If you’re a writer, you probably dream of getting published. I know I did. (And yes, it really does feel as good as you imagine it will, the day the editor rings you up and says ‘I want to publish your book.’)
But it is really hard to get your book past the gate keeper. More publishers are saying they don’t take unagented submissions and it is hard to get busy agents to look at your work.
One way to get your work in front of an agent or an editor is to Pitch your Book at an event specifically designed for this. Pitching opportunities occur at conferences and festivals. On Saturday I ran a Pitching workshop to help people prepare for what can be a very nerve wracking experience. And I promised to provide a list of pitching opportunities. So here they are:
There are online pitching opportunities such as:
To pitch in person attend conferences. These vary from year to year. I know the Brisbane Writers Festival has had pitching opportunities. So check out your local writers festival and see what they are offering.
Childrens and Young Adult Conference
New York and Algonkian Conferences
Here is a UK agent’s blog dedicated to the art of pitching.
And keep an eye on the agent and editor blogs. They often offer advice on pitching. Every now and then and agent will announce that they are open to pitches via their blog, so it is worth finding s few you like and following their blogs.
Kristin Nelson from Nelson Literary Agency.
Nathan Bransford from Curtis Brown.
So that should be enough to get your started. Let me know if you have any questions.
Meanwhile, there were some questions about agents, so I’ve done a post here, for anyone considering approaching an agent.