Conference season is upon us, with RWA National, the granddaddy of them all (at least for romance writers), less than a month away. As an agent who frequents conferences, I often find myself on the receiving end of a writer’s pitch. Sometimes these are formal sessions, arranged by the conference organizers and taking place over a set period of time — anywhere from three minutes in a crazed imitation of speed dating to ten minutes sitting across from each other at a table. In other cases, writers ask to chat with me and at some point I invite them to talk about their current projects. These pitches come in all shapes and sizes and levels of preparedness. Some writers shake so badly I worry they might pass out, while others barrel ahead with all the aggression and self-possession of a slick used-car salesman. And so, in an effort to ease this process, I come bearing a bit of advice.
This is not your only chance to sell your story, or yourself as a writer.
Too often, writers place a great deal of emphasis on the few minutes they get to speak with an agent or editor, and this makes for a nervous pitch session. Relax. This one pitch is not your only opportunity to present your material to an industry professional, it is merely a small foot in the door. Agents accept submissions all the time, in a variety of ways, and those remain open to you long after the conference has ended. Look at your pitch as a chance to meet someone on the other side of the desk, and to get to know them a bit, not as your last ditch effort to break down that wall between you and a writing career. If you’re calm, and personable, you’ll make a good impression, and even if the agent or editor does not request to see your current project, they will be more likely to remember you if you submit something else down the line.
Be brief and to the point.
At a conference, you only have a few minutes to pitch your work, but even if you have more time, a blow-by-blow description of your book is never a good idea. While you’re still home preparing your pitch, try writing the equivalent to the blurb on the back of a paperback novel, keeping your synopsis of the story to a couple of short paragraphs. Focus on the hook or what makes your premise different and the impetus that kicks your story off, and then a bit about your characters. Avoid long, drawn out descriptions that ramble on, such as “and then this happens, and then they go here, and then so-and-so does this.” You want to intrigue, to entice, to draw your listener into your concept, but you don’t want to end up telling the entire story. If the agent or editor has additional questions about your material, they will ask them.
Don’t pitch the kitchen sink.
Keep your pitch to one, or maybe two projects. Do not offer up a list of every finished manuscript you have sitting in your drawer at home. You’ll just end up diluting the impression you made with your initial pitch and leaving the agent or editor unsure of what you are interested in selling. The best approach is to pitch your best work, and then have a second idea in reserve, ready to pitch if the agent or editor asks about additional projects. But even if they ask, keep your pitches limited. There are other uses for the extra pitch time.
Bring your questions to the table.
A pitch session is actually an excellent time to learn more about the editor or agent and the industry as a whole. If you have a few minutes left — which you will if you’ve kept your pitch brief — have a couple of questions in mind. It will send the message that you are serious about your career and learning the business, and not simply interested in getting a book published no matter what. And depending on the answers you receive, it might help you determine if the agent is someone you really would be interested in working with down the line, should you receive an offer of representation.
Remember, this is business.
Agents and editors want to work with talented writers who can maintain a business-like attitude. Yes, writing is a creative industry, but publishing is still driven by sales, and a writer who understands that makes the process much more enjoyable. While there’s no need to dress in a suit or bring a briefcase or resume to your pitch session, you should still go looking neat and presentable, and arrive on time. Bring a small pad and pen or pencil so that you can write down any vital information during or after your pitch, particularly if the agent or editor asks to see your work.
Breathe.
It does no good to write and memorize the perfect pitch if you proceed to hyperventilate in front of your industry professional. Take a few cleansing breaths before you approach your pitch session if you still feel nervous, and try to enjoy the experience. Good luck.
