{"id":713,"date":"2016-09-27T16:12:33","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T16:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/?p=713"},"modified":"2022-05-30T15:41:23","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T15:41:23","slug":"pitching-to-a-book-agent-at-a-conference","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/articles\/pitching-to-a-book-agent-at-a-conference","title":{"rendered":"Pitching to a Book Agent at a Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve chosen the literary agent of your dreams, and he\u2019s coming to a writing conference near you. How do you pitch your novel and get him or her to represent you? Here are some tips.<\/p>\n

What is a Pitch Session?<\/h2>\n

A pitch session is an event hosted at a writing conference. Authors pay to sit down and talk with the agent of their choice for a limited amount of time. Think of it as a face-to-face query letter. Pitch sessions have become a very popular way to bypass the slush pile, however, they are considered much more difficult and require special planning.<\/p>\n

The Right Agent at the Right Convention<\/h2>\n

Each convention is different, and you should thoroughly research the agents who have been invited. Some agents have written about their convention experiences and talk about their idea of what makes a good pitch session (see what\u00a0Janet Reid<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Miss Snark<\/a>\u00a0think). Read about authors who were successful in getting requests for material and take notes on what worked for them.<\/p>\n

Crafting the Pitch<\/h2>\n

You will have three to five minutes at the most. Every word counts. A query letter opens with the main character and their problem. A pitch needs a little setup, including title, genre, word count, target audience, and logline (a one-sentence description of the plot, not to be confused with a tagline). Every conference has different rules for its pitch sessions, so it\u2019s a good idea to make a model pitch and tweak it as needed.<\/p>\n

Lucy V Hay<\/a>\u00a0provides this example:<\/p>\n

Hi, I\u2019m<\/em>\u00a0[name, a little bit of relevant background \u2013 one-two sentences max].\u00a0I\u2019m here today to pitch a<\/em>[genre of project\/title of project],\u00a0it\u2019s a<\/em>\u00a0[TV script\/Film script\/web series\/whatever].\u00a0The logline is<\/em>\u00a0[logline]\u00a0and it\u2019s aimed at<\/em>\u00a0[audience + why].<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The pitch should not take up more than a few seconds of your time. Use a stopwatch and practice in front of a mirror, or with a friend. Remember, you\u2019re trying to pique the agent\u2019s interest, not cram a synopsis down their throat.<\/p>\n

Etiquette<\/h2>\n

When you pitch to an agent at a conference, you want to make a good impression as a writer and a human being. Both aspects are important, whether you\u2019re trying to sell one novel or plan to write dozens. The agents are taking time away from their already-hectic life to make themselves available to you. Don\u2019t make them regret it.<\/p>\n

Be Polite<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you come to the table, make eye contact and smile. Shake their hand. Wish them a good morning\/afternoon and ask if they\u2019re enjoying their time. Give them your pitch. If there is time left over, talk about other writing-related things. When time\u2019s up, shake their hand and wish them a good day. Even if they reject your work, a kind thank-you via social media won\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Stalk<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s ok to talk to them if you\u00a0happen\u00a0<\/em>to see them outside of the pitch session, but don\u2019t follow them around hoping for a second chance. That\u2019s cheating and very annoying. An agent will remember you as the person who wouldn\u2019t leave them alone. If you see them again, talk about something\u00a0besides<\/em>\u00a0the work. They have other interests!<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Throw Paper at Them<\/strong><\/p>\n

Agents at a conference are\u00a0not\u00a0<\/em>there to collect dozens of submission packets. Leave the query letter, synopsis, and sample pages at home. A business card might be acceptable, but if they ask to see your work, a simple reminder in the email will do.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n

Statistics show that the majority of people are more afraid of public speaking than death itself. If that\u2019s the case for you, consider sending a query letter instead. There are no guarantees that pitching to an agent in person will land you representation.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you can muster the courage, pitching an agent will win you an immediate response and some bragging rights. Even if you get rejected, pitching is a valuable experience that can go a long way toward helping you on your writing journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","categories":[18],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/713"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}