#PitMad Pitch Practice—With Critiques from Touchstone Editing!

It may be a holiday (in the US, at least), but time doesn't stop for querying writers! The Twitter pitch party #PitMad is happening once again this Thursday (September 10th), and since people have found it useful in the past, I'm happy to open up my blog for everyone to receive feedback on & perfect their pitches.

Plus, I have a special surprise to help you prepare:

The absolutely lovely ladies at Touchstone Editing have offered to critique pitches in the comments on this post! Learn a bit more about Jennifer and Anya here, and please read these guidelines before posting: 

• #PitMad is a Twitter pitch party, so your pitch needs to be 140-characters max, including the hashtag. 
• Check out all the info and the rules on host Brenda Drake's site.
• Jennifer and Anya will be dropping in and out until Tuesday night to help you with your pitches.
• Recommended: Show your gratitude (and benefit from their wisdom) by following them on Twitter!

Follow @JLevine3  Follow @AnyaKagan

• Constructive comments on each others' pitches are encouraged! The whole point is to help everyone have the best chance possible on Thursday to catch that agent or editor eye.
• Destructive comments will be removed at my discretion.
• "I don't like XYZ about your pitch, and here's how to make it better" = good. "You're an idiot" or "How stupid would you have to be to think this is a good pitch?" = bad. Please be polite, as everyone has been to date (because you're all awesome)!
• If I have to remove one of your comments on someone else's pitch, I may also remove your pitch if you posted one. Please don't make me police your comments.
• Questions? Feel free to ask, and otherwise good luck everyone!

Pitch Madness Pitch Practice

Brenda Drake's Pitch Madness, Sorry! Edition is almost here — and that means it's time once again to prepare your pitches! Submission window opens February 20th. Submissions consist of a 35-word (max) pitch and the first 250 words of your manuscript. Remember you should only be submitting if your manuscript is complete, edited, and ready for an agent's eyes. 

Shorter variations of your pitches (140 characters) can also be used for #PitMad on March 11th, even if your submission isn't chosen for the top 60 entries in Pitch Madness.

Last year, I opened up the comment section of my Pitch Madness post to those hoping to get some feedback on their pitches. People seemed to find that useful, so I'm doing it again! 

Guidelines: 

• Post your 35-word(max) pitch in the comments 
• Please offer constructive feedback on others' pitches
• I will try to offer feedback as well, but I may not be able to respond to every post or revision, so please help each other!
• Feel free to post revisions and share with others
• Inappropriate or malicious comments will be removed at my discretion
• Basically, please be polite

That's it! Feel free to also enter my 2-Year Anniversary Giveaway.

On Finding the Right Agent

By Jennie Davenport

As a debut author and, once upon a time, a querying writer, I can tell you that knowing whether or not a certain agent is the right fit is…difficult. Oftentimes, our judgment can be a bit muddled because we are so desperate to find one—any one, really—that will give our stories a chance. So in our search, we come across an agent who represents our genre, and we immediately think, “Oooo! Maybe he/she is the one!”

I thought that so many times it would be impossible to count. So, if you’ve felt that heart-wrenching pain from your ONE rejecting you—and even your fifteenth ONE in a row—YOU’RE NOT ALONE!

Querying is difficult and trying. It takes patience and the ability to learn and grow. And timing is everything. But don’t let that repetitive rejection dim your passion! Learn from it, grow from it. Never stop tweaking your query. Never stop looking for an agent. Never stop trying to be better.

Finding the Gatekeepers of the Walled City of Publishing

Unfortunately, one of the authors with whom I was scheduled to exchange posts for the Blogger Book Fair had to drop out at the last minute. Rather than deprive all of you of the post I wrote for her site (and we all know it'd be an unacceptable loss) I am publishing it here. I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments!

Agent Adventure

Finding the Gatekeepers of the Walled City of Publishing

Having chosen the traditional route, a writer begins a quest not unlike that of medieval heroes. We’ve packed our bags with the necessary supplies (our finished manuscript, a polished query letter, determination, and as a bonus—internet access) and now set out to make it past the gatekeepers (aka agents). At least one must be convinced of our worth before we are allowed to enter the walled city of publishing and fight for a place in its perpetual tournament. First, of course, we have to seek out the gatekeeper most likely to appreciate our potential.

Agent or Publisher?

Having decided on pursuing traditional publication, a writer must decide whether to seek the representation of a literary agent or to pitch directly to publishing houses.

Agents have become de facto "gatekeepers" for the publishing industry. Many publishing houses will not accept unsolicited manuscripts that come from authors without representation, simply because it has become accepted that agents will weed out the unsuitable manuscripts and select ones that could make great books and, most importantly, sell. Already, this means that, if an author chooses to move forward without representation, the options are severely limited. Good agents also serve many other purposes, not least of which is the manipulation of their carefully cultivated industry connections.

Like most who write on the topic, I feel pressed to include the aside that NO legitimate agent will ever ask for money up-front from an author—and the same goes for a publishing house. Agent’s make ~15% of the money an author earns from publishing, and publishing houses make money from the sale of the books/e-books. In neither case should a writer be paying the entity directly—with the exception of vanity presses. If an agent or publishing house asks you for money, it is a scam.