Editor's Appointment

D.Avet said:

Hey all, I hope I'm sending this to the correct forum, but I need HELP!

I've just finished my first paranormal romance last month, did my first full edit on it, and am still revising. I decided that I needed to get some workshop time under my belt, so I registered for Heather Graham's Writers for New Orleans workshop over Labor Day weekend. Piece of cake.

Well, I also somehow managed to get an editor's appointment except I don't know what to expect, or who the editor is or anything. I've been looking online for information and advice, but I still feel a little dazed. I'll most likely find out more information about the appointment when my registration packet comes in, but in the meantime, what should i expect? I'm going to be getting some business cards made, but should I bring anything else? Valium maybe? J/k!

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

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First, congrats on getting that ms FINISHED! That's a step worth celebrating.

Try not to agonize too much about the editor appointment. Editors get uptight about them, too. (I'm not kidding!)

Be prepared to "pitch" you story - have a short (25-ish word)blurb/pitch prepared. Be able to discuss the story - I'm not so sure on paranormal, but things like conflict, and how your books differ from the others out there -- just basics.

I have been known to read the pitch off of notecards. Cause I get nervous. <G> (I know, I just told you not to get nervous. <G> I probably wouldn't get nervous now, but I used to. <G>)

Most of the time they will request the material -- unless it's blatently wrong for them. Because they can't tell anything about your writing skills by talking to you. (Again, unless it's blatently obvious that what you've got isn't right for them.)

Hope that helps!

Susan G.

I don't really have any advice on the editor pitch thing cause I've never done it myself. But I did want to say that I just read you blog...your latest posts and feel like I have found a like minded person...I too just finished a paranormal romance and I'm super pumped about it...I really think this is the one! I have three other novels under my belt...one is being considered by a publisher right now...but this one, this paranormal just feels right...so I get what you're saying! I'm adding your blog to my favs...very nice to find the interesting ones!

What Susan said. I've done the editor/agent pitch thing at conferences. They know you're nervous. And good luck!

You've already received a lot of great advice. All I have to add is to BE YOURSELF. Pitching can be nerve-wracking, but don't let the pressure overwhelm your personality so that all you can do is tremble and read in a monotone voice from notecards.

Remember that you're not only pitching your book, you're pitching yourself as an author. Be kind. Be positive. Be enthusiastic about your story.

Editors are very nice people, and they seldom bite.

Keep breathing. Don't cry. Practice your pitch ahead of time.

Try to keep in mind that your pitch appointment isn't "your one and only shot, the only chance you'll EVER have to sell your book" because A: It's not and B: While everyone has heard tales about the select few who have sold as a result of a conference pitch, they're in the minority.

Pay close attention to the questions YOU are asked. (As soon as you're done with your pitch, find a seat and write down everything you can remember about the pitch: What aspects of your story did they seem interested in? Did something seem to be a turnoff? What advice did they give you?)

If, for example, you're told, "There doesn't seem to be much conflict in it" you'll know to play up the conflict in your query letter (and it's not a bad to re-examine the manuscript to see if it's on the page).

Good luck!

Your pitch length depends on whether you are getting an individual appointment to meet with the editor or agent alone, or if it's in a group.

I'd start out with the one-liner, elevator style pitch and then if they seem interested in knowing more, go into more detail. But you could also prepare a couple of paragraphs and either read it from a note card or do it from memory.

Oh, and you may want to take a business card to hand to the editor when you meet her/him.

If you're in a group, you will probably only get 1-2 minutes, so you need to make it count!

Good luck!

Chances are you'll get the chance to pitch to multiple strangers before your appointment because people at the conference will say, "What do you write?"

Also, you should know ahead of time that this sort of like speed-dating. Usually all the editors/agents are in one room, each behind their own table, and a bunch of writers go to their assigned appt. at the same time. Then, 3 minutes later (or whatever their schedule is) the writers get up, and it's time for the next pitching group to enter. Be ready to project your voice in a crowded room!

