They stood, clutching their notes in their trembling
hands, and faced the panel of weary-eyed agents and
editors who had volunteered to let them practice their
pitches. "My book is about . . . "
But most of the writers couldn't say precisely what
their book was about. They rambled on and on while the
rest of us stared at our notebooks and wished them a
quick and painless rejection.
It was the first weekend in August, and we were at the
Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Oregon, one
of more than 1,500 writers' conferences held in North
America each year. Many of these conferences offer
writers a chance to pitch their books in
five-to-fifteen-minute meetings with agents and
editors.
Some writers droned on and on, describing characters
and plot twists until we were all lost. Others read
their pitches in a monotone, then sat down to dead
silence. One woman boldly approached the head table and
laid out enlarged photos of family members socializing
with a former president. "My mother dated President X,"
she began, and we all leaned forward. But alas, that's
not what the book was about. As she described a
depressing memoir that had nothing to do with President
X, we sighed and sat back.
The best pitch of the session came from a tall, balding
man who gave a fascinating 30-second description of a
plot that no one could resist, then sat down. Everyone,
including the jaded panel, applauded and cheered. I
have no doubt that he went home with a contract offer.
A young mother writing a book about how to combine a
writing career with motherhood described her book
briefly, clearly and confidently. She noted that she
gives workshops on the subject and has appeared on TV
talking about it. One of the agents on the panel
grabbed her before she left the room.
So what's the secret? The secret is that there is no
secret. Simply boil your book down to a few catchy
lines that will grab the listeners' interest. Tell them
why people will buy it and why you're the one to write
the book. Think TV Guide descriptions or the blurbs
that appear in the movie section of the newspaper. A
couple lines that you read and think, hmm, that might
be good.
It's not easy, and some of us are better off pitching
on paper because we write better than we speak. But
eventually, when you're published, you will need to be
able to summarize your book at every interview,
book-signing, or social gathering where people ask
about your work.
If you decide to pitch your book at a conference,
forget the notes. If you don't KNOW your plot or your
nonfiction topic well enough to just say it straight
out without prompts, you're not ready to pitch. And if
you aren't so excited you can't wait to tell people
about it, maybe you shouldn't even be writing that
book.
In a perfect world, your pitch is perfect, the agent or
editor immediately offers you a contract, and you go on
to become rich and famous. That happens, but it's rare.
More often, if she's interested, she will ask you to
mail a synopsis or proposal and a sample chapter. It
doesn't hurt to have a few copies of a one-page summary
on hand, just in case, but most will not take any
written material home with them because they already
have enough to carry on the plane.
A request to send them something does not guarantee
that they won't reject it later, but it's a good sign
that you're moving in the right direction.
Sometimes the agents and editors use their time to
explain why they can't accept your work and suggest
ways to make your project more appealing. Listen. They
know what they're talking about. And sometimes, they
just say, "No, we're not interested." Try not to take
it personally. They're not saying you stink as a
writer, only that this idea does not work for them at
this time.
Most of the agents and editors you will meet are kind
but busy people, worn out from traveling and
mind-numbed from all the pitches being thrown at them.
They want to find good writers with good books. They
also want to have a comfortable conversation, not a
nerve-wracking presentation I can only compare to how
it felt when I used to go to confession back at St.
Martin's in the old days.
Here are a few other tips:
* Only pitch to pros who handle the kind of work you're
writing. It's pointless taking your murder mystery to
an agent who only handles children's books or your
hardware how-to to an editor who publishes romance
novels.
* Don't obsess over your wardrobe. Unless you wear
something that makes people stop and stare, they won't
even notice. They care about your book, not your new
scarf.
* Be on time. Introduce yourself and shake hands.
* A little small talk to break the ice is good, but get
down to business quickly.
* Be brief. If they're interested, they will ask for
more information.
* If you already have a readymade audience because you
give workshops, have a TV show or run a successful
company, tell them about it.
* Relax. Even if you stutter and stumble and spill
their coffee, they'll say yes if they like your idea.
* There's a time to pitch and a time to leave people
alone. Don't tackle them in bars or bathrooms or at
lunch. Unless they specifically ask what you are
working on, save your pitch. Otherwise, they will
remember you, but not in a good way.
* Thank them at the end, even if they said no.
* When your time is up, don't dawdle. Another writer is
waiting, just as nervous as you were.
Copyright 2005 Sue Fagalde Lick
About the Author: SUE FAGALDE LICK is a former newspaper editor turned full-time freelance writer. She has published four books, countless articles and many poems and stories. She teaches writing workshops online and at Oregon Coast Community College. Visit her web site at http://www.suelick.com.
Pitch Panic
