You are five minutes early for your pitch session, take that last sip of water. You’ve found the right room; you’re next. Dressed in business casual, you chose your favorite colors. The blue jacket with the lighter blue shirt evokes tranquility. Or perhaps, you go for some shade of red, the power color. Stand straight. Smile!
You introduce yourself as you approach the table, making eye contact with the publisher or agent who has been listening to pitches for the past three hours, twenty minutes at a time. Shake hands. Are you smiling? Sit down.
Pause, lean a little forward. Start that two-sentence pitch, designed to hook the listener into wanting more. (Helen M. Pugsley described an elevator pitch in her blog from February 11, 2019.) Lean back slightly. Push your One Page across the table. You spent days working on that One Page. With some bright graphics, it contains a synopsis of your story, details such as word count, age of targeted audience, and genre as well as your contact information. If possible, include a photo of yourself. Keep in mind, you want the publisher/agent to remember you, to be able to sort you out from all the other hopeful writers.
Give the publisher/agent time to read your One Page. Don’t fidget. Be ready for questions, which you can prepare for days in advance. Think through how you would answer: what was your motivation, how long have you been writing, and what do you want to happen to your story?
When the publisher/agent finishes examining your One Page, lean forward once more. Make eye contact. Actively listen. Too often we start formulating our reply before we have heard all that is being said. Are you smiling?
The first time I pitched my stories, I was so focused on those opening two sentences, making certain that I had memorized them to the letter, but I never thought past it. I had my One Page, which the publisher liked, but I had not given one thought to how we might fill the eighteen minutes left of the twenty-minute session. Find a friend, perhaps a writing buddy that will practice with you. Brainstorm questions that a publisher might ask. Construct your answers so you aren’t left “umming” and pausing while you think. And of course, smile.
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