alg | Pitching and Catching. (Hahaha, thanks, SerialKarma.)

This is an outstanding post. Would you consider permitting me to link to this post from my main website? I'd love to be able to add this to my links section of writer's advice as it is some of the most detailed-- and honest-- information I've seen on the topic.

Thank you in advance for any time you spend replying to my post.

As it says in the text of the post, you're more than welcome to link it anywhere as long as you don't reproduce the text. Thanks! I'm glad you found this helpful. :)

I don't write what you buy, but I found you through Miss Snark and I thought your advice was tremendous for writers of any genre. Great site and thanks for taking this kind of time to inform.

Kathie at housewifecafe.com

That definitely sounds like the most pain-free version.

Thanks for posting this. I'd be the stumbling, nervous, this-is-my-first-pitch person, so these are very relevant tips for me. I'm also going to link it and that means it'll be up on my website in a month to help others who might browse there. With luck, your efforts here will reduce the number of idiots you see :).

On the other hand, I'd think (from my own experiences) the warning to be nice is just as important and a side element of not being an idiot. You never know who's listening and you might not even fully comprehend who you are exchanging words with, whether at a con or elsewhere.

And I can think of at least one writer who could make The Robot Cheerleader Wars a winner :).

Cheers,
Margaret

Anna,

Thanks for this great info. (Have you thought about presenting at a first-day session at the RWA conference?)

What do you think about pitching a reformulated manuscript that was received well the first time around (positive rejection on a full)? We're talking complete rewrite here, not just an edit and a tweak.

Thanks again! T

It's an interesting thought, but I just don't think I can make Orville Redenbacher terribly sexy.

Ah...Stargate(s). I'm a fan too.

Deperate Writer
http://desperatewriter.blogspot.com

Thanks for an incredibly informative piece! Like greatest-pitch-ever-guy, I'm one of those unknowns who's full of passion and willing to show a little testicular fortitude to make sure my manuscript finds its way to the right person despite being sent by someone sort of agent-less. The dreaded slush-pile haunt! Kinda rolled the Trojan horse right into that office in the hopes that someone will go to sleep so I can lower the trap doors and do some serious conquering, hehe. Out of base curiosity, I make it a point to read your live journal entries whenever there's a new one. Call it stalking...lol...I call it creative research. Reading your past entries has allowed me to learn and understand what you look for in fiction, and what you're acquiring for Tor. It's invaluable information, I am sure, if one hopes to have a chance at succeeding in the business. The beauty of reading an editor's opinions and thoughts on writing is that, even if manuscript number one (and/or two, three, four, and so on) gets rejected, one knows what to write next, what's selling in the world of paranormal romance; it's inspiring. Yep, that's the right word. Thanks for putting your thoughts out there for all of us hopeful writers. Letting us stick our noses into your brain, a few lines at a time, is enriching and educational.
I'm just now remembering how happy I felt, right after having finished my story, when I accidentally stumbled upon the Tor website and your name. This is the good stuff...it's how we learn.
And awww, the kitty! Kudos for the name, very cool! Man, I wish I could adopt one (dang allergies). Had to settle for chihuahuas. I guess that's sort of like cuddling the mutated love-child of NYC rats and mean, inner city cats, but hey, mutants need love, too.....;-)

What a great post!

I've been kicking myself for not going to Writercon, but I think I've just learned how to write a far, far better query letter. Thank you for putting this up.

It opened earlier this year and is reportedly the largest aquarium in the world. It's right downtown near the hotel for RWA National.

I appreciate all the info. I just wish there was some way I could manage a perfect pitch and come off smooth and sophisticated (don't we all?), because I speak/behave differently from the way I write. Too many bad habits ingrained from working with gamers. I get nervous about writing query letters, too, but the pressure is less when I don't have to worry about impressing someone in person. I hadn't even realized that index cards were an option. Until you mentioned that, I was freaked out about having to memorize something in order to not sound like a dork, and then forgetting my lines due to nerves. I actually did a practice pitch in front of some classmates at the Odyssey Writing Workshop ... I'm sure I gave everyone a good idea of how NOT to pitch!

~Abby Goldsmith

Well, I just might see about that!

(And, maybe with some new material!)

-Dthon

I'm glad you found this helpful -- good luck!!

My pleasure! You're welcome!

Hey, you're welcome, happy to have been of service. :) I'm glad you found this informative and entertaining!

I think the business side of stuff is often a mystery to people, and they find it impenetrable -- whereas you know you can write a book, you've just done it! But I can demystify almost any part of the industry/process for almost anyone, and that's a start. :)

Hee. Thanks for the heads-up!

Harlan has said some very sensible things and that is one of them!

My pleasure! You're welcome!

Cool! I am not worried about seeing idiots -- what I really want is to put people's minds at rest about how complicated this is. Those who have observed that it can be boiled down into four bits of advice -- "Don't be an idiot. Mind your manners. Remember your common sense. Relax" -- are totally right. It's just the trappings of society that make things more complicated.

RWA has tons and tons of people presenting on stuff like this -- I'm sure they already have something similar scheduled. Additionally, this is the kind of thing that individual chapters should be going over with their members to prepare them.

Re: your question about pitching a ms...

Personally, unless I have requested changes, once I have rejected something, I don't want to see it again. I want the author to move on and write a new project and give him/herself some distance from the first project. Other editors may feel differently.

lots of us are! :)

Well, hey, conventions aren't the only way to get your book in front of an editor. I know that Tor takes unsolicited submissions -- the guidelines are on our website -- and I think some other houses do too.

I don't think you should worry about being smooth and sophisticated -- editors just wanna party! Seriously, we are a very relaxed bunch. And the editor who rejects your book because you were nervous is probably not the one you want to work with anyway, right?

Pitching and Catching. (Hahaha, thanks, SerialKarma.)

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Great advice

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Thanks, and a question!

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Fan

Great advice!

words to live by

There's also the Georgia Aquarium.

Ack! The pressure!

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Re: Thanks, and a question!

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