Colorado Christian Writer's Conference - Pitching my Work

Ordinarily when I go to big events, I try to stop each evening and post the highlights of the day. I like to pass on a few of the things that have been the most helpful. I'm finding that there has been so much good information and inspiration that I am having trouble trying to condense it into a reasonable sized blog. So I think I'll just post the things that have been the most important to me.

One of the early bird workshops that was very beneficial to me was Kathryn Mackel's, "Practice Your Pitch." She taught us what a pitch to an editor or agent should look like and let us practice. I found that invaluable when I actually did my interviews.

In the one on one appointments, you have 15 minutes to "pitch" your idea or book to an editor or agent. I confess that in the couple of days before the conference, I had gotten a little nervous. While I've done photo portfolio reviews, that is a little different. In a portfolio review, you are actually showing potential buyers or editors your work. An book editor or agent can't read your book in fifteen minutes.

The parts of a pitch look something like this:
Greeting, introduction, small talk, title of your book, what genre, summary of your book ( 3 or 4 sentences).

In my practice pitch, I forgot to give the title of my book (those stupid nerves.) But it was so good to actually walk through it with someone to firm up in my own mind what I needed to say.

From some of the other meetings, I learned the importance of your "Platform." There is a "Catch 22" here. It is beneficial to have a platform to get published . . . Getting published helps build your platform. While my platform is still a little small, I do have a history of teaching ladies' Bible classes using my own curriculim, , planning and speaking at women's retreats, and my training adults in Girl Scouts. With my photography, I have been building platflorm, buy building a reputation with my participation on the online contests, the museum exhibits, and my two publications in Texas Highways. Plus I'm working hard to enter the major photographic contests and submit my photos to magazines and photographic agencies.

I need to write and submit some smaller pieces for Christian magazines to help build my reputation as a writer.

Yes . . . I'm at the bottom rung of this ladder. But I am very pleased to report that when I actually did my one-on-one appointments, I was pleased. Yes, I was nervous, but I was able to make a creditable pitch. God has given me some opportunities. I am grateful.