Agent Pitch Sessions: like a job interview on steroids
“Every time an Oscar is given out, an agent gets his wings.” ~ Kathy Bates
In my lifetime I’ve pitched my mom on why she should let me stay out later, potential employers on why they should hire me, bosses on why I need a raise, and reporters on why they should consider doing a story about one of my clients. But, I’ve never pitched a literary agent on taking me on as a writer.
In a little more than a month I will have my first chance to do so at the Idaho Writer’s Guild “All About Agents” workshop.
There are thousands of writers just like me who want to catch an agent’s attention, impress them with a book idea, sway them to ask for a proposal or a manuscript. What makes me – or you — so special? We get maybe 10 short minutes to talk about everything from our book idea to our background and qualifications, and then answer any questions that come up, all while staying calm, focused and professional.
How to do it?
To prepare for my pitch opportunity I sought the advice of Joanne Pence, the award-winning author of the very popular Angie Amalfi mystery series and also a member of the governing board of the Idaho Writer’s Guild. Joanne is one of those successful authors who doesn’t blink an eye when someone like me emails her to see if she’d meet me for a cup of coffee so I can pick her brain. She is definitely a seasoned and knowledgeable writer who doesn’t mind sharing what she knows.
And so, here are some of her tips to me that I’d like to share with you:
Murphy: Should I bring anything to give the agent?
Pence: Usually agents don’t want to take anything from writers when they hear a pitch. At most, a card with the writer’s name. If you want to bring something along in case they ask for it then-and-there, that’s fine. Usually, they will ask that you send them something afterwards—and then, they’ll tell you what they want, for example a full manuscript, 30 pages, 50 pages, synopsis, outline, etc.
Murphy: How much time will I get with the agent?
Pence: You’ll only have 10 minutes. That can be too short if a person tries to go into too much detail and ends up getting tied up in knots and confusing the agent, who then starts to ask questions, and the whole thing can spiral out of control. Or it can be too long if you give so little information that the agent has nothing to say.
Murphy: So what is the right balance?
Pence: Most people strive for about a 3 minute “explanation” of the book, and a minute or two about their background (some call this a “platform”—who you are and what brought you to the place that you wanted to write this book/were qualified to write the book/have the experience to write it, etc.). Then, there is time for questions and clarifications, but not too much time.
Murphy: What if I’m nervous and don’t make a good pitch?
Pence: Agents know that most writers are writers and not public speakers, and are painfully nervous at having to talk about their books. So, they’re usually quite nice when listening to pitches. Also, agents know that many people are really good at “pitching” but can’t write worth beans. Others are horrible pitchers, but beautiful writers. So it’s not so much “how” you present your book, but the topic and what that particular individual feels about both the topic and its marketability. It’s a crap shoot, unfortunately.
One of my personal challenges is being able to properly toot my own horn. I admit it feels uncomfortable to promote myself, but if I don’t, who will? After working in Public Relations for 30 years, I now realize why people hire PR experts like me — so someone else can promote them while they maintain a sense of humbleness and modesty.
I look forward to pitching my first agent. Not only is it a great learning opportunity, but it could change the course of my future!
If you’v been through an agent pitch session, I’d love to hear from you. How did you feel about it. Was it fun? Scary? Stressful? Did they ask you to send them a proposal or other materials? Did you land an agent?
Thanks for visiting Murphy Writes.
