M - Memorize and Master Your Pitch

With Spring and Summer writer's conferences knocking at every door, it's time to memorize and master your pitch. It ought to roll off your tongue as easily as reciting the ABC's--and with as much enthusiasm as a child has when he or she blissfully sings it to whomever will listen. Yes, you could even try singing the darn thing in the shower (not to an agent!) if that helps you feel more relaxed about it. Certainly you need to know your pitch well enough to maintain a confident lilt while presenting it to an agent. At the very least, remember to breathe. And if at all possible, smile. Regardless of the genre, plot or subject matter of the manuscript, as far as the delivery of the pitch is concerned, you need to exude good energy! On the other hand, if you pitch to an agent who has no interest in fantasy or sci fi and your two-minute synopsis talks about an elf population from a lost world that morphs into other forms so they can travel through time to conquer a new civilization in an unknown galaxy, the agent won't care about your enthusiastic delivery and will probably look bored or annoyed. Do your research. Only pitch to the agents who may have the most interest in what you've written. If you have a chance to participate in a Speed Pitching session at a conference, do it. After you do a few of them, it's really kind of fun. Most agents and editors will do their best to smile and help you relax. Remember, they're just people, too.

So, here's the rundown on mastering your pitch. Write it. Rewrite it. Rewrite it. Rewrite it. Rewrite it. (Get the idea?) Memorize it. Practice saying it aloud. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. (Get the idea?) Research the conferences you plan to attend to see which agents will be there. Or better yet, research agents who you think will be a good match for you and your work, and find out what conferences they will be attending. In doing so, you can usually find out what agents like, what they're looking for, and what their expectations are. Perform. Yep, you've got to "act like" you have all the confidence in the world, both in yourself AND in your work.

Write...rewrite...memorize...practice...research...perform. Go get'em! (The photo for this post were taken in my yard and is a reminder to sign up for a Spring or Summer writers conference. I'll be attending Field's End in Poulsbo, WA, April 16; LDS Storymakers in Salt Lake City, UT, May 5-7; and PNWA in Bellvue, WA, Aug. 4-7.)