Ah yes, the pitch session. It feels like the lions den right before feeding. There’s gnashing of teeth, snarls and growls. If you’re unlucky you’ll be eaten by your counterparts. If you are lucky, you’ll be ushered into the appointment without a scratch. I’m looking forward to my appointments. I’ve got my pitch prepared early, now all I have to do is remember which book it actually goes to.
by Sara Thacker June 15th, 2007 at 8:08 am:shock:I’m afraid to attend conferences as a pre-published author.:shock: All I read on the Internet are the horror stories. Basically, it sounds like pre-published authors pay lots of money to humiliate themselves and be despised. Tell me it ain’t true!:shock:
:???:Seems to me most of what a pre-published author gets out of a conference can be obtained from the free and emotionally safe position of her own chair in front of a computer at home. The Internet provides a wealth of information and a killer query will do just as well as a personal pitch. Can anyone tell me this isn’t true and why?:wink:
by Kimber An June 15th, 2007 at 9:07 amWhat is a pre-published writer? Someone who is self-published? Or someone who already has a professional track record? I would say in the second case, pitch sessions aren’t needed; just send the query and list your credits. Actually, if you’ve self-published, it seems like you’re in the same boat as the absolute newbie. It doesn’t really count as a credit, so why mention it?
by Michael June 15th, 2007 at 10:28 amKimber An — Authors tend to swear by whichever method landed them a contract, whether that be through a conference pitch, a contest win, or simply sending in a query directly to an editor and saying, in effect, “Wanna buy my book?”
As Nephele said, there is no one way to get your work in front of an agent or editor. And conferences are expensive, stressful, noisy propositions, no doubt about it. But some people absolutely love them, especially the opportunity to connect with actual, living people. For those quasi-hermits among us, this is not necessarily a selling point. 
I’m one of those rare birds who’d never attended a conference nor entered a contest (didn’t even knew they existed) before I sold. As you say, I kept my ear to the ground (or, in this case, the Internet), gleaning all the scraps of info I could, including the name of an editor at Silhouette. I happened to hit the right editor at the right time with the right project, and since then we’ve lived happily ever after.
But there is something to be said for the personal touch, too — a face definitely makes a different impression than words in a query letter, as far as memory jogs go. A personal pitch is never a guarantee of a sale, of course, but it does often get you that coveted permission to write “Requested Material” on your submission envelope, which might (MIGHT) speed up the process a little.
In the end, it’s up to the writer to decide what best works for her. Because in the end, saleability still always boils down to the project, not how you connected with an editor or agent.
by Karen Templeton June 15th, 2007 at 10:30 amMichael, “pre-published” genearlly means a writer who’s yet to land a contract or have any writing credits.
And actually, if you can prove a significant number of sales through self-publishing, it very much counts. Selling five copies to your mother, however…not so much.
by Karen Templeton June 15th, 2007 at 10:34 amKimber An,
Some people do very well describing their books in person, and love that chance to attach a face to a name: both the agent’s and their own. It can work for the right type of personality. Other writers prefer to just query on paper and let their writing do the talking. Ultimately, that will be the final deciding factor anyway, however, so if you’re shy or don’t like to travel or find conferences too expensive, that’s completely fine. As Karen mentioned, there are plenty of ways to achieve your goals.
Michael,
I think Kimber An actually means unpublished, rather than pre-published. Pre-published implies that an author has sold a book, but it hasn’t actually hit the shelves yet.
by Nephele Tempest June 15th, 2007 at 10:50 amNephele’s correct about the pre-published/unpublished thing. That’s what I meant. Unfortunately, I read them interchanged and get confused.:oops:
Thanks for the feedback on my questions!
by Kimber An June 15th, 2007 at 10:54 amThank you for posting this information. As a writer who would like to get published, it is nice to find tips on how to handle situations like this.
by Cassie June 15th, 2007 at 12:23 pm[...] Today’s RomancingTheBlog column is about pitching your romance novel to editors at the Romance Writers of America Conference (to be held in Dallas in a few weeks). Good advice, especially the part about not trying to throw every idea you’ve ever had at the editor. [...]
by Cuppacafe » Blog Archive » Cuppabits June 15th June 15th, 2007 at 1:33 pmKimber An,
Hey, now that it’s been explained in a way that my thick head can understand, I kind of like it. It’s a lot more optimistic than saying, “unpublished.”
by Michael June 15th, 2007 at 4:32 pmGreat advice. Since this will be my first Nationals I’ve been working on my pitch for…oh, several weeks now.
