Monday, August 27, 2018

How to Survive A Pitch Appointment


It's time for a full confession.

I. Do. Not. Like. Pitching. There, I said it.

As a veteran of getting on for twenty writing conferences and many pitch appointments, I can say with some authority that I do not enjoy the process. I am awkward and nervous and tongue-tied to a ridiculous degree.

So why am I posting here on the intricacies of pitch appointments and how to excel at them?

Well, if you re-read the title of the post, you'll note that I'm not telling you how to hit a home run in a pitch appointment, I'm telling you how to SURVIVE one. :)



Follow me into the labyrinth, if you please.

First, what is a pitch appointment?

At writing conferences, you often have the opportunity to secure one-on-one appointments with mentors, agents, editors, and other industry professionals. This is your chance to talk about your work and yourself with a view to selling both at some later date.

For some of us, the idea of sitting down with an agent or editor and talking up our story is torturous. But it's a necessary part, and even a good part, of becoming a professional author. (There are a select few who THRIVE on these appointments, but they're the outliers, so we're going to ignore them. The weirdos.)

So, if pitch appointments are something we should do, and yet we don't like doing them, and they do, in fact, scare us, how can we strategize to at least survive them, even if we don't exactly THRIVE?

Here are my tips:



1) Do your research. There's nothing that will add to the awkwardness of a face-to-face pitch meeting than if you bring in something that the agent or editor isn't looking for, doesn't represent, and perhaps doesn't even like. Most conferences will have a website that lists the faculty, and in their bios, if they are taking appointments, they will list the things they are looking for, and the things they are not wanting to see. Don't assume that you've written such a heartbreaking work of staggering genius that the editor will abandon the entire publishing history of their house and champion your cause and yours alone at the next publication board meeting. Start out on a good note by scheduling pitch appointments with people who rep what you write.

2) Manage your expectations. This one is key. You are NOT going to walk out of a 15 minute appointment with a contract. These meetings are for getting your foot in the door, not for signing the mortgage and calling the movers. The hope from this meeting is that you will receive a request for a proposal, that you've interested the agent or editor enough in yourself and your project for them to want to see a bit more. HOWEVER, if you do not receive a proposal request, the meeting was NOT a failure. You will have learned a bunch, and your name and face will now be familiar to the person you pitched to, so that next time you see them or pitch to them, you've got a bit of a connection.

3) Prepare a One Sheet: I blogged about this last month, so no need to go over it again here. You can read about how to prepare a One Sheet HERE:  https://seekerville.blogspot.com/2018/06/what-goes-on-one-sheet.html



4) Do your homework. (This isn't the same as doing you research.) This one requires that you practice your elevator pitch (We'll talk about how to write an elevator pitch a bit next month.) Doing your homework requires that you be able to distill your story down to 30-50 words. Who it is about, what they want, and the major conflict that is keeping them from getting what they want. This needs to be succinct, pithy, and interesting.

‘A police chief, with a phobia for open water, battles a gigantic shark with an appetite for swimmers and boat captains, in spite of a greedy town council who demands that the beach stay open .’

And there, ladies and gentlemen, you have the perfect elevator pitch. (JAWS: A very good book, but an even better movie!) 

You need to know your story inside and out to be able to talk intelligently about it in a concise way. We can all ramble for days about our plot and characters, but I guarantee that if you do this in your pitch appointment, the agent or editor's eyes will glaze over and they will start wondering when it will be time for lunch.

Once you have your 30-50 word pitch written, you need to practice saying it aloud. Start alone, looking in the mirror, then try it out on your family or a writing buddy. Be able to speak slowly, succinctly, and coherently about your story and to be able to answer questions posed by the listener. You might think this is a dorky thing to do, but trust me, you'll thank me later. 

5) Do a Quick Reconnaissance: When you get your pitch appointment info, do a quick recce and locate where the appointments are going to take place so you can find it again when you need to. The last thing you want as your meeting time approaches is to be wandering the halls of a giant hotel or conference center hollering "Marco!"  Find out where they appointment desk is, where the "Kiss and Cry" area is. (That waiting room where folks about to go into an appointment sit and wipe nervous sweat, and where those just exiting appointments can gracefully subside into a chair and pray in thanksgiving that they survived....Just kidding, but there usually is a 'holding pen' sort of area near the appointment desk where writers are herded to patiently wait for their appointment. 

