Taking Pitches at Writer's Conferences

Sorry I have been away so long folks!  Work (sales conference) followed by playtime (visiting family and celebrating my mom's 60th birthday with her) followed by more work (Willamette Writers Conference) kept me from blogging and sleeping!

The Willamette Writers Conference was exhausting but fun.  Friday, Saturday and half of Sunday I took pitches from writers...  I was pitched cozies, historical mysteries, thrillers and even a memoir.  Ooops... that guy signed up for the wrong editor!  To me, conferences are always energy draining simply because of the effort of giving each person I talk to my full attention.  Even if the book wasn't for me, I did offer the writer advice, either on the pitch (what to focus on, refining catch phrases, etc) or my opinion on the plot or who it should be pitched to.

At the same time, conferences invigorate me.  To be surrounded by fellow editors, writers and agents is amazing.  I flew in a day early and hit Powell's with my friend and author Lori Lake.  My buddy, editor and publisher Ben LeRoy and I made silly facebook videos when we had some down time.  I caught up on life with agent Christine Witthohn.  I met and got to know agent Miriam Kriss.  And of course the writers drive the whole thing.

One note to take away from this conference was that it really felt like a get down to work sort of conference.  They had sessions for improving your pitch, manuscript critiques, and all kinds of writing seminars.  The entire weekend felt professional and business like (which is why Ben and I had to create videos for our own amusement.)

Even though taking time away from the office is hard, and now I have even more submissions piled up, it was well worth the trip.  And when I saw this picture, I just had to laugh...  the telling of tales is indeed a beautiful thing...  All you writers - keep writing!  Keep telling stories and continue to improve on your craft.  One day you'll give a pitch or send in a submission and an agent or editor will fall in love with your story...  you just have to keep writing.  :)

MWA-University coming to a town near you!!

When I first heard about MWA-University, I thought wow, that is cool.  But I bet it's expensive.  And I bet you have to fly somewhere, get a hotel room...  But wait...  that is not true?  It's affordable...  and all over the country...  Yep, according to Jess Lourey, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Mystery Writers of America.  Read on:

You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a writing class: "Write Your Novel in 30 Days!"  "Go from Poor to Published in Seven Steps!" "Sell your Manuscript!" Some of these classes are great, many are not. When I was placed on the Education Committee of the national board of the Mystery Writers of America, our goal was to formulate an all-day creative writing seminar that was consistently excellent. The project was guided by the vision of MWA EVP Larry Light and Edgar-nominated author Reed Farrell Coleman. The guidelines were simple:

• The classes must focus solely on the craft of writing
• The classes should take the student from the initial stages (I've got a great idea for a novel!) to the end, and beyond (what does a writer's life look like?)
• The classes will be built around industry-relevant instruction, not peer critique
• The instructors must know how to teach as well as how to write
• The cost must be accessible to all

And so, MWA-University was born. As a committee, we brainstormed what areas to cover, how to get the best teachers, and in which parts of the country to pilot MWA-U. The final product is a one-day seminar consisting of six classes, taught by six different specialists in each area. The classes are:

• After the idea
• Dramatic structure and plot
• Setting and description
• Character
• Editing
• The writing life

Our pilot took place in Bethesda, MD, last October and was a smashing success. Over 100 students registered, and they all left with the buzz of excitement that accompanies an artist with a good idea and the skills to make it happen. Our next session will take place this coming Friday at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books (http://www.sewibookfest.com/). Basically, we go where we're needed, at the request of MWA chapter presidents.

So, how much would you pay for six hours of college-level writing instruction taught by tenured professors, Emmy-winning newscasters, and national book reviewers, every one of 'em also a published author? Fifty dollars sound good? Thought so. Hope to see you at one of the seminars: http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=MWA-University.

Thanks to Jess for the write up!  Now people, go and learn.  Write awesome books!!  Then send them to me.  :)

A Report from the Trenches

This last weekend I was at the Houston Writers Guild conference in Houston, TX.  Unlike my friend, agent Josh Getzler, I did not take 53 pitches!  (check out his thoughts on the conference at http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/)  I only took 23.  But I also did a seminar on mysteries.  It was a learning experience for me as well.

Like Josh noted, many authors can't properly place themselves in the market.  Almost every single manuscript that I was pitched was described as a thriller.  When I looked at the writing sample, it was clear to me that several were actually cozies or soft boiled.  I spent a good deal of time talking about subgenres and giving examples.

One question that surprised me was "do you buy on proposal?"  Ummm... no.  Not unless you have a serious body of work under your belt and I therefore the author can deliver a finished and acceptable manuscript.  I would certainly make an offer on a proposal from Lee Child, for example!  Or Maggie Sefton.  :)

Another question - "do you have an assistant who pre-reads for you?"  Good Lord.  After I managed to pick myself off the floor and wipe the tears from my eyes, I simply said, "No.  No, I don't."

I also extensively explain the publishing process, from the submission to the finished product hitting the market.  Oh, I probably forgot one or two of the seemingly endless steps, but I am fairly certain the folks walked away with a little more understanding of the amount of work that goes into publishing a book.

And of course, I emphasized the most important part.  Write, write, write.  Revise, revise, revise.  Write, write, write.  Before you send it off to an agent or an editor, make sure you have put together the best possible product you can!  You often only have one shot at an agent or an editor.  Make sure you are putting your best work forward.

Before the conference in Houston, I was able to make a side trip to Austin to meet Inkers Karen MacInerney and Robin Allen.  I have to say, I love my Inkers!  The food was excellent and the company was outstanding.  To Karen and Robin - thank you for the warm welcome.  :)