Irene's Critique Auctions
Irene Goodman and her editor/agent colleagues auction critiques of partial manuscripts every month, starting on the first day of each month. All proceeds go directly to Irene's non-profit organization, Publishing for Vision & Hearing, and from there to the Deafness Research Foundation, Hope for Vision, and Foundation Fighting Blindness. This is a great opportunity to get honest feedback from the best and to make a difference in the world at the same time.
We are extremely pleased to announce that we signed a thriller author who came to us through these auctions! The author made some revisions per our suggestions, and he is now a client of this agency. Check this site to watch for further developments.
"Your comments were so full of insight, and made me realize I had not presented the materials in the right way. I got an agent and last week I got a book deal, too. So, I just wanted you to know that you really changed my life. I don't know if this would have happened if I had not submitted those pages to you." -- Laura R.
Here are the details:
Q: Really? Every month?
A: Yes, really. They will be done by me or my industry colleagues personally — no interns, no staff, no passing the buck.
Q: When will the auction take place?
A: Each auction will start on the first day of each month, and run for several days.
Q: How soon can the winners expect to hear from you?
A: Before the end of the month.
Q: What do you mean by a “partial”?
A: I mean the first three chapters—roughly 50 double-spaced pages or 15,000 words, plus a synopsis of 3-10 double-spaced pages.
Q: How long will each critique be?
A: At least half a page, single-spaced, usually more. But we can pack a lot of feedback into half a page.
Q: What kinds of manuscripts are you looking for?
A: Check the individual page of the auction site to see what my colleagues are looking for, but I am always interested in any kind of commercial fiction or non-fiction--especially thrillers, mysteries, romance, historical fiction, women’s fiction, young adult, and anything paranormal. For non-fiction, it can be narrative with a strong hook, or prescriptive with a strong platform.
Q: What are your critiques like and what is your track record for finding new clients this way?
A: Good critiques pack a lot of punch. My colleagures and I are direct, honest, and encouraging when we can be. Nicey-nice doesn’t really help you. Honesty does. If you can accept well-meant feedback from those who have built a lot of best-selling careers, then this is for you.
When you are hungry for information that will really make a difference, not waste your time, and respect your goals, you need a real industry professional who has walked the walk.
Q: Why these causes?
A: Foundation Fighting Blindness, Hope for Vision, and the Deafness Research Foundation are of crucial importance to me because my son Rob, 25, has Usher Syndrome. That’s a genetic condition that causes progressive loss of both vision and hearing. The research in this area is tremendous and there is great hope on the horizon. We can expect that there will be an effective treatment for blindness in his lifetime. Scientists at Stanford predict they will restore hearing to mice in ten years.
But when you are 25 and you are losing your sight and your hearing, you want the cure to happen NOW. All this costs a lot of money, and that’s where your dollars will be spent.
What previous winners have to say...
"Your review far exceeded my expectations." -- Alan Chaput
"What a great review! I have a clear sense of the many opportunities to
improve my craft and story." -- Mike S.
"The way you deliver feedback is truly amazing. It was honest, tactful, and insightful. You really packed a lot into your critique. It was an invaluable experience." -- Kourtney Heintz
"This rare peek into the thoughts of an accomplished agent energized my own enthusiasm to make my story even better." -- Gary W.