6) Pray About It: Spend a little time in prayer beforehand, reminding God (and thus yourself) that your entire writing future does not hinge on the 10-15 minutes you will be with EditorX or AgentY. Also spend a little time praying for that agent or editor, and consider how you might be a blessing to them during that time. Thank the Lord for the opportunity, and then use it to the best of your ability.

So, what can you expect from your pitch appointment?

Get to the appointment desk with 10-15 minutes to spare, (make sure you've visited the facilities before you arrive, nerves and coffee, you know...) have your materials in order, and say a quick prayer. When your appointment time is called, you can expect to be ushered into a room with up to 20 different tables where pitches will be taking place simultaneous to yours. Don't let this daunt you, you won't be listening to other people pitch, and they won't be listening to you. Everything is done in quiet orderly fashion, not a free-for-all. Sit down across from the agent or editor and smile, offer your hand, and introduce yourself. Hand them your one-sheet. Remember that this is not their first rodeo, and give them a moment to scan your paper and perhaps ask you to tell them about your story. This is where you launch into your elevator pitch. Don't talk too fast, and try to have a pleasant expression on your face. Its' okay to be a bit nervous. They're used to that. As pros, they will often have a few pithy questions for you. I always find it easier to answer questions about my work than just talk about it off the cuff, so I welcome the questions. They may ask for a little of your writing background, what you've published before (It's okay if you're unpublished! Just say so!) and if the manuscript is complete or not. 

When time is called, (it will go faster than you think!) stand, offer your hand again, and thank the agent or editor for his or her time. Don't start sobbing if they don't ask to see more of your work or if they return the one-sheet you labored over so long. Be gracious, and be kind. 

Oh, and one more thing!


7) Follow Through Afterwards: If you've received a request for a proposal or full manuscript, then by all means, send it in! You don't have to hit send on the airplane ride back home, but do follow through and deliver what has been requested. A month or six weeks is a good time frame if you're polishing a proposal or manuscript. If you didn't receive a request for a proposal, it's still nice manners to send a thank-you note to that person for meeting with you. This will be remembered.

Q4U: Have you done any pitch appointments? What's the BEST pitch story you've heard? What's the WORST pitch appointment story you've heard. No names (unless it's yours and you don't mind sharing.) Also, do you LIKE pitch appointments? Or are you normal? LOL!




Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time! 

57 comments:

  1. Oh, pitch appointments! So nerve wracking.... and honestly, I had to remind myself of what an agent said to me... and meant... "We're just people."

    "Who have the power to breathe life into my career," said Ruthy.

    "Well, if you write great stories, that's a good thing!"

    And she laughed and I laughed and it was always better after that meeting...

    But here's the thing for all youse who are going and pitching...

    It's not the be-all, end-all.

    NONE OF MY STORIES GOT PICKED UP BY PITCHING....

    And yet every single one of them that I pitched eventually got sold or put out as an indie and sold like crazy.

    So the experience of pitching is kind of like using facebook. I don't use facebook to sell books... I use it to meet folks, strike up conversations and be myself. Like me, love me or leave me, there are no false fronts, no facades...

    So look at pitching like that.

    You're there to make contacts. Friends. Professional networks. Don't worry about selling or even getting asked to submit. Meet folks. Smile at them. Shake their hands... and let God's timing meet your hard work and see what happens then!

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    1. Great addition to Erica's post, Ruthy. Thanks for adding your words of wisdom.

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    2. Ruthy, YES! Exactly! It's for making connections, not for selling work. I was trying to think if anything I pitched ever sold, and yes, it did! Whew! Not only sold, but sold to the person I pitched it to! lol!

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    3. Erica! That's so cool! Mine sold to others.... but just meeting those folks face to face and talking with them... pretending I was as cool as they were!!!.... :) That was a great experience.

      And the one thing I always remembered that I had a chance meeting with Melissa Endlich in a hallway... And she told me years later that she intended to publish me when she had the chance after that meeting.

      And about 18 mos. later, she called me.

      So that's cool, that editors seek things for now and the future because when you're a junior editor, it isn't all up to you.

      So I'm awfully glad to have run into her!

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    4. That's a great story, Ruthy...you never know what seeds are being planted that you will harvest later.

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  2. I haven't gotten to that stage yet, but read this with great interest and hope that one day in the not to distant future I will be able to be there.

