Speaking of pitching...

There's such thing as Twitter pitching! It's completely difference than your query, verbal pitch, etc. It can be similar to your hook though or a quick one liner. And no, you can't just send Twitter pitches to agents whenever you feel like it. That's not what Twitter is used for. But developing a Twitter pitch "just in case" is great practice for you to look at your ms differently. If forced to use 134 characters (minus six for the hashtag and space), can you describe your ms better than using 300 words? I bet you can, and you'd be amazed at how much information you can convey.

Keep all the same info in mind as you would when constructing a query or verbal pitch. You need character (with the "why we should care" in there too) and conflict. But in 134 characters.

For example, if I were to pitch whatever book in sitting on my desk, which happens to be Cinder by Marissa Meyer (it should be on my bookshelf, but it's too pretty to put away), it might look something like this:

#WVTP In a steampunk twist, Cinderella, a cyborg mechanic, catches the prince's attention; only she can save him from the evil moon queen

(Give me a break, I came up with it in two seconds)

You'll notice I'm not using chat speak. I consider it cheating, so steer clear as much as possible.

Here's a great post about constructing your Twitter pitch (more in depth than I'm getting), with links to more help in the post. I think I might have broken like five of her rules--especially with the vagueness.

And what is this #WVTP you might ask? Apparently you haven't been on Twitter lately. If you've seen anything about The Writer's Voice that was going on all this month, this is a related event. Tomorrow (Thursday) you can pitch via Twitter using this hashtag (which stands for Writer's Voice Twitter Pitch). If one of the lurking agents (myself included) likes your pitch, we will request it. If you get two or more requests, you get to choose one of us to submit to (a twist on The Voice).

Find out more info here on one of The Writer's Voice contest coaches, Brenda Drake's blog (including time the pitching opens and closes--so if you do it wrong, I know you didn't actually read it) as well as which agents you can expect to see lurking.

What's the point of Twitter Pitching rather than querying? Well, you can certainly query. But this is fun! Plus, it gives you a chance to try out Twitter pitching, hooks, one-liners, etc. If you don't get any bites, you know your pitch needs work. If you get a bite, you know you have something great. Instant gratification of sorts.

Otherwise, just come and hang out at the hashtag (if you don't think about it too hard, it doesn't sound so nerdy). Us agents might be flinging poo--er, trash talk--around.

(PS, no Wednesday Reads this week. I'm pacing myself since I'm reading less lately. June is still scheduled as a hiatus month, so no Wednesday Reads then either--I'll have one more Reads for you before I go on break though)

For a little (more) fun, and practice, Twitter pitch me your favorite book (not your own) in the comments. Let's see if yours is better than my Cinder pitch--and I welcome Cinder pitches too. Show up the agent!

Happy pitching!

What I've learned from Blogging

My blog has been up for about a year and a half now, but since it's the new year I thought it was about time I actually talk about my experience and what I hope others gain by blogging themselves.

I started blogging when I was still an intern. Everyone was talking about how important platform is, and just as many people refused to do it. It was too hard, they said. I don't need to know when people are going to the bathroom, others said. And some, like me, didn't like the dependence on technology (I still don't). So, lowly, wide-eyed intern that I was, I decided to give it a try. So I could say, "if I can do it, you can do it."

I opened a Twitter account and started my blog. It was rocky at first, but I found my footing easily. My biggest surprise though: it was fun. People on Twitter rock. It's not like Facebook in which you talk about yourself and tag pictures of friends. Everyone on Twitter--at least the publishing sector--is in Twitter for networking reasons. And that's how I use it. Likewise to blogging.

So here's a quick list of things I've learned from blogging:

• Pictures are fun, but use few and keep them relevant
• Bulletpoints are a great way to convey info fast and effectively
• Keep your posts short--aim for 300 hundred words until you hit your stride
• Have a common theme (mine was wide-eyed publishing beginner talking about new things as she learns them--to an extent, it still is)
• You'll always be surprised by which blog posts become favorites--mine is a post on how to format your ms so it looks pretty on an e-reader (and in general). Another is about death. Who knew?
• Target your blog to your audience. Go to where your audience is and advertise your blog there
• Twitter is a fast and effective way to advertise your blog
• Connect with other blogs similar to yours. Interact with them with insightful--not self-centered--comments. If you're around enough, people will recognize your name and flock to your blog
• Contests have a way of getting people irrationally excited--it reminds me of college when events advertised "free food"--guaranteed to get people in the door (I haven't done contests on my blog but it's always a future option).
• Do not use your blog as a place to complain. More than one author recently has lost chops because of a hot temper.
• Do not only talk about yourself--remember, you're writing for other people, not just yourself
• Give yourself opportunities to learn from your readers; ask questions
• It's easy to tell in a query when someone has actually done their research. My blog is linked in my bio on the agency website--if a querier says they saw my bio but doesn't mention my blog, pretty sure they didn't do their homework properly. If someone mentions they like my blog but no specifics, they might be trying to take a shortcut (I will give them the benefit of the doubt half the time). I pay better attention to those who actually know what they're talking about--we already have a connection and that makes me pay a little more attention. It's my shortcut through the slushpile, if you will.
• Keep your writing blog up to date, especially if you link it in your query--if I have time and feel like it, I will check your blog out. And it does help tip the scales to a request or rejection. Agents are looking for writers who stick to their decisions and follow through.

For the rest of January, I'll be starting a monthly topic. January's topic: QUERIES. I'm starting with the basics and going step by slow step. And I'm going to see if we can have some fun at it too.

Happy writing!

Authornomics and more!!!