Also, and this is something I hear time and time again from editors, LEAVE TIME FOR THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS at the end. If you have a ten minute appointment, here's how I'd suggest you use your time:

1. Tell the editor your NAME. Give them a business card if you have one. Then, ask for their card. Cards are valuable resources because they have addresses and phone numbers for later. Write the date and time of your appointment, as well as the name of the conference you're attending, on the editor's card AFTER YOU LEAVE the meeting.

2. Tell the editor the subgenre of your book.

3. If your book is an odd length (like 88,654 words) just say, "around 90,000 words," and mention you can add or trim the story to fit the line. That says you're willing to make edits to make the book saleable.

4. Tell the editor the TITLE of the book. You wouldn't believe how many people forget to mention that. You might also write the title on the back of the card you give the editor. Conferences are tough on editors. Give yourself and your book every advantage you have.

5. Tell the editor the same basic one paragraph plot you'd use in a query letter. It should encompass the whole of the book--from tone (light or dark) to the character's names, to why the characters are unique and what the conflict is. So, GMC right up front--goal, motivation, conflict. Who are the characters, why must they go on when the going gets tough and what/who tries to prevent it.

6. Pause. Let the information sink in for a few heartbeats. The editor might or might not seize on the pause to ask a question.

7. Now, if there's still time and the editor doesn't have any questions, you can go into more detail about the plot. Skip subplots unless they're critical to either G, M, or C.

For example, here's a pitch I did for our stand-alone novel MAGIC'S DESIGN when at a lunch with our old editor, who was leaving, and our incoming editor. Of course, I already knew them, but I'll insert what I'd say if I didn't:

Hi, I'm Cathy Clamp. Here's my card with all my contact information. Do you by chance have a card with you? Great. Thanks. Okay, I write paranormal romance with some urban fantasy elements. The manuscript I'd like to tell you about today is called MAGIC'S DESIGN. It's about 100,000 words and is set in today's world, where magic doesn't really exist. My heroine, named Mila, has a Ukrainian background and one of her hobbies is making pysanka--which are those really intricate Easter eggs. She's a legal secretary and has been plagued her whole life by epileptic-like seizures where she doesn't remember periods of time. What she discovers is that the 'seizures' are actually magical attachments to a realm of mages and witches which is under the earth's crust. There really are a lot of people, even today, who believe in the 'hollow earth theory' that says a magical race called the Argathans live under the mantle of the earth. The hero is Talos, and he works for the magical police force that keeps the two realms separate. A convict--one of the most evil mages in their world--escaped from prison to the surface and winds up coming out a portal in Mila's house, which gets her stuck right in the middle of the end of everything around her. She discovers magic she didn't know she had, that are based on the designed eggs, and she and Talos have to work together to capture the convict before he destroys both worlds. Unfortunately, it turns out that Mila's magical clan was banished from the underground world and everybody thinks they're corrupt and contagious with a horrible disease, so it's not going to be easy, even though they're immediately attracted to each other because of complimenting magic.

That's about five minutes. If there's time, I would explain some background about how I used logic of existing history to make an underground world believable. (Magic used to exist in medieval times, and the Black Plague was actually a mutated MAGICAL plague. The humans barely survived, and threatened to destroy all the magicians unless they exiled themselves.) and how the eggs create all the magic in the world.

One or two more questions later, and my editors LOVED the concept and decided to make it part of the next contract.

Short and simple and since you already love the book, that will come through in what you say.

Good luck and CONGRATS!

I recently went on a pitch extravaganza at RWA Nationals and got requests from every pitch. Here's some advice I got beforehand:

1. Know who you're pitching to. Trust me, it makes a difference. Once I had my appointments, I googled the names and learned all I could about the agent/editor, including what they were looking for. Since I had two novels I was pitching, I was able to choose which one to pitch and how to angle it to their preferences. It will help you stand out in a crowd. For example, I found out Chris Kessler at Dorchester likes "quirky" novels and that Heather Osborn at Tor likes peanut butter cups.