    I want so much to be able to attend a writers conference but at this point it will take a miracle from God. But God is able. Living on a very limited income there just is no extra money even to set aside. Many of the conferences cost what for me is a one or two month salary. so for now I live vicariously through pictures on Seekerville. I did learn recently of an author that lives about an hour from me. I am hoping to contact her and see if we can meet at some point.

    Hope everyone has a great day.

    I had a great day yesterday being able to be back in church. Sunday's are my highlight of the week.

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    1. Wilani, so glad you were able to go to church. That's what keeps us going, isn't it? "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together." Glad you were finally able to get back to services.
      Hope you find some fellowship as a writer. These relationships are so enriching, and encouraging.
      Kathy Bailey

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    2. I hope you are feeling much better, Wilani. Glad you were able to make it to church.

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    3. Yay, Wilani! I am so glad you were able to go to church and fellowship and feed your soul. Worship is such a gift from God, isn't it?

      As to God being able, He sure is! Apply for conference scholarships, enter those writing contests that have a conference scholarship as a prize, and keep praying!

      And I love that you're going to meet up with another writer. Community is so important for writers!

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  3. Great post, Erica! Prayer and persistence are such important keys to many things.

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    1. And holding your nerve! And practice! :) And more prayer!

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  4. Great post, Erica, and so timely for ACFW. I haven't pitched in years because I haven't been to a conference in years, so I'm a little rusty. I will be applying these tips. In less than a month. Ew.

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    1. You're going to rock your appointments, Kaybee! Hard to believe conference is in less than a month! I am so not ready yet!

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  5. Great post! Especially for those heading off to conferences.

    Erica, I'm with you, though. I do not like pitching. In a printed format I have time to think and piece my words together. But when I'm talking, everything just kind of spills out. And the fact that I talk even more when I'm nervous doesn't help.

    Knowing this, the last time I pitched something, I started off by introducing the editor to my setting. I had a binder of photos and explained a little bit about what made the place so special. Then I rambled (and rambled) into my pitch. The good news is that she ultimately bought the book and now I can carefully form my words in the form proposals. :P

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    1. LOL! I can relate! I either ramble about ridiculous stuff, or I go all quiet and can't wait to escape! But, thankfully, as I have pitched more often, it has gotten better.

      At least that's what I tell myself. :)

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  6. Great post, Erica! I have actually survived pitch appointments!

    I have to echo Ruthy - a great pitch appointment is a "get to know you" session. Yes, you get to talk about your writing with an industry professional (always a good thing!), but I always looked at the people connection as being more important than selling my book - which did sell - but not to the editors I pitched to. :-)

    Also, you mentioned that all-important follow-through! I will not name names, but I hear authors say (with excitement in their voices) that they got a request from the editor they talked with...but that was two years ago, or five... Don't wait that long! I think you gave the perfect time-line, Erica: a month or six weeks to polish your proposal or manuscript and send it in.

    If it isn't that far along? Be up front with that information in your appointment!

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    1. I forgot to say that my BEST pitch appointment was with an editor from a publishing house that was on my "wish list." As I talked with her, we both realized that my stories weren't going to fit their house. So we spent the rest of the appointment talking about general things.

      I'm so glad I had that conversation - I think I would have been very unhappy with them in the long run, and I'm not sure they would have been happy with me! It just wasn't a good fit. :-)

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    2. My best pitch appointment happened last month when I sat down with an editor at a conference and told her that the thing that I had wanted to pitch to her when I made the appointment had sold to another publisher, so the heat was off! (More about that project on FRIDAY!) We just talked about our favorite books in the genre and had a nice time.

      Way more fun!

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    3. Isn't that the best? When you can just talk as people and no one is trying to impress the other????

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    4. It was great! No pressure, and we just got to talk about books we like. :) Turns out we have some in common and were able to recommend others.

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  7. I can't say enough how important #5 is!! I've always been just paranoid enough to do that automatically. haha But I've found it's a lifesaver, especially for fighting anxiousness.

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    1. Me too! I wander the hotel early to find out where all the classrooms and general sessions and appointments are. And the coffee shop, and the comfy chairs in the lounges! :)

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    2. I do this, too. I want the familiarity. Like it's my place. It helps my confidence.

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    3. Wait. I wander and look for appointments... (says Ruthy who kind of never does classes.... she's hanging out in the lobby...) not classes. I was a big fat liar!!!!

