GPCWC Series Part II – What is ONE tidbit…?

As part of the conference I will have the opportunity to meet agents and publishers to “pitch” my book and myself.  Four of these are scheduled fifteen minute appointments while others will be God Instances. I spent more time than I would like to admit to you writing my pitch. Every author should have an elevator pitch for their book – this is a 30 – 60 second (yes, seconds!) opportunity to share the book we are writing and create enough interest with the agent or publisher so they will request our book proposal.

In addition to the elevator pitch, every author needs to have their formal pitch – this allows an additional 1 ½ - 2 minutes to our available time.  Isn’t this exciting? (My nails are shorter and I might feel a “stress highlight” aka gray fighting to the surface, lol) The longer pitch (for you non-mathematicians, like myself, this is only 2 – 3 minute pitch). This pitch is used as the introduction when meeting with an agent or publisher for an appointment during the conference. Still only a smidgen of information about the book and myself yet it is my chance to meet face to face and sell myself and my book.

I have both of my written and now I am practicing so it sounds natural. I have given my husband, daughter, parents, friends, and extended family permission to say “What are you writing?” and then name if they want to hear the elevator pitch or the appointment pitch.

In one respect, this information should be apparent and obvious to the author since the pitch is describing the baby we are birthing at the keyboard; yet for someone like me who gets VERY nervous under pressure in situations like this - I’m tossing and turning each night at the thought.

A fear I have is this: I have the opportunity to use my elevator pitch as a publisher asks “So, what is your book about?” My nightmare is I start with the word “Uh…” and stumble over my tongue for sixty seconds or worse yet I am unable to formulate any words and stand there looking like a ding dong.

This is where you can help – if you were the agent or publisher listening to me pitch my book, “Where’s Heidi? The Search Begins”, what is the ONE thing you know is true of me that you want to hear?

In a nutshell: What is one thing I should be sure to tell an agent or publisher when I meet with them at the conference? One thing you know to be true of me, my writing, or my ability that would catch their attention and compel them to ask –“Could I have a copy of your book proposal?” or better yet “After talking with you and reading your book proposal, would you like to sign with our publishing house?”

Prayer requests:

*Pray I calm my heart and share the story God has given me to write, to trust and know the agents and publishers are human too and I know this book, live this book and pray for this book daily. Pray I chillax! (The chillax is for my dad, love this word)

*Pray I trust myself and God – the Lord has blessed me, it’s my turn to witness this to others through my pitch, knowing He called me to write this and others will be blessed and drawn to him through its publication

Today’s goal is to have the most people post a response than in the entire history of my blog – the goal is…drum roll please….19 comments! 18 for a tie but I like to win – so are there 19 people out there willing to take a risk and respond to today’s question? Hmmm