2. While you're researching, if you have a list of other agents and editors who will be at the conference, try and learn a little bit more about them as well, just in case you run into them in an elevator or at a bar or whatever. My crit partner told me a story about being at the chick lit party and watching someone pitch a novel to an agent that didn't rep that genre and get a sharp, quick "Not interested."

3. Like other's have suggested, try and get your entire novel down into one sentence. Trust me, this is HARDER THAN IT LOOKS. Make sure you include genre and word length. For example, "I have a 90,000 word fantasy romance about a girl named Trouble who finds herself the unwilling bearer of a disembodied chaos god’s soul." If they're interested, they'll give you a nod or ask for more information.

4. If you have a bit longer than an "oh, by the way" pitch, you can tell a bit more about your novel. Try to make it similar to a back cover blurb or what you'd put in a query letter. Like Cathy said, you need to cover the main character and the GMC. Save the side characters and subplots for a synopsis when you're asked to sub.

Be prepared to answer follow-up questions if asked (my favs were, "How does it end?" and "Is there a sequel planned?") and maybe have a few of your own prepared like, "Where do you see your line heading in the next few years?" Even if the editor doesn't accept this project, s/he might remember you in the future.

5. Practice, practice, practice. Keep your pitch by your bedside and recite it three times before you go to bed. (OK, J/k there.) But get to where it's almost second nature. You want to appear to be passionate about your novel, and being at ease when you pitch it shows. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have it on a piece of paper or an index card nearby in case you need to review it one final time.

OK, that's just the highlights from the plethora of advice I got before I pitched. Ask away if you have any more questions. Good luck!!

Don't forget the three stiff drinks beforehand. Kidding! Just kidding!

DisenchantedDoc said:

2. While you're researching, if you have a list of other agents and editors who will be at the conference, try and learn a little bit more about them as well, just in case you run into them in an elevator or at a bar or whatever. My crit partner told me a story about being at the chick lit party and watching someone pitch a novel to an agent that didn't rep that genre and get a sharp, quick "Not interested."

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The caveat to this being "in case they ask." Don't just walk up to a random agent & cold pitch them. Most consider it rude. But if you happen to be chatting, and they happen to ask what you've got...be prepared.

Request of partial from a query? GO YOU! That's awesome.

But no, I wouldn't mention it in an editor appointment.

And nope, don't know anything about Eric Raab.

This may or may not make you feel any better about your pitch session, but I will tell you about my one and only pitch experience. And believe me you couldn't be any less prepared than I was and I still got a request for a full.

First of all, mine was online pitch session won from a logline contest. I was contacted to participate in the pitch the night before because one of the original winners was unavailable. I had absolutely nothing prepared. I had no idea how to pitch. I wasn't even sure I had my original logline because when I wasn't initially chosen, I decided it must of tanked so I had thought I had deleted it.

Wait. It gets worse. <sigh>

A newly pubbed author took pity on me after my panicked, help me cries on a few writers' forums. She helped me work on a pitch and explained what I should do and I still almost messed it up. The pitches were take place at one pm in an online chatroom, so I signed in just over hour early because I wanted to make sure I could get it. Then I noticed that a number of other pitchers were already signed in as well. I thought that they all must nervous, too, then I realized, total duh, that I had the time wrong. I'm on central time, the editors were on eastern time. My one hour early was one pm eastern time.

I felt like such a total idiot. My first pitch and I almost missed it because I forgot about the time difference. I went into the pitch feeling like a major idiot. All mental preparedness was gone due to my blunder. I had no clue what to say and it was one of the more awkward experiences of my life, but I still got a request.

So, not sure if this helps, but believe me you could not do worse with your pitch than I did with mine. And my world didn't end. I'm still getting requests. And I'm still writing.

Always (ahem) visit the ladies' room first.

(Spoken from Experience)

Can't wait to hear how it turns. Fingers crossed.

Congrats!

I'm glad you had a fruitful meeting. Congratulations!

Congrats and good luck!

Congratulations!