Panic Free
Pitching
By Anna Sugden
Practical tips and the tools you need to make
the most of your agent/editor appointment.
Preparation
is the key.
1. Mental Preparation
A. Tackling Fears
Most of our fears can be dealt with in two practical
ways – dispelling the myths and developing a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).
Let’s look at some of the myths.
a.
The image we have of editors and agents in our minds
-
They aren’t monsters and ghouls and evil things <g>.
They are real people.
-
They have a lot riding on these appointments too. Remember,
they are judged by the new talent they discover. Why shouldn’t it be you?
b.
They’ll take one look at me and spot I’m faking it/tell
I’m a bad writer/see I’m a beginner and reject me.
-
Editors and agents are not looking to reject people. They
are keen for new talent. They want to find that new star, that story that
grabs them - again - why shouldn’t it be you
c.
They won’t want me because I’m not Nora or Debbie or Suz
Brockmann
-
Publishing houses need a broad spectrum of authors to be
successful. Big names can pull in big money. But they also need new names –
tomorrow’s big names.
-
Look at the support they give new authors (eg Kensington’s
Debut Authors programme).
d.
But they’ve just bought x new authors!
-
The publishing process is slow! Today’s new authors will
see their books on the shelves, if lucky in 2007, but more likely in 2008.
-
With your successful pitch and subsequent submission, it
may be a year or more before you get the call (overnight successes are
rarely that!).
e.
They’ll try to catch me out with tricky questions about
craft and technique
-
Ten minutes flies by. Their aim is to find out as much
about your story as they can. They haven’t got time to see which craft
books you’ve read, which workshops you’ve been to (though if you’ve been to
one of their’s be sure to mention it <g>) and how you plot.
-
It’s not an exam.
-
They want you to be at ease. Nervous people throw up
and/or burst into tears. Would you want that 20 times over?
-
They will ask questions – to get a better understanding of
your characters and story.
f.
What do I know? I’m no expert
-
You’ve just spent months or even years writing and
finishing your book. 95% of people don’t even start a book, let alone
finish one.
-
You’ve polished your book until it shines. It’s your very
best.
-
No-one knows your characters, story, plot twists etc
better than you. No-one is more enthusiastic about this book than you.
-
You are the expert on your book.
g.
They will say no.
-
They might.
-
They will tell you why. They may offer advice. They may
suggest other houses/agents.
-
Make sure you’re pitching to the right editor/agent. Research
up-front. For agents, try to find out ahead of time what they like and
dislike. Ask advice from fellow writers.
-
Sometimes you can’t help the reason they reject you. eg
they’ve just bought several books with that theme or that theme isn’t
selling right now etc etc. That can’t be helped and no amount of badgering
and arguing will change it.
-
Remember this is not personal, it is business.
-
No isn’t the end. There are other editors or agents and
other conferences.
-
No isn’t no forever. It is no at this time for this book,
with this person.
-
It isn’t the end of the world – really.
2. Physical Preparation
A lot of this is common sense – but worth
repeating, because somehow nerves make common sense fly out of the window.
A. Time
Give yourselves plenty of time – rushing makes
us nervous and flustered.
-
Set your alarm a little earlier
-
Decide the night before what you’re wearing and try it on
(check for rips and stains)
-
Find out where you have to be and when ahead of time
-
Find out where the nearest bathroom is – just in case!
B.
Appearance
-
Business casual
-
Be comfortable, avoid the fidget factor
-
Lipstick – a great confidence booster
-
Avoid heavy perfumes
-
Breath mints!
-
Take only business card, pitch cards, purse. No manuscript
or synopsis.
C.
Practice
-
Make the time to practice your pitch. If possible, work
with a friend.
D. Calming exercises
-
Deep breaths
-
Roll shoulders
-
Stretch to relieve tension
3. Work Preparation
Pack of five different coloured cards:
- You
card (yellow)
- Elevator
(Lift) Pitch (pink)
- Blurb
(blue)
- Book
card (green)
- (Optional)
Questions for the editor/agent (orange).
A. You card
i.
Name
ii.
What do you write?
iii.
Description
iv.
What do you add?
v.
Favourite authors / writing hero
vi.
Writing credits/contest wins
vii.
Who do you like that the editor/agent works with?
viii.
Biographical points
B.
Elevator pitch card
A one-liner which describes the main thrust of
your book.
What it isn’t – a diatribe encompassing every
aspect of your story. Don’t be Great Aunt Agnes about your book! Rule of
thumb is if you have to take a breath before you’ve finished – it’s too
long.
What it is - short, sharp, snappy, focused.
There are a number of ways to do this:
i.
Strapline (sometimes called a logline) – the most
descriptive.
ii.
Hook, mix and twist (check out Suzanne McMinn’s excellent
information on these at www.suzannemcminn.com)
– uses well-known story hooks or themes and shows how you put a unique
twist on them.
iii.
High concept (x meets y) – uses a combination of
well-known stories/movies/TV shows. Eg Buffy meets The Waltons; Lara Croft
meets The Dukes of Hazzard, Bridget Jones meets King Arthur’s court.
