Pitching to an agent or editor

Hi, all! I decided to cover agents and pitching to agents/editors.

www.publishersweekly.com Try this site when you are ready to query agents to represent your work of art. :o)

At a recent writer's conference, I met with a literary agent for a few minutes. Below, I've listed several hints concerning pitching to an agent or editor:

1) Have the project finished before pitching it, unless it is a nonfiction work. That editor or agent wants to know s/he won't be waiting around for you to finish (IF you finish) the book. Show them you have the power to complete a work.

2) Don't memorize your pitch. THIS is what killed my first pitch. I thought I'd memorize it incase I froze from nerves. It sounded canned because it WAS canned. There is no way around it, just KNOW your book. Don't memorize anything for the agent/editor appointment.

3) Show your enthusiasm about your book. That kind of energy and excitement is contaigous.

4) Never ask the agent/editor to take a copy of your proposal home with him or her. If everyone did that, the agent would need an extra suitcase to drag all of the papers home.

5) Along the same lines as #4, don't ask him or her to read your synopsis while you wait OR to take it home with him or her.

6) Focus on pitching one project. ONLY if the agent or editor shows absolutely no interest in it should you then mention another project you have going.

7) If time permits, show the agent you have a mind for marketing. Remember, you love your prose. He loves the bottom line ($$).

Hope this helps some new writers out there. Goodness knows, I learned the hard way.

Later,