Querying a Completed Manuscript Pt. 2 Live Pitches
Hello, and welcome back to my incredibly drawn out miniseries on querying a completed manuscript! If this is the first of the series you’re seeing, you may want to check out my original post on querying here. It has way more, overarching details involving beginning the querying process than this.
Now then! This post is all about live-pitching agents!
First things First — Live Pitch?
A live pitch to an agent — unlike a cold query — is where you get to interact with a literary agent face to face. It’s sort of a mix of interview and business pitch!
Where do you find a live pitch?
As it turns out, many bookish conventions and some writing retreats attract publishers and agents who are willing to spend some of their time listening to pitches. This means, essentially, that you pay for direct face time with an agent.
Awww, so it costs money?
Well, as far as I know, yes. There may be exceptions, but all of the live pitch opportunities I’ve seen (including the one that I took myself) have a price tag. This doesn’t mean that all the price tags are alarming! You typically get to speak to more than one agent, and some are even done via video conference so you don’t have to spend money on travel to get anywhere! It all comes down to your own ideas of investment and returns on said investment.
I decided that the Writing Away Refuge conference and pitch back in April was a worthwhile investment for myself. More on that here!
How it Works
So you’ve signed up for a live pitch. Now what happens?
Typically you’ll have a timed slot for when you meet with the agent. From what I have found, your slot will range from 5 - 15 minutes, depending on the set-up of the conference, the agents involved, etc.
When it is your turn, you will have a chance to speak with the agent. You’ll want to give them a brief rundown of your project, and maybe a little bit about you. Then, let them ask you questions.
Be fair warned — they will likely be writing/taking notes while listening to you speak. This is normal, and you shouldn’t consider it rude or disinterested. These agents are listening to a lot of people all day and they need some way to keep everyone and everything straight.
Like I mentioned previously, think of this as an interview. What you’re trying to do is pitch both yourself and your manuscript in an appealing way. After doing a lot of reading, attending a conference with a practice pitch session, and live-pitching myself, a general rule of thumb is give the agent the same information you would offer in your query letter. In fact, many people just read their letter straight. It helps with their nerves, and I have yet to see an agent say they thought poorly of someone who pitched that way.
Regardless if you pitch the ideas in a conversational type of way, reference your notes, or read your letter verbatim to the agent, the “pitch” portion should probably only take you about two minutes. After that, let the agent drive the conversation. They will have questions about your work. They will want to know more about you as a person. (In fact, I found an article written by an agent of some of the most common questions he asks during live-pitches. Read it here for more insight!)
There are two great things about letting the agent drive the conversation after your pitch. 1.) They’ll manage to cover all the information they want to have from you — no guess work on your end. 2.) You don’t have to worry about coming up with something to say if you have nerves about talking with strangers. You’ll only have to worry about answering questions you already know the answers to — questions about your manuscript, and questions about yourself.
Easy peezy!
What to Expect
As with cold querying, I would advise you not to expect acceptances or even full requests. As Jane Friedman writes in this comprehensive article, you don’t live-pitch to secure an agent so much as you pitch to make an impression on the industry. That may sound like a waste of time, but if you’ve ever had a successful interview and then gotten references or job offers unrelated to that interview simply because the person you originally spoke with liked you so much, you’ll understand what this means.
You can expect polite rejections. I think you can also reasonably expect at least some interest in your work, whether or not that translates only to “send me your package based on my agency’s requirements” or better, “send me X amount of pages to this personal email because I’d love to get a good look at this!”
You may also expect some criticisms, or polite reasons why they think the pitch isn’t up to par. It’s important to remain professional throughout any uncomfortable moment like this. The agent is not saying something to be willfully mean (usually). They are trying to give you a leg up in future pitches. Try to hear what they’re saying, not just listen (maybe even take notes!) and be receptive. You don’t have to agree with or implement changes they suggest. But engaging in that conversation with a level of interested detachment may give the agent an even greater picture of how you’re capable of “playing the game” in a professional manner. And wouldn’t you be surprised if they said, “I loved talking with you, and though it isn’t my thing, I may know someone else who’d be interested”?
Nervous? Remember these things…
No matter how nervous you are, always remember that the pitch is SHORT. Between your adrenaline and the pitch itself and the agent’s questions, your slot will be up before you know it. If it helps, think of it like getting a shot at the doctor’s office — it’s over in a blink (and hopefully only stings a little bit).
At the same time, though (and particularly if you are nervous about the time constraint), the pitch session will be plenty long enough to say what needs to be said.
You can ALWAYS rely on notes or your query letter to help you out, especially if you start losing your thoughts.
Also, please remember that the agent is looking for authors just as much as you’re looking for an agent! These are people on the other side of the table or screen who are hoping and rooting for you just as much as you are hoping and rooting for yourself. They want to hear about your manuscript. They want to hear about you. They want to find the next book. It may feel like there’s an insurmountable power dynamic at play, but there isn’t. Remember, the agents aren’t great and mighty gatekeepers who make or break the literary world (even when it seems like it). They are hoping to be your partner-in-crime.
And finally, as is the mantra of all of us in the query trenches — It Only Takes One Yes!
Also check out my first post on querying, as well as my Instagram where I post tips and tricks, plus recommendations and funny reels!
Not to mention, Jane Friedman has an excellent article (as always) on pitching! I also personally used this article from literary agent and author, Eric Smith, and this video by book coach, Teresa Funke, to help me prepare.