WD PITCH SLAM

Jenny and I are doing the Writer's Digest Pitch Slam today, which is a one-day writer's conference right before BEA. I've done it three times before.

Why do I do it when I don't have the time to read the queries that come in on their own?

I think it's really important for new writers to meet and listen to agents, to hone their pitching skills, to ask us questions about the business and their books, and to de-mystify the world of agentinig.

I've been doing this for so long and I can't represent everybody out there, but I can take three minutes at a time to share what I've learned over the years.

I rarely take on something that's pitched to me this way, but often I'll get a letter saying someone met with me years ago and now they know they have something that's right for me. And every now and then, they're right.

Memorial Day Weekend

Knowing that Book Expo America (BEA) is fast-approching, I took the weekend off from reading for work and cleaned closets, bought plants and went to the pool. But I had finished the published book I was reading on Thursday and momentarily panicked. I didn't know what I was going to read.

Since I read 200 manuscripts a year, I only get to read 12 published books a year. I horde them and usually know what I'm reading months in advance, because I only allow myself to read on the subway back and forth to lunches, on vacations and waiting in doctor's offices if I've already read the current issue of the New Yorker on the office table.

To my amazement, I had riped through YOU SUCK by Christopher Moore (I loved BLOOD SUCKING FIENDS). And then I remembered I had the new Stephen King sitting unread on a book shelf and I was very happy. Summer just doesn't get more perfect than being kicked off by a new King to read.

The next few posts will be BEA-related, but since I am working Wednesday through Saturday into the night (parties), I have no idea what time of day I'll be posting.