tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post282221626600863926..comments2024-03-29T07:43:01.003+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: AGENT PITCHING ETIQUETTENicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-16370561120210132592010-11-23T18:58:32.573+00:002010-11-23T18:58:32.573+00:00Love the post. I hope to learn from others mistake...Love the post. I hope to learn from others mistakes...sad but true. Thanks for the info.Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-43909452365755170292010-11-23T03:37:14.120+00:002010-11-23T03:37:14.120+00:00Wrathnar, it may be a matter of opinion but I agre...Wrathnar, it may be a matter of opinion but I agree with your theory 100%. When you make conversation about your WiP, you're spending energy on it --- and if you are doing it at a time that you don't absolutely need to talk to another person (say, seeking technical expertise) then you're wasting it. <br /><br />And I'm with you, ohthatanya. I can't bear the thought of being &Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-52386080548193845672010-11-22T23:28:44.533+00:002010-11-22T23:28:44.533+00:00I never talk about my work cos that drains the ene...I never talk about my work cos that drains the energy from it, weakens the drive. Does that make sense?<br />No chance of me meeting any agents at parties anyway, I'd never get invited in the first place!<br />Wrathnar the Unreasonable, aspiring author/bus driverien clearyhttp://ienclearyfiction.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-47432350876847172372010-11-22T20:57:07.024+00:002010-11-22T20:57:07.024+00:00*mwah!**mwah!*Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-50185896812559637272010-11-22T16:44:54.589+00:002010-11-22T16:44:54.589+00:00Awesome blog post. I can't get over people pit...Awesome blog post. I can't get over people pitching to agents in the bathroom. Seriously? Have a little common sense!Nicole Zoltackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464800543376449290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-65065794563921068752010-11-22T15:48:45.140+00:002010-11-22T15:48:45.140+00:00ohthatanya - I have the same problem re boring fri...ohthatanya - I have the same problem re boring friends and family with my WIP. Within about ten minutes of meeting up with a friend I am whining 'Aren't you going to ask about my novel?'JaneFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03920957855661479676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-24393949930324313292010-11-22T14:22:58.321+00:002010-11-22T14:22:58.321+00:00Oops. Sorry, Jane, I posted before I saw your post...Oops. Sorry, Jane, I posted before I saw your post. Yes...where to pitch is, um, important. I remember being at a writer's conference. I'd been pitched to while standing in the food line, at the bar, in the hallway while rushing to give a seminar - these are all legit as far as I'm concerned.<br /><br />But the loo? Srsly? So there I was, having a private moment between my bladder andAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-88673004285512795042010-11-22T14:18:04.956+00:002010-11-22T14:18:04.956+00:00You get a gold crown for today's post. It'...You get a gold crown for today's post. It's not just agents who are attacked at parties and such. Errant editors are as well. For those who don't know what I do to occupy my day, I usually mutter, "Oh, I collect earthworms." It's safer that way.<br /><br />The idea of a pitch is to entice the other person holding the bloody red pen to squee and say, "Tell me more, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-82313805752044213852010-11-22T13:41:44.304+00:002010-11-22T13:41:44.304+00:00I once had an in-depth conversation with an editor...I once had an in-depth conversation with an editor at a party, whose publisher would have been perfect for my manuscript. However, I actually forgot to pitch, beyond admitting I had a book she might like to see, because she'd gone to the same uni as me and we were discussing that instead. <br /><br />Mistake or not? <br /><br />Dunno, because I didn't pitch and have sold elsewhere. But atJane Hollandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15590668593487445482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20802156037438339092010-11-22T12:45:54.128+00:002010-11-22T12:45:54.128+00:00Thanks for the wonderful advice. But i have to agr...Thanks for the wonderful advice. But i have to agree with Sarah Duncan that it all depends on the party and they word to use here is desperation. Aspiring writers should not aggressively show their desperation. That way, they emit obnoxious non-verbal and verbal signs that will irritate even the most professionally tolerant agents.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11873064463647552733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-78862103411300477202010-11-22T12:39:10.459+00:002010-11-22T12:39:10.459+00:00It took me a long while to get the to the one-line...It took me a long while to get the to the one-liner stage on my MS, but sometimes when faced with an agent, I just freeze up. I've learned to take a deep breath, see if the person is still listening and slowly repeat the learned phrase, 'My manuscript is a literary spy novel set in Helsinki.' If at a social event, I try not to talk about my writing all the time...'try' being Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02658858373848443540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-6443972673958470002010-11-22T12:38:50.507+00:002010-11-22T12:38:50.507+00:00Queenie - oh, I know an editor that happened to!
...Queenie - oh, I know an editor that happened to!<br /><br />Ohthatanya - I know the feeling! Mind you, that's what family and friends are for. A bit...<br /><br />Sarah - I agree. And, as others have said, it is like being a doctor or all sorts of other thigns: people do suddenly want to tell you things at the wrong time.<br /><br />Jane - hehehehehe!<br /><br />Bill - I don't like sayingNicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-15326454730660621472010-11-22T11:11:35.038+00:002010-11-22T11:11:35.038+00:00But...but...but...doesn't it depend on the par...But...but...but...doesn't it depend on the party? If purely social event then sure, but if it's a writerly one then an agent must know they're stepping into the lion's den and be prepared for pitches. And if an agent wanted to shut a pitcher up, they could always say 'send it to me' which I'm sure would work like magic. <br /><br />I went to my first RNA party Sarah Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12530089356370140344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-54295802719921333532010-11-22T10:21:14.303+00:002010-11-22T10:21:14.303+00:00Love it!
