March 29th 2014 Southeast Chapter Missouri Writers' Guild Meeting Minutes
All in attendance were welcomed and guests and new members
acknowledged. A reminder was given regarding the mini-conference and the date
of the event was announced as July 19, 2014 at the Cape Girardeau Public
Library. A signup sheet was passed around for position openings to assist in
the conference. Kudos were given to Steve Duniphan for his submission making
the front page of the Banner Press. A copy was passed around to be shared.
The Basket Wars items donated were placed on a table before the
group and an opener line or writing prompt for items displayed were requested
to be included among the contents of the basket
The guest speaker, Brad Cook, was introduced. He is a writer/consultant,
and the 2014 president of the St. Louis Writer' Guild. Brad's personal genre
favorite is historical fiction and he is the author of a blog found at www.thewriterslens.com.
In addition, Brad recently joined Blank Slate Press, a St. Louis based
publishing company. The subject of pitching was presented.
Mr. Cook stated that he has yet to have a pitch he's presented
to be turned down and he submitted to the group his top requirements to achieve
a perfect pitch.
1. The hook - do not use your work's first line.
2. Prepare an elevator pitch - 25-50 words encapsulating
your entire work. Focus on the main theme and be sure to write it out. Create a
"log line," which is a comparison of your work (i.e., Harry Potter
meets Hunger Games), also known as "The Hollywood Pitch." It is
recommended that you do some research on the agent/publisher you plan to pitch
to, and then carve your Hollywood pitch in a genre the publisher/agent
represents.
3. Is your work complete? Agents prefer that your work is
complete. If your project has more than six months worth of work until
complete, do not pitch.
4. Word count. Know your count and mention this
information in your pitch.
5. Genre. Ensure that your genre is mentioned.
6. Main character must be mentioned.
7. Main plot should be revealed and possibly one subplot.
8. There is no need to have amazing credentials. Anyone
can write - it's about the story and why you are the right person to write the
story.
9. Get rid of generalities and clichés. Focus instead on
why your story differs, not why it's similar.
10. If your piece is fiction, focus on the story. If
nonfiction, focus on you, the writer—why are you the one to write this book?
What’s your expertise? What do you plan to do after your book is finished
(i.e., speaking engagements, support groups, etc.)?
11. Practice, practice, practice in an engaging,
conversational manner. Do not read from a paper.
12. What do you do during the actual pitch?
a. Do not use all
your time, only use half so the agent can ask questions. Always expect the
"gotcha question."
b. Do not ramble;
time is too precious to waste.
c. Accept when
your time has expired. Just stop.
d. Do not expect
the agent to take anything from you. Feel free to place the first page of your
piece in front of you. The agent may be compelled to at least read your first
line. This could make or break the pitch.
e. Be
positive—sell yourself. "Fake it ’til you make it!"
In closing, Brad reminded of the most important fact—rejection
is not about YOU, personally. It is always about your writing and/or the
industry. It just may not be time, which is out of your control. Additionally,
Brad stated he firmly believes that pitching is the best way to be picked up by
an agent. Your name and face connected to your book has a valuable impact. The
agent is there looking for a book, and remember, you're there with a book and
that is a very beautiful thing.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m. for pitching practice by
those in attendance.
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