These are especially helpful points since I am attending a conference this coming Saturday and already booked an appointment with an agent. haha Timely, eh? Working on my proposal & pitch and striving to keep my answers about the reader more than about me. Thank you for posting this article.
Hope your agent meeting goes really well! I'm debating on booking one myself for a conference in February and while I know I won't have a full manuscript ready, my hope is to have my proposal in good shape (for a memoir). I think it will be valuable to meet with an agent and expose myself to that kind of pitching for the first time, no matter the outcome. Good luck!!
Very, very helpful for new writers! I will say that I met both of my agents (I'm still with #2) at conference pitches, and my first agent "almost" signed me when we met at the pitch. But that latter experience is likely unique. The benefits of meeting both were gauging our chemistry and having a great conversation.
Straightforward and honest advice - the best kind. I heard another agent remind writers that they need us as much as we need them, so we shouldn't be fawning over agents but approaching them as a potential mutually beneficial business partner.
Could you explain more why pitching at a conference isn't a good way to get through the slush pile to have your manuscript read? Wouldn't an agent be more likely to take a look at the first ten pages of a manuscript that were pitched professionally and persuasively at a conference rather than just via a query letter?
Maybe! An agent might be more likely to quickly read sample pages after a successful pitch. But it just depends on the agent’s workflow. Do they have time to read that one query ahead of all the others or current client work? Are they rush-reading something else that week? This could happen as a result of an in-person pitch but I think it would vary widely agent to agent.
Thanks so much for sharing this. It makes me feel a teensy bit better about the fact that I’m too introverted to even contemplate “pitching” an agent at a writers conference, which I’m too introverted to attend anyway.
This was incredibly helpful! When I first heard about these 10 minute "speed dating" pitches, I was incredibly skeptical but I appreciate the advice on using it as an opportunity to ask an agent direct questions about the publishing industry.
I appreciate your non-nonsense advice and observations. I especially like your revelation that you’re not put off by a typo in a query letter. I’ve worked as a copy editor for several decades, and some of the best writers I know make occasional typos. In fact, some of those typos make it into traditionally published books that have presumably been edited and proofed multiple times.
Conferences can be pricey, but it was one of the first times that I got actual feedback from queries and pitches. It was a confidence booster even though that book didn’t sell right then.
Right now, I don't consider any uses of AI legitimate--especially and specifically generative AI--in the writing process, unless they facilitate those with disabilities. I would want to know if any an author used any generative AI in their work from the beginning.
These are especially helpful points since I am attending a conference this coming Saturday and already booked an appointment with an agent. haha Timely, eh? Working on my proposal & pitch and striving to keep my answers about the reader more than about me. Thank you for posting this article.
Hope your agent meeting goes really well! I'm debating on booking one myself for a conference in February and while I know I won't have a full manuscript ready, my hope is to have my proposal in good shape (for a memoir). I think it will be valuable to meet with an agent and expose myself to that kind of pitching for the first time, no matter the outcome. Good luck!!
You are exactly right—it’s good practice no matter the outcome. The meeting was very nice.
Very, very helpful for new writers! I will say that I met both of my agents (I'm still with #2) at conference pitches, and my first agent "almost" signed me when we met at the pitch. But that latter experience is likely unique. The benefits of meeting both were gauging our chemistry and having a great conversation.
Straightforward and honest advice - the best kind. I heard another agent remind writers that they need us as much as we need them, so we shouldn't be fawning over agents but approaching them as a potential mutually beneficial business partner.
It’s really such a two way street. It needs to be the right fit for both parties.
Ah, Kate, you always brighten my day. I love your list of what you DON'T say: it gave me a good chuckle!
Could you explain more why pitching at a conference isn't a good way to get through the slush pile to have your manuscript read? Wouldn't an agent be more likely to take a look at the first ten pages of a manuscript that were pitched professionally and persuasively at a conference rather than just via a query letter?
Maybe! An agent might be more likely to quickly read sample pages after a successful pitch. But it just depends on the agent’s workflow. Do they have time to read that one query ahead of all the others or current client work? Are they rush-reading something else that week? This could happen as a result of an in-person pitch but I think it would vary widely agent to agent.
Thanks so much for sharing this. It makes me feel a teensy bit better about the fact that I’m too introverted to even contemplate “pitching” an agent at a writers conference, which I’m too introverted to attend anyway.
This was incredibly helpful! When I first heard about these 10 minute "speed dating" pitches, I was incredibly skeptical but I appreciate the advice on using it as an opportunity to ask an agent direct questions about the publishing industry.
I appreciate your honesty insights and straightforward takeaways.
I appreciate your non-nonsense advice and observations. I especially like your revelation that you’re not put off by a typo in a query letter. I’ve worked as a copy editor for several decades, and some of the best writers I know make occasional typos. In fact, some of those typos make it into traditionally published books that have presumably been edited and proofed multiple times.
I always say that if the author and idea is really good I’d never pass just because of some grammatical error. Everyone makes mistakes!
Thanks for sharing Kate.
Thanks for sharing. I've forwarded to a friend who's getting ready to start that leg of her journey.
Definitely resonates with my experience from the other side of the table.
Love.
Conferences can be pricey, but it was one of the first times that I got actual feedback from queries and pitches. It was a confidence booster even though that book didn’t sell right then.
These are great point and tips. Thank you for openingbthe window so we get a view into the world.
I wonder what is a legitimate use of AI in the writing process?
At what point is a notation of AI assistance required?
Right now, I don't consider any uses of AI legitimate--especially and specifically generative AI--in the writing process, unless they facilitate those with disabilities. I would want to know if any an author used any generative AI in their work from the beginning.
Thank you for sharing these. I’m still revising but these were excellent questions to ask myself about my book too.