5 Reasons to Drop In on the Agent Auction

One of the most exciting writing events of the year took place yesterday, but that doesn't mean it's over for you.

Miss Snark's First Victim blog runs a yearly Bakers' Dozen Agent Auction, and it's one of the best ways I know to get a read on publishing industry trends, particularly in Young Adult fiction.

60 aspiring authors 
(middle grade, young adult, and adult) submit log lines and their novels' first 250 words. Sixteen well known literary agents bid on the submissions, offering to read 5, 25, 50, 100, 150 pages, or the full manuscript. The agent who bids highest "wins" a first look at the ms. And the author, of course, "wins" a read by an agent.

This year's auction was fascinating, on a lot of levels. You need to hike over there and have a look at the comments on submissions, written by both readers and agents, and in some cases by editors. Here are some global judgements, based on this small sample:

A Few Things This Writer is Grateful For

Okay, maybe it's a little corny to do the gratitude stuff, but last night I just had this wave of it wash over me, and I felt so damn lucky. Or, all the yoga I've been doing is finally starting to have an effect.

1. I'm Free
I get to spend my days doing exactly what I want: Writing. Reading. Thinking about writing and reading. Teaching what I'm reading. Talking to other writers about what I'm writing and reading. Reading to other writers what I'm writing. Listening to other writers read what they're writing.

2. I'm awed by the writers I've met.
Incredible talent within my two writers groups. So many distinctive voices, ways of looking at the world and figuring out what's important to say. The most beautiful ways to say it. How to best arrange all those wonderful insights. Every one a role model.