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  8. This was a great post, Erica. I am not at that point yet, but I will definitely refer to this. I thought this might be the year I was ready to pitch my novel and attend ACFW but it isn't. I will keep working and hopefully be ready soon.

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    1. You're getting ever closer! And we're never truly ready. Sometimes we just have to pinch our nose with our fingers, screw our eyes shut, and jump into the deep end! I hope you take your plunge soon! :)

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  9. Erica, great words here! I have pitched before, and it's truly nerve-wracking. Last year, I had pitch appointments at ACFW. I signed up for them in April, sure I'd have a book to pitch . . . um, no. But, I didn't want to give up the appointments. So, after hearing the publisher spotlights the first night of conference, I decided to ask the editors I had meetings with about the viability of a story idea I had. It felt like a great way to redeem that time, and it was much more relaxing becuase I was seeking their wisdom, not trying to pitch an idea.

    Now this year, I have a story to pitch...I'm already praying as I prepare for those appointments.

    The thing I try to remember is that they are human. They want to be approached more relationally. So, I always try to find out something about them ahead of time to open our conversation with. Then, I get into the pitch, usually as they pave the way in the conversation. This has helped me not be quite so nervous. :)

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    1. That is an excellent tip. Get to know something about the person you're pitching to, and incorporate that into the conversation. They ARE human...even if, as Ruthy said, they have the power to breathe life into our careers. :)

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  10. As a reader I haven't been involved in a pitch Appointment for a book but you certainly have given writers some very wise advice. I will say that I have been a job applicant and these tips are very applicable to that also. You must be familiar with the job you are applying for and you need to get their attention!
    Thanks for sharing Erica. So glad that you have done the pitches that have given us some great reading!

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    1. Hi, Connie, a pitch appointment IS a bit like a job interview! And thanks for being such a faithful reader! Seekerville LOVES readers!!!!! <3

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  11. Great post, Erica! I pitched for the first time last year and remember feeling so relieved that I "survived". haha! I was so nervous beforehand, but it really did help me to get there early and see I wasn't the only nervous one. I started praying, not only for my appointment, but for the other nervous smiles around the room. Fellow writers were holding their breath and getting ready to share their heartfelt stories too. There was a real sense of community like "We're in this together". It was a special moment and actually helped ease the stress. So excited for ACFW next month!

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    1. Squee! Savanna's going to ACFW! I can't wait to see you!

      I agree, the "Blitz" mentality, where you're all in the bunker and waiting, certainly draws writers together. I have had some amazing times, and a couple of God appointed meetings waiting in the 'kiss and cry' area and in the ETERNALLY Long Line to change/request an appointment that happened one year. I made a friend in that line...it was so long that she had to go to an appointment and I held her spot, and 15 minutes later, I had moved about 18 inches. Glad they got that sorted out by the next year, but happy to have met Crystal and compared pitching battle-scars while we waited. :)

      Super glad you're coming to the conference! Be sure to find the Seekerville party in the lounge every night!

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    2. Oh my stars, have so much fun!!!! Savanna, I wish I was going to be there to meet you! How fun that would be!

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    3. A Seekerville party in the lounge sounds like SO much fun. I'll be there! :) Wish you were going to be there too, Ruth. I'd love to meet you in person and give you a hug! :)

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  12. Great pitch advice, Erica!
    My two cents:
    ACFW and other Christian conferences are the only ones I know of that require or request a one sheet. I've never made one and I've done a lot of pitches at RWA conferences.

    I like to sell myself before I sell my story. When I shake hands, I thank them for attending the conference then add a few comments about the local area or some other light chit chat as an opener. Then I give them a quick overview of my credentials and writing history. Early on I might have said something like the following: "I'm a member of ACFW and RWA and currently serve as the Corresponding Secretary of my local Georgia Romance Writers Chapter. In the last two years, I've written three Amish stories set near the towns in Ohio where I lived in my youth. "
    Then I add, "Today, I'd like to talk to you about Amish Whatever, the first book in my series." That might be a good time to hand them the one sheet.

