letter are often the first steps to getting your book published. A pitch is what will sell your title to a potential agent or publisher. It needs to be unique, catchy, and feature a captivating synopsis. In longer form, a query letter proposes your ideas in an interesting and succinct format. Your pitch should not exceed 50 words. Your query letter should not exceed 300 words. 

Main Character Sketch

What’s unique about your character? Where do they come from and what do they want or need? What do they fear? Tell us about the personality and attitude of your main character and the Pan family will provide five points of feedback on how kids are likely to respond to your character. 

Bonus Award Assembly

Every entry is entered into an Awards Assembly at the end of the Pan Five for Five Challenge by Papa Pan and the family, who will give out 5 awards in each of the five categories.

What are The Prizes?

1st Prize: Frank

Winners will win 1-hour Phone Consults w/Cynthea 

 (plus all the other prizes awarded for 2-5th place)

2nd Prize: Dorothy

30-minute phone consult, a special certificate

3rd Prize: Athens

An autographed copy of The Dare to give to their favorite 

child who thinks they have it worse than Paris.

4th Prize: Verona

(the 5th place plus this)

A Special Certificate to print and hang in their office to 

commemorate their Achievement in winning the Dorothy Prize 

in the Pan Five for Five Challenge – Autographed by the Author. Flashlight.

5th Prize: Paris

A Special Certificate to print and hang in their office to 

commemorate their Achievement in winning the Paris Prize 

in the Pan Five for Five Challenge – Autographed by the Author.

Don’t forget to tag #Pan5for5 on social media!