Telling us that this our only chance to sell our story or ourselves is in my opinion priceless. The pressure that you have taken away if we truly get what you’re saying is great.
Now, don’t get me wrong I’m still going to work at making it the best possible pitch that I can. I’ll know it backwards and forwards. If the chance comes that I am able to give it I’ll do the best I can but I’ll also remember what you said.
by Vicki June 15th, 2007 at 4:45 pmIn my former life as an acquiring editor for nonfiction (the most boring types of nonfiction one can imagine–guides to golf, birds, cookbooks, etc.), there were two things often missed in live pitches. I invariably had to ask the question: how is this different than the 400 proposals on my desk that say the same thing (a little different for nonfiction of course, but you can imagine the romance equivalent), and why aren’t you talking to me like I’m a human being? The writers who did the best were ones who talked about their book, professional to professional, in a rational, calm manner. I’m going to remember Nephele’s blog here when it comes time. A great help.
by Ciar Cullen June 15th, 2007 at 5:30 pmLOL!!! Don’t pitch the kitchen sink. What a great line, great tip, and excellent visual. I immediately pictured someone heaving a sink across a tiny little table.
by Ursula June 15th, 2007 at 5:33 pmGreat post. I hope to make the RWA next year. This year I will be at GenCon which is the big game industry convention. This will be my third.
My first year I did the nervous pitch thing — which is made a bit trickier because you don’t always know who is making the buying decisions with a given game company. I don’t care what those Degree commercials claim, at some point early on that stuff stops working.
Last year I got smart. I had some professional looking business cards made, with a simple, eye-catching graphic, the words “Kevin Killiany, writer.” in large, crisp font and my contact information. I had a few markets targeted, did my homework, made contact, said enough to demonstrate I was familiar with their product, told them I wrote for games and gave them my card. People with games I didn’t know, I just chatted with and gave them my card. No pitch. Of the markets I targeted, I got one small gig that’s nothing more than a foot in the door and one round of e-mails that established we weren’t a good fit. One of the markets i did not research contacted me based on the card and our low-key chat and we’re still sorting out whether there’s a working future for us.
My thought is — and someone in a position to know please correct me — if you are just talking with a prospective agent or market and not actually meeting for a pitch session, don’t pitch a product. Keep it light, know enough to say something intelligent and positive about their work/recent products/something relevant (say nothing negative about anything — for all you know their mother made the pasteboard finger sandwiches). Give them a business card, get theirs if they have one, and ask if you can drop them a line later. Then you can wrap your pitch in a well-crafted letter that reminds them you’re the nice person who gave them a break from all the desperate pitchers.
by KeVin Killiany June 15th, 2007 at 5:50 pmYou’re right, KeVin. Don’t automatically start pitching someone just because you’ve engaged them in conversation. I will occasionally ask a writer to tell me about what they’re working on, as part of a conversation that’s not a formal pitch session, but that’s my choice. And the business card thing can work in some arenas, but somewhere like RWA’s National Convention, where I talk to maybe 75-100 authors over the course of the week, a business card won’t mean anything unless we’ve actually talked about a project. I won’t recall a name that doesn’t go to a particular story idea, and that business card probably won’t make it farther than my hotel room trash can. I just have too much paper in my life to hold onto things “just in case.” Of course, it’s different in a freelance, project-based area of the writing industry, where companies are looking for people to do work-for-hire.
by Nephele Tempest June 15th, 2007 at 5:59 pmThanks for this article, it was very useful for me.
by Anonymous June 18th, 2007 at 4:21 am[...] I’m linking today! Hopping from blog to blog. We’ll get to the senseless but fun stuff at the end, but first up is something informative–agent Nephele Tempest’s Romancing the Blog post on the Perfect Pitch. I’m giving myself a pat on the back because I’ve been saying the same thing. Oh hell, forget the pats, I’ll take chocolate. [...]
by Magical Musings » Blog Archive » Do the blog hop June 21st, 2007 at 8:08 am