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You may have noticed that I had mentioned doing a Weekend Writer’s Retreat this past weekend. We had eight authors and Agent Stephen Fraser from the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency mentored us for the weekend. Getting your full novel critiqued is such a wonderful thing and we each had a full hour to discuss our manuscript with him.  We worked very hard as a group on our manuscripts, which was very valuable to everyone.  On Sunday we spent the morning picking Stephen’s brain and then he got us working on our pitches for the story.  Since we all had read each other’s manuscripts we could all throw in our two cents on what worked and what needed more work.

But the big exciting news from the weekend is Stephen signed up Doug Anders and his sci-fi manuscript. It is excellent and Stephen is good at spotting talent. When I asked Stephen about his clients, he said you could actually tell which conferences and workshops he had attended around the country, when you looked at his list of clients and their locations.  I point this out to you, to drive home how important it is to get yourself out there to meet editors and agents.

Even if you aren’t planning to attend a conference, you should work on your pitch. In the past, my pitches have been too long. Stephen told us to get it down to one or two sentences and commit it to memory. We never know when we’ll bump into someone who wants to know about our book.

I know writers who were published, because when they walked into a elevator and met an editor, they had an “elevator pitch” ready to use. I know writers who met a publisher on an airplane. I know writer’s who have met editors in some very strange places and it was that prepared pitch that initiated the spark for their books success.

Thought I would share some of our pitches from the weekend to give you an idea on what you should strive to achieve.

Doug Anders: As soon as 12-year-old Peter enters the Star Trials, a riot ensues. The reason? Peter is human.

It’s Men in Black meets The Hunger Games in this middle grade, sci-fi, adventure-mystery called The Star Trials.

Dee Falvo: The Bookmark, a Young Adult fantasy, portrays a time traveling Joan-of-Arc-esque heroine, who discovers the power of the four elements while in military school.

Think Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander meets Menahem Golan’s Delta Force.

Jody Staton: My Father’s Moccasin is the story of a middle-grades boy playing spy to avoid thinking about a family tragedy.

Think Harriet the Spy meets Confessions of a Part-Time Indian.

Patricia Alcaro: Stuff Touching Cousins is a picture book about annoying but lovable cousins. Through tenderness and patience a young boy learns to cope with the onslaught of 5 younger cousins.

Think of Cynthia Rylant’s Caldecott Honor book The Relatives Came meets Ezra Jack Keats Peter’s Chair.

Kathy Temean: Shaken by the death of her mother, tormented teen turns father’s US Senate campaign upside down when she is caught on camera pole dancing – causing a media frenzy in this YA novel titled POLL GIRL.

Think Coyote Ugly meets Clueless meets Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Keep an eye on Doug. He is a very nice guy who is a really good writer – a great combination. CONGRATULATIONS! Doug.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy