Self-edit Warmup Exercise: Form Version
Picture yourself in a very large dark room, sitting in a spotlight circle. Just at the edge of your sight is a broad, C-shaped table. Twenty tall-backed chairs line the table, and before each chair is a copy of the manuscript you are about to self-edit.

Now populate that tribunal table with the following people:
1) Your mother
2) Your father
3) Simon Cowell from American Idol (or substitute any ultra-brutal reviewer)
4) Your great-great-great-great-grandfather
5) Your best friend
6) Your first love
7) Someone who hates you
8) Your favorite language teacher from school
9) Your least favorite teacher from school
10) Your favorite author
11) Your doctor
12) A military commander
13) Your biggest fan
14) A socialite
15) A promoter paid to promote the book
16) An Amish child
17) Your worst enemy/most powerful rival
18) A librarian
19) A total stranger who had no idea why he or she was pulled into this tribunal
20) A rockstar

Now, imagine sitting there in silence while the tribunal pulls your manuscript toward them and begins to read.

Answer the following questions:
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What is the first part that will make them laugh? *
What is the first part that will make them cry? *
What is the first part that will scare them? *
What is the first part that will anger them? *
What is the first part they will skim? *
What is the first sentence they might struggle with? *
Which character will they most identify with? *
Which character will they dislike the most? *
Which layer of the plot will they find the most exciting or engaging? *
Which member of the tribunal did you picture most often while answering these questions? *
The Next Step
Imagine everyone on the panel has finished reading, now, and they all have one or two brief comments regarding your work.

Approach the table. Stand in front of the first panel member, your mother. Face her, and hear her comment, then record it in the first field.

Afterward, move on to the next panel member. Make sure you stop to face them and listen to the whole comment before entering it into the field.

(Remember, each tribunal member has one or two SHORT comments. Enter those comments into their field.)

Your mother *
Your father *
Simon Cowell from American Idol *
(or substitute any ultra-brutal reviewer)
Your great-great-great-great-grandfather *
Your best friend *
Your first love *
Someone who hates you *
Your favorite language teacher from school *
Your least favorite teacher from school *
Your favorite author *
Your doctor *
A military commander *
Your biggest fan *
A socialite *
A promoter paid to promote the book *
An Amish child *
Your worst enemy/most powerful rival *
A librarian *
A total stranger who had no idea why he or she was pulled into this tribunal *
Poor sod
A rockstar *
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