How to Get Pitch Appointments

Jun
01
2009

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I get it: Some of you are way better in person than you are in query letters. I hate it, but I get it. I hate it because I’m jealous of you people. I’m one of those solitary authors, the ones that would sit inside all day long in front of a computer with no human interaction and probably not feel the need for any, either. In person, I suck. I’d much rather write a query letter. But I get that some of you actually like to pitch.

So here’s how you go about getting pitch appointments:

1. Go to the RWA National Conference. If you haven’t ever been, you need to go. You will learn so much, and you’ll get at least 2 chances to pitch your book. Aside from your official pitches, you can also wait around the pitching area in case someone cancels, or hit editors and agents (very gently, and only if they ask you to) with your pitch at a bar or in an elevator.

2. Keep informed about your local RWA chapters. If you don’t have the time, inclination, or funds to make it to the RWA National Conference, there are chapters all over the United States, some of which sponsor pitching events throughout the year. Find out which chapters are a reasonable driving distance for you, and then look at their meeting schedule. Most of the time, you don’t have to be a member of the chapter to attend a meeting, and even if you have to be a member to get a pitch appointment, sometimes there are last-minute cancellations and it might behoove you to show up and try to grab a spot.

3. Go to smaller area conferences. A lot of RWA chapters put on their own regional conferences that are smaller and less expensive than National Conference. They almost always include pitch appointments.

Swing away!