I haven't talked about this for a while, but after the last 4 conferences since June, it seemed like the right time to bring it up. It is actually something that I discussed with editor Leah Hultenschmidt early on when I started Greyhaus. We were talking about the number of authors who pitch to us and the number who actually submit their stories to us. I had noted, at that time, how shocked I was at how many never submitted their stories after I had requested more material. Leah had thrown out a percentage (which of course I cannot remember now) that was staggeringly high, that she had actually tracked that never do submit after pitches.
Well that number still continues today. And that, my friends, is a shame on several levels.
First, I think about the fact that so many authors fight for chances to talk to editors and agents, or at least they say so on social media and with their friends. Here is their chance to get their story in front of the eyes of someone who can make their career! Wow! They spend hours practicing that "elevator pitch" so when they meet them in a lobby, or are sitting at a table during a luncheon and are asked about their story, they can tell them all about it and get that request. This is their chance.
And yet... they don't follow through. Let's talk first about the elevator pitch people. They avoid the editors and agents like the plague. "