5 worst ways to blow your pitch with a literary agent
…plus a few thing to do instead!
Want a request for more material at your upcoming writer’s conference? Here are some tips on nailing your pitch to a literary agent or editor.
I’ve learned a lot in the past year while writing over 400,000 words, which amounted to four manuscripts and one now-published book. As part of my #amwriting year, I attended multiple writing conferences and pitched to dozens of agents and editors.
While I’m no expert by any means, I learned a lot about pitching. Most importantly, I’ve learned what NOT to do.
My first attempt was terrible. I broke tons of rules: tons of jargon in my pitch letter, a too-long summary of the plot, using weird comps no one has ever read. And the worst, pitching an agent who didn’t represent my genre.
But then I got better, and eventually won four pitch contests and achieved a 90% request rate for in-person pitches.
That sounds like bragging, but here’s my secret. My pitch(es) were not amazing. In fact, most of them were just…okay. And, as of this post, I don’t yet have an agent.
I won’t try to tell you how to write the perfect pitch. Instead, I’m going to focus on what NOT to do, if you want a request for more material.
the five worst ways to blow your pitch:
you’re boring
This is the number one mistake I see writers make. I don’t have to see it actually happen, I can see it coming as we’re waiting in line to pitch, and they’re talking at me.
How do I say this nicely?
You know those polite, well-meaning friend who say “tell me about your book?” The same ones whose eyes begin to droop after about thirty seconds?
Most of us have learned to keep our answers short and snappy. That our friend doesn’t really want to hear the twenty minute description. And yet…every time I attend a conference I’m accosted with the twenty minute versions. And I’m just a fellow attendee!
Think of your pitch like a first date. Even if your dinner partner says “tell me about yourself” the worst thing you can do is launch into a synopsis of your life. How soon would your mind start to wander? They want to see you excited so they can feel enthusiasm themselves. They want you to hit ’em with the hook, comps, and get them pumped up. Leave them wanting more.
you dress like a slob
Many attendees go full-on sloppy at these things. I’m talking about rolled-down sweatpants and flip-flops. Dressing in clean business-casual level clothes will set you apart in a good way.
you’re defensive
No one wants their book baby called ugly, but you’re there for advice. Still, many writers will argue and fight back when an agent questions their premise or plot!
Think about conducting job interviews… would you want to hire someone who argued within five minutes of meeting you? They want to know you’re someone they can work with versus a person they dread meeting with.
you act strangely
Seriously, though, this one time an agent ran late on my appointment because the writer in front of me flat-out refused to leave.
Not only that, this is what she said:
“I haven’t shown you all the pictures of my grandchildren yet.”
Facepalm.
Think about the pitch as a job interview. Enough said.
you don’t close
This isn’t hard sales, but you should end with a polite question.
“Are you interested in seeing more?”
Feel this out a bit. Some agents will tell you straight up they’d like to see material, others may be waiting for you to ask. If the reception is lukewarm you could ask what type of changes they’d like to see before submitting pages.
now that we’ve covered some no-nos, here are a few things you should do to get a request:
Have your comps ready – Comps should be relatively popular, but not too popular. Don’t say my book is Harry Potter meets the Bible. They should be published within the last few years.
Nail your one line pitch – Your entire project boiled down to the hook and a question raised as a result.
Show enthusiasm – How can you expect someone else to get excited when you’re not? This is your moment!
Tell them one unique thing that ties you to this story- If your story is about horses in love and you raise horses, tell them. If it’s abouot a crime stopping reporter, and you covered the police beat at the town newspaper, be sure to lead with that.
Start with rapport – Yes, you have a time limit, but don’t forget to ask them about their experience, or comment on their recent project. Agents are people, too.
What are your best tips for pitching agents? What’s the worst mistake you’ve made during a pitch or job interview? I’d love to hear! Please leave me a comment below.
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Hi, I’m Bethany–coach, author of Courage to Tri, 2x Kona qualifier, and twin mom. Helping writers grow online presence to spread their message in a digital world.
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