    Also, you can leave before your time is up. If they've asked questions and you've provided the info they wanted...and if you don't have any more questions, then thank them for their consideration, shake hands and leave the room. I'm sure the editors/agents appreciate having a few free mintutes to make notes, check their cell phones or use the facilities. :)

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    1. Excellent advice, Debby! I've never attended RWA, and I've not pitched anything at a secular conference. I like having a one-sheet, because it keeps me on track and gives me something to hold onto (read maul) during the appointment. :)

      You sound so polished in your approach. I bet editors love it when you have an appointment, because you put them at ease, rather than them having to someone down. :)

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  13. Hi Erica:

    You've given a wonderful and interesting look at presenting the 'pitch' from the writer's point of view. As a marketing person, I'd like to take a look at the 'pitch' from a sales manager's point of view.

    "All good selling is serving".

    Your job as a sales person is solving other people's problems in a way that is worth more to them than the price paid.

    The professional sales person is offering an honest product that will help the buyer. You are not a supplicant asking the King for a royal favor.

    Now for the hard part: You must do your homework, as Erica advises.

    You should always speak in terms of your prospect's interest…not your own! (Don't say something like, "This is the book of my heart. I would really love for you to publish it." Rather tell how your book will make money for the publisher.)

    When you start your pitch always open with a promise/benefit statement/question:

    For example:

    "If you could discover a new author today with the selling potential of your compay's top writers, Jane Doe, Mary Contrary, and Sally Sweetalk, wouldn't you be interested in seeing her work?"

    (Note: Jane Doe, Mary Contrary, and Sally Sweetalk actually are the publisher's three top selling authors and you know this because you showed respect by doing your research before taking up the editor's time at the pitch meeting.)

    "You have that opportunity right now and let me tell you why.

    "Before the first word of my book, "Finding Love in Nature's Paradise," was written I built in maximum marketing power into the story. That's because I want every element of the novel to be selling the story.

    "I did this because I've studied the best selling authors and I've learned what sells their books.

    "For example: The cover art can illustrate a setting that was selected for its high interest location. This is a location that millions of people have visited and millions more would like to visit. These visitors, past, present and future, comprise an installed base of potential readers far beyond the typical romance novel setting. Readers may spend hours in the story world of the novel. Why not let that be a beautiful location they'd love to be?

    "Next: To add to the selling power of the story I've selected a hero and heroine who are in highly interesting occupations that many readers will find fascinating, informative, entertaining and perhaps even seductive!

    "Even better, sales of the book should greatly benefit from the proven selling techniques employed in its writing.

    "I wrote this book using the very successful selling methods of James Patterson, Lee Child, and David Baldacci: that is, "always be asking questions of your readers that they simply must have answered as soon as possible."

    "But that's not all. Since readers love fast moving stories, all chapters are short with cliff-hanger endings. Such endings can entice even late night, sleepy, readers onto the next chapter.

    "More importantly, to keep things moving with high interest each chapter changes the trajectory of the story. This provides for fast-paced story movement which sweeps the reader along at high speed straight to the conclusion of the story. And to top it off, the ending is written to surprise and delight the reader in order to sell the next book in the series.

    "I know how to write to sell. I also know how to write books that readers want to read. The question now is: do you want to use this opportunity today to discover for yourself if I've done this book well enough to merit your consideration for publication.

    "This could be a very profitable opportunity for both of us. I'm thinking career here and creating several best selling series of books.

    "Where should we go from here? Do you want a proposal or would a full manuscript be better?"

    That's how a salesman would do it.


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    1. Vince, I love hearing things from your perspective. I hadn't thought of the pitch appointment in these terms. I usually think of it a bit like speed dating. A get to know you, do you want to know more sort of time.

      Do you think your approach is better done in person or in a query letter?

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    2. Last evening I attended a meeting where the speaker was a librarian and the topic was fostering the librarian/author relationship. She advised approaching librarians with a 'help me to help you' attitude and asking "How can I help you meet your reader's needs" rather than "How can I get you to buy my book to put in your library?"

      All good selling is serving.

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    3. Such words of wisdom! I love writing faith-based inspirational fiction but I know, know, know that if the books don't sell, my plans change! :)

      It is about numbers, but of course first it's about emotion.... a great story, well told.

      And I've learned that it's okay to mention tropes... Cinderella-style heroine, secret baby, old regrets, reunion romance.

      Editors know what sells in their market.

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    4. Hi Erica:

      If you have confidence and the enthusiasm of sincerity, always go for the live pitch. You have a direct connection and stand ready to overcome any objection the editor brings up. But you have to be prepared. If the editor says "Give me some examples of your chapter cliffhangers," you have to be prepared and lucid.