The Andrea Hurst and Associates blog will be continuing its Authornomics series. Every Monday, read a new interview from editors, agents, authors, and other publishing know-how professionals. Get insight, advice, and every so often you might just be able to win a prize.
See the agency blog here. See the schedule for upcoming Authornomics interviews here.

If you're local to the NW, you won't want to miss classes, presentations, and retreat opportunities presented by Andrea Hurst and Associates, Whidbey Island Writer's Association, and other fantastic opportunities. They're always updated on the agency website here, and you can also see upcoming events on the blog sidebar here.

See what else Andrea Hurst and Associates can help you with here; craft, marketing, consults.

And don't forget to read about the agents at the agency here. And, yes! we're on Twitter too! Follow Gordon Warnock and Andrea Hurst. Follow me too! Get me to 1000 followers and there might be something in it for you...

Friday Realizations

The wind blew me a little off course this week.  I had a deadline in no way relating to my training/interning, and, therefore, I'm incredibly behind.  I finished my Indexing course today (whew, finally!), and can return to the Slush Mountain of queries and partials.  The wind is blowing steady now, and I can get back to work.

And in case you are wondering, "Navigating" comes from my love of sailing, hence the (not terribly creative) wind metaphors today.  Writers translate their hobbies into their writing, all I could do with mine was come up with a snazzy title.

What I've learned this week in publishing (things you have to learn by doing, not reading blog posts or news articles):

1.  I'm suddenly a huge fan of the acknowledgments page in novels.  I used to ignore them; they never made any sense to me.  But now, I know some of the names of the agents and editors.  The ones I don't know, I go look up.  Besides that, this little page can tell you a lot about an author.  My favorite authors based solely on their acknowledgments pages: John Green, Libba Bray.  Green uses tiny, tiny print.  Bray acknowledges everyone under the sun (four four and a half pages) and I can only guess at the meanings in more than half of them.  Good insight into the craziness that lives in the most creative minds.

2.  Twitter makes me feel really popular.  It's like walking down the hallway in high school.  The more people you know, the cooler you are.  At this point, my follower count indicates that I'm still the awkward introvert who is determined to be Prom Queen.  Slowly but surely.  I see the shiny crown on the horizon.

3.  I guess number three is going to be something I wanted to learn this week, but didn't.  Perhaps you (my reader) can help me out here.  How do I get my readers (you) more involved with my blog?  I'm not some big publishing giant, I'm not unapproachable, I don't have vast stores of wisdom.  I'd like my blog to be a "safe place" for questions and answers: a conversation.  So tell me, what would you (the reader, still with me?) like to see in future blog posts?

Happy writing! (and enjoy the long weekend!)

Friday Realizations

Probably nothing too profound, but what I've discovered, or at least rediscovered, is that Agents are cool.  Which is a comforting thought considering I'll be entering training soon to become one of the elite (I'd like a red cape that sparkles please).

What brought me to this realization you might ask?  Looking at Twitter and Blogs, it's amazing how many authors and other agents follow and respond to agents.  They are revered.  But they are also just people.  We (preemptive use of the collective plural?  I hope not) have fears and make mistakes like anyone else.  But we also have hopes and dreams too. 

The coolest thing, is that agents are in this publishing game just the same as authors.  We want your book to succeed.  Every time we open a query, we think "This could be it."  It's not so much for financial gain (I mean come on, if I were in it for that I would have followed my father's advice to become a nurse and marry a wealthy doctor), so much for the love and passion for books.  I want to help an author realize his/her dream.  I want to walk into a bookstore, point to a book with the most striking cover, and say "I worked behind the scenes to make that book a reality."

All these really cool and not so profound realizations made me stop this morning and think, "I'm going to have a career!"  In publishing!  I graduated college exactly five months ago, and here I am, on my path, a path I hadn't even considered five months ago.  So, that's me, navigating this world that at one point makes all the sense in the world to me, and another is completely alien and foreign. 

Have a great weekend everybody, and happy writing!

Learning More

I love being a newbie in this business.  Everyone is so friendly and so helpful.  A few weeks ago at the PNWA conference, everyone who found out I was going to be an agent one day congratulated me on it and (besides telling me how hard a job it is) said how much fun it was going to be.

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I'm new to all of this: blogging, tweeting, essentially using the internet for social networking besides facebook and email.  The person that has been most helpful in this is Katie Flanagan, another intern at Andrea Hurst Literary Management.  She encouraged me to start my blog, was my first follower (yay! followers!), and helped me set up Twitter.  And now I've learned that you can generate more publicity by holding contests.  Contests!

Check out her blog and twitter for more information: http://katieflanagan.wordpress.com/

Is there no end to what blogging can do?

While I'm on this soap box about how great learning is, I'd like to repeat part of my blog from yesterday.  Read the blogs!  I am, and as an intern and future agent that will control you life (cue evil laugh), knowledgeable about everything.  I am all powerful and wise...  Ok, I've recently learned I am not.  Queries for example, I've read a good five thousand of them in my four months at the agency (I didn't count but I wouldn't be surprised if it were more and I really don't think I'm exaggerating).  I thought I knew what to look for.  I could certainly spot a good query when I saw one.  Well, ready to learn more?  Check out Query Shark, a great resource for learning how to fine tune your query and get past the first hurdle: http://queryshark.blogspot.com/

What else have I learned lately... O yes, the best thing in life is taking my pencil, a manuscript, and working on my tan in our beautiful summer weather.  So, go learn things, get away from the computer for an hour, and soak up some Vitamin D.  Happy writing everyone.