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Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Fricassee

So the general consensus seems to be that this is a strong Secret Agent round!  Our Premium Slush Pile continues to sparkle.

Good thing, too, because we've got Lurking Agents.

You knew that, right?  They slide silently through the entries during contests, fingers brushing the ripest fruits in the basket.  And then they email me.

And ask for things.

Yep.  You have no idea how much fun I have behind the scenes.

I guess this makes me a talent scout of sorts.  Except, I don't have to go looking for the talent.  It comes to me!  All I do it format and post it.  Which places all the kudos into the laps of the participating writers.

A lot of you are working REALLY HARD and doing a lot of things RIGHT.  And though there is most likely a lot of rejection in your immediate path, if you keep doing what you're doing IT WON'T STRANGLE YOU.  And you will reach your goals.

There you go.  A weekend pep-talk.  Ain't writing grand??
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20 comments:

  1. Julie True KingsleyJanuary 21, 2011 at 8:56 AM

    This is genius, just genius. It has given me a lens for which to look at my writing in a way that I didn't have before. I, for one, am sizzling with excitement to revise and looking forward to seeing these stories on the shelves soon. I'm sure that many of these books will get there. Press on writers!

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    and it is fantastic to get an e-mail from Authoress telling you a lurking agent spotted your work in the SA contest and wanted to take a further look. it didn't pan out for me, but it was a great experience nonetheless.

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  3. B.E. SandersonJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:13 AM

    Yep, writing is grand. But I can always use a pep-talk. Thanks. =o)

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  4. Stefanie GaitherJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    Writing is most definitely grand. And this community is perhaps even grander. I am SO glad I decided to stop lurking and participate in this month's contest! I've already learned tons, both from critiques on my own work and from studying others and trying (emphasis on trying, lol) to offer them helpful ideas. I'll definitely be sticking around, however this contest pans out for me.

    Authoress, you probably get this all the time--but I don't know if it could be said enough-- you are awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this opportunity! I can only imagine the amount of time/work you put into this whole thing. /endgushing :-)

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  5. trocaderoJanuary 21, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    Thanks so much for this. I've gotten tons out of the comments left on my piece as well as those on everyone else's.

    What you're doing is really amazing!

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  6. Janet JohnsonJanuary 21, 2011 at 11:23 AM

    Very cool! I love what you do here.

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  7. Yat-YeeJanuary 21, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Authoress: you know all this good that you pass to the writing community is creating more than just warm fuzzies, right? All your generosity will come back hundredfold.

    Hmmm. Lurking agents.

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  8. Brigetta SchwaigerJanuary 21, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Thanks for the pep talk. My MG manuscript is close to being ready. Can't wait for the next chance to submit. :)

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  9. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    Thank you, thank you for this opportunity! Kudos to YOU for making this forum available.

    My submission is included in this round, and I'm learning a lot from comments received and given, and of course reading others' excerpts and comments.

    Grand, indeed!

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  10. Renee YancyJanuary 21, 2011 at 1:59 PM

    Thanks, Authoress, for all your hard work and dedication. And for the opportunities presented on your site.

    You're the best!

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  11. Nazarea AndrewsJanuary 21, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    I'm super glad a friend recommended this blog to me and that I was able to participate in this SA. The crit's I've recieved has been very helpful and very on-point: I agree with it a hundred percent and have already started revising :)

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  12. Sheryl GwytherJanuary 21, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    You are so generous with your time and energy, Authoress. A generous spirit indeed! I enjoy reading your little pep talks during these most valuable opportunites you organise for we writers. Good luck to everyone this time!

    Contestants, it could happen for you like it did for me! Right now, I'm working on the re-write of my entry from June's contest (Singing the Wire) for agent, Danielle Chiotti (Upstart Crow Literary) after winning a second place.

    Danielle has been so generous in her advice and her critique of the larger trajectory of my story. She recognised its pacing problem and suggested a brilliant way to solve it. And after I've finished the re-write, she wants to see the story again.So now, it's up to me.

    Thank you, Authoress for a wonderful opportunity to be guided by such a generous, perceptive and very approachable agent like Danielle.

    Good luck to all the contestants! :)

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  13. LMTJanuary 21, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    Thank you, Authoress.
    I appreciate all the work you do to keep up this great site. You rock!

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  14. Toni KenyonJanuary 21, 2011 at 7:25 PM

    Ooh, lurking agents, sliding silently through the entries. As if there isn't enough incentive to make sure you hold your tongue right when you hit 'send' at the absolute right millisecond.

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  15. UnknownJanuary 22, 2011 at 1:53 AM

    Thank you so much for this opportunity, Authoress (and alluring, mysterious Lurking Agents). I'm loving it!

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  16. Joshua JacobsJanuary 22, 2011 at 8:57 AM

    Thanks for this experience, Authoress, and thank you to the Secret Agent for his/her encouraging and constructive feedback.

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  17. MayaahJanuary 22, 2011 at 1:15 PM

    Thank you for this experience, Authoress! I've learned a lot from it and you give such great opportunity for other writers!
    I think I needed another pep-talk, so thanks for that. I hope the Secret Agent contest can continue discovering talent and making dreams come true!

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  18. Krista Van DolzerJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    Agents don't just lurk around these contests, either - I received an invitation to query an agent after including an excerpt in one of the in-house crit sessions. That query turned into a partial request, which turned into a full request. (I'm still waiting to hear back on that one.)

    Any way you slice it, participating on Authoress's blog is a good thing. Thanks again, Authoress.

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  19. Karen DeniseJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    Authoress, you are Awesome x Infinity! I love the SA contests. The Baker's Dozen contest was brilliant and so are all the other opportunities you provide for feedback.

    I remember your poll after the Baker's Dozen--which I filled out--but at the time I was having a mental block when it came to suggested contests. Well, I have an idea that I'd like to toss out. If this was suggested during the poll then disregard this: A Query Contest!

    A lot of aspiring writers have strong opening pages, but if the query doesn't work then agents won't get to them. And I guess, if we don't have a query contest, then a query critique could be just as awesome. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't necessarily have to "win" anything. Feedback is worth it's weight in gold.

    Again, thanks so much for all you do!

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  20. UnknownJanuary 23, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    I am definitely a lurker. I love it!

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