      This approach would also work very well in a query letter 'plus'… it would be longer and where claims where made, examples should be provided. It would be longer than a traditional query letter and would have to be written like a direct response piece which rewards the reader for reading every paragraph. This is very hard to do. Prospects will read long copy if you reward them every step of the way. And if you can do this and your fiction does the same, then your book should really sell itself!

      Vince

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    5. Hi Ruth:

      You wrote: " Editors know what sells in their market."

      They do but do they know why your story will sell better than what they have?

      Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Matthew 22:21

      Talk numbers to editors, talk emotion to readers, talk craft to judges, talk to the interests of the listener…if you want the listener's attention and favorable action.

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  14. The best pitch appointment I can remember is the year I won the unpubbed contest for ACFW. The Noble Theme contest. I later that day had a pitch appointment with Becky Germany and when I walked in she held up my Winners document. I'd dropped it and didn't notice and she was near enough that when someone found it she said, "I'm going to see her later."
    That seems like a strange small incident but I felt like she remembered me because of that. She remembered my name enough that she knew I was on her pitch schedule and I hadn't seen her yet. It can be really small things that make you stand out. Make them remember your name, make you a three dimensional person rather than just a name on the page.
    I can still see Becky holding up that sheet of paper when I got close to her, she was smiling and said something like, "Did you lose this?"
    It was in a folder or a stack of stuff I was carrying and I didn't even know I'd dropped it.
    So I was so thrilled to get it back, and that just kicked off a great little pitch session.
    They bought a book from me at the next year's conference.

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    1. Aw, I love that story! When I got my first contract at the ACFW Conference, JoAnne Simmons had me on her pitch appointment list, and she made them shuffle the order so she didn't have to see me before the announcement...she said she knew she couldn't keep a straight face during my pitch, since she already knew she was going to buy the book! :)

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    2. Two great stories!!!! And both are lovely editors. Nice ladies. I have met so many good people in this industry. Editors. Agents. Publishers.... A few stuffed shirts, too. But overwhelmingly nice people, especially in the trenches.

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    3. Becky told me (or a group, maybe not just ME) that she asked ACFW to start doing her contract announcement the first night because it was killing her to NOT tell who she was giving a contract to. She was hiding from people. LOL Sweet lady.

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  15. Something I try to remember about pitching is, the editor WANTS to find new authors. They are USED to nervous, weepy, stammering people. They know being able to chat and be charming isn't the same as being able to write.
    So they are rooting for you. And in the end, it's your writing that is going to sell them.

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    1. Agreed! I tell myself that it isn't their first trip around this particular carousel, and that they are eager to find something spectacular in one of these pitch appointments.

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    2. They are so used to nerves that the don't (I believe) every judge as...book by it's author's pitch.

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    3. Create your pitch anyway you want to as long as you structure it so that any editor who did not ask for at least a proposal would be negligently violating his or her fiduciary duties to their employer.

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  16. Erica, I wish I'd had your post before my first pitch appointment.I'm sure the appointment would have gone much better!













    1

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    1. Just had an entire reply written, and it vanished! Aaugh!
      Anyway...THANK YOU, Erica, for this excellent post and these brilliant suggestions. As Edwina said, I wish I'd had your post before my first pitch appointment!

      Even after more than a few conferences, I still do NOT enjoy pitch sessions and get super nervous. My most embarrassing time during a pitch was when an earring fell out of my ear AND an ink pen flew from my hand (thankfully it didn't hit the Editor). No idea why I even had an ink pen in my hand, unless for security, LOL.

      Thanks again for sharing this keeper post today, and hopefully I won't be roaming the halls shouting "Marco" !! (Loved that, by the way---thanks for the giggles!) ;)
      Hugs, Patti Jo

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    2. Edwina, I wish I had had this post before my first pitch appointment! LOL The good news, is you are more than just the sum total of your conference pitch appointments. :)

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    3. Patti Jo, I love the earring story. Did that loosen the tension or up it in the appointment?

      And a flying ink pen? Awesome! :) Thanks for sharing that. Glad it didn't whack the editor.

      Will you be in Nashville next month?

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    4. Erica, YES!! I'll be in Nashville next month and I cannot wait!! Hope to see you (and your lovely fingernails*wink*) there!
      The earring incident thankfully didn't up the tension--in fact, I think that Editor felt sorry for me since I appeared to be so clumsy! ;) And yeah, the flying ink pen could've been much worse if it had whacked the editor!

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