Depending on the book, one or other may work
better for you. Try each and see which is the best.
The Strapline Method.
a. Start with ‘it is a <genre> romance
about …’ (eg it is a contemporary category romance about …)
b. Consider your story (maybe synopsis or
blurb). Take the theme or thread that makes it unique.
c. If that’s too hard, try one of these
methods:
- go back to your
initial idea –what sparked you to say you want to write this story.
- if I can only tell
one thing about my story what would it be?
d. One of the characters is the lead in the
story – they carry the uniqueness – which one? What is that character’s
story about? Note – it doesn’t matter whether it is the hero or the
heroine.
Example for Love by Bequest - A category romance about a Texas cowboy who
inherits an English sheep farm.
C.
Blurb card
Why do I need a blurb? More detail, tells the
key elements of your story, useful for query letters as well as pitches,
future back copy!
Suzanne McMinn’s article on blurbing is also
very useful.
What does an editor/agent want to hear from a
blurb?
i.
Characters – Interesting? Appealing? What is their GMC?
ii.
Plot – Is there one? Could it sustain a whole book?
Interesting?
iii.
Romance – Is there a hint of a spark? Is there conflict?
Remember – as with the strapline – don’t
waffle on and on! Fit it onto one index card and keep it legible. Between
100 and 250 words.
Four main elements to a blurb:
i.
The hero’s story
ii.
The heroine’s story
iii.
The overall theme of the story (conflicts, challenges)
iv.
The final question
a. What do we need to know about the
hero/heroine?
i.
Who he/she is?
ii.
What he/she wants?
iii.
Why he/she wants it?
iv.
What/who is standing in his/her way? (or why not?)
Yes, it’s all about the GMC. Check out Debra
Dixon’s book or workshop!
Eg Love by Bequest.
i.
Who – Texas
cowboy, Scott Devlin
ii.
What does he want – to sell the sheep farm he’s just
inherited
iii.
Why – because it’s a sheep farm, it’s from his no-good
father and because he wants to buy a ranch back home. Could add one final
motivation – his internal motivation which is to finally gain respect in
his hometown.
iv.
What/who – The terms of the will and his co-inheritor,
Dreena.
v.
Finally add an emotional depth and hint of sexual
attraction – he believes his father turned his mother to drink.
vi.
Cowboy Scott Devlin’s
dream inheritance from his no-good father – the man he believes destroyed
his mother – isn’t a ranch at all – it’s a run-down sheep farm in Yorkshire, England. Worse, he shares
ownership with a gorgeous woman who thinks the world of his late father. If
he can convince her to sell the farm, he can return to Texas and buy a
place of his own, finally gaining respect in his hometown.
For my heroine. Can you spot the different
elements?
Former
rebel Dreena Barry refuses to sell her dream inheritance from the
step-father she loved - the man who rescued her mother - because it gives
her a chance for a fresh start away from her past. No damn Yank, no matter
how sexy is going to sell it out from under her. Especially not the man who
broke her step-father’s heart.
i.
Who – Former rebel Dreena Barry
ii.
What – to keep the farm
iii.
Why – it’s from her beloved step-father and it offers her
a fresh start away from her troubled past.
iv.
What/who – Scott and the terms of her inheritance
v.
Depth – her step-father rescued her mother
The final section summarises the challenges
they face and the emotional conflicts. If possible end with a question – to
hook the editor/agent.
Eg. Soon
it’s the growing attraction between them, as well as an unscrupulous
developer, the two are battling instead of each other. Will their tangled
emotions towards the schemer who brought them together force them apart or
will they find their Love by Bequest?
D. Book Card
i.
Extra info about your book eg key turning points and
twists, key themes, secondary story threads, setting (if relevant)
ii.
What kind of story is it? Eg secret baby, amnesia, reunited
lovers etc
iii.
ONE interesting fact about your hero and heroine
iv.
If not in your blurb – internal conflict
v.
Length and is it finished (be honest!)
vi.
Why it fits their business/line?
vii.
Is it reminiscent of anything else (Movie, TV show, book,
cartoon) or a combination.
viii.
Relevance/interest (eg hockey book)
ix.
Was there an incident in your own life that made you want
to write this book? How is it relevant?
And Finally …
Some handy tips and do’s and don’ts
i.
Smile, shake hands, make eye contact [maybe make them do
that!]
ii.
Be enthusiastic, try to speak clearly and succinctly
iii.
Be honest!
iv.
If you make a mistake/go blank – don’t panic! Be honest
about that too.
v.
Practice pitch beforehand
vi.
Find out about the person/house beforehand
vii.
Listen to advice, don’t argue! (Question for clarification
or to raise a suggestion but don’t be belligerent)
viii.
Don’t be a group hog! Don’t respond or react to other
people’s comments or pitches.
ix.
Don’t ask basic questions or things you could have found
out with a little bit of research eg word count, website address
x.
Don’t badger them if they say no
xi.