I perhaps took the lesson a little too ...Love it! <br />I perhaps took the lesson a little too literally once, however, when I was at my friend's book launch party, sitting next to her lovely and very interesting agent at dinner. We chatted about anything and everything for a good hour and then she said, 'What about your book, you've written a novel haven't you?' - to which I replied, 'Oh, you don't want tojaxbeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155801517517119599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-67816561613987660982010-11-22T10:19:49.495+00:002010-11-22T10:19:49.495+00:00Does it work the other way around? I was at the Fi...Does it work the other way around? I was at the Fish party in Bantry, slightly tipsy since it was after midnight, when a woman came up to congratulate me on my win and to ask which crime writers I admired. I couldn't think of a single one, other than Patricia Highsmith (this has since been remedied and I can rattle off a long list of contemporary crime writers I love). As I made it into the Sarah Hilaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03379986260169703599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-25444090359868531182010-11-22T10:07:05.732+00:002010-11-22T10:07:05.732+00:00Good advice, as ever, Nicola, but then I would nev...Good advice, as ever, Nicola, but then I would never even dare approach an agent at a party, let alone pitch. I have a horror of glazed eyes.<br /><br />My problem though is I am hopeless at coming up with a 10 second pitch about my novels which tend to be long and rambling and about everything and nothing...a bit like me, really.Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51073822984849662412010-11-22T10:03:48.381+00:002010-11-22T10:03:48.381+00:00I'm of the opinion that forming a pleasant per...I'm of the opinion that forming a pleasant personal relationship with agents and editors at these events (i.e. not mentioning your writing unless asked) is a good way to make things happen further down the line. After all, if I like these people and they like me, working together later on will be a pleasant experience, not a teeth-gritting trial.Nick Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02571077124165351007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-39817595258213367432010-11-22T09:45:28.995+00:002010-11-22T09:45:28.995+00:00She didn't look bored to me. And I was just ge...She didn't look bored to me. And I was just getting to the good bit.Bill Fathershttp://www.shoutydad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51547441067804368542010-11-22T09:44:58.862+00:002010-11-22T09:44:58.862+00:00Hi Nicola!
Great post Nicola - witty, useful and ...Hi Nicola!<br /><br />Great post Nicola - witty, useful and bite-sized!<br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to put it together. <br /><br />HazelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-72265211003444714322010-11-22T09:32:06.104+00:002010-11-22T09:32:06.104+00:00Oh I could not agree more - it is like cornering t...Oh I could not agree more - it is like cornering the doctor or the dentist or the solicitor or any other professional. I hate going to social events because, among other things, people tend to do something similar when they find out what I do...I sympathise madly with people who get cornered like that!catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-4851192355041071502010-11-22T09:30:49.564+00:002010-11-22T09:30:49.564+00:00Spot on advice, Nicola. Thank you for blogging it ...Spot on advice, Nicola. Thank you for blogging it - it's something you can't be reminded of often enough. <br /><br />I'm about to press retweet.<br /><br />LizLiz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322513174593505885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77386296379802074592010-11-22T09:28:03.718+00:002010-11-22T09:28:03.718+00:00I hope Lynn Price will drop by because she has a d...I hope Lynn Price will drop by because she has a doozy of a story about when NOT to pitch to a publisher. <br /><br />And yes, Nicola. Pitching at parties? It reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me. He's a successful comedy writer, and was once asked at a party what he did for a living. <br /><br />"I'm a comedy writer," he said.<br /><br />"Really? Tell me a joke, Jane Smithhttp://howpublishingreallyworks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-82933208508942919222010-11-22T09:27:30.106+00:002010-11-22T09:27:30.106+00:00I was also told once, by an agent, that agents don...I was also told once, by an agent, that agents don't like writers to shout a pitch to them while they're in the toilet. Hard to believe anyone would, but apparently some writers think it's acceptable.Queeniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06988379866736219329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-72659843461144124042010-11-22T09:19:28.021+00:002010-11-22T09:19:28.021+00:00You really made me laugh out loud. I admire agents...You really made me laugh out loud. I admire agents who dare go into the beehive and always (or usually) listen politely to their pitchers. I've only been to one of these parties and I watched people lying in wait to jump editors/agents, it's a form of art.Sarah Callejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00170538674915115980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-62122004408259070712010-11-22T09:18:44.468+00:002010-11-22T09:18:44.468+00:00This is so useful, Nicola. Thank you. I don't ...This is so useful, Nicola. Thank you. I don't think I'd ever be bold enough to pitch to an agent at a party but I'm definitely getting to the stage where I need to shut the hell up about my WIP to my friends and family. They've all been great and so supportive but they must be sick of me banging on about it! To them, my novel has become that boyfriend I keep breaking up with, thenTanya Byrnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17683336389946542805noreply@blogger.com