Pitching: It’s not just for baseball!

Every writer hears about pitching, especially when it comes to conferences and events like Colorado Gold, where agents and editors will be taking pitch appointments.

I believe writers need to have two kinds of pitches: one for those all-important “professional” pitch opportunities, and one I consider a “networking” pitch.

A networking pitch is similar in length to a professional pitch, but it’s more for those times when a friend, family member, acquaintance, etc. asks what you write. It helps you avoid stuttering your way through a convoluted explanation or missing an opportunity to talk with someone who might really want to know more.

For your networking pitch, come up with three to four sentences that:

1. Tell them you’re a writer (because you are, published or not!)
2. Tell them what genre(s) you write in (because they may want to know if you write in a genre they like)
3. Convey the gist of what you’re working on (e.g. “a mystery series with a female classic car restorer who learns about the old car’s past in her dreams and has to solve not only a current mystery, but one from the past as well”)

Once you’ve rattled off that simple pitch, which shouldn’t be more than a minute and a half long, read your listener to determine if they want to know more or are satisfied with that much. This will work great at a family gathering with relatives you haven’t seen for a while, at class reunions with friends you’ve lost touch with, or in line for coffee at Gold. This pitch is easier because you’re not trying to impress an agent or editor, and it’s great practice for when you do want to impress someone.

As far as the agent/editor pitch, I’ve done several at Gold and other conferences over the years. I’ve found that most agents and editors aren’t put off if you’re nervous, because many of the people they see are pitching for the very first time. My recommendation for this type of pitch that:

1. Lets them know what genre your book is (hopefully you’ve taken the time to read their bio in the conference brochure and on their website before your pitch appointment to make sure they’re interested in this genre)
2. Tells them your book is complete, or what stage of the process it’s in
3. Introduces your protagonist and their problem
4. Explains the stakes (what will happen if the protagonist doesn’t solve their problem)

Once you’ve pitched that, let the agent or editor ask questions about the story, and be prepared to fill in the blanks. Have a bottle of water with you; taking a drink can help you calm your nerves and slow down your voice.

My professional pitch might be something like: Pickup Artist is an 84,000-word completed mystery, and is book one of a series called Bad Carma. Renni Delacroix is unique in her field of classic car restoration, not only because she’s female, but because she harbors a psychic connection to cars. Her newest project reveals a link to a serial killer, and if she doesn’t stop the killer before he starts his annual killing spree, he’ll add her to his hit list.

My number one tip for pitching? Have fun with it. Don’t make yourself sick over-thinking it. Take the time to prepare, go in there and do it, and when it’s over, sit back and know that you took a huge step toward becoming a published (or multi-published!) author because you put yourself and your work out there. Remember, if you never let your book see the light of day because you’re afraid of what people will think, you might be hiding the next bestseller from all your potential fans. So,  batter up and start playing ball. And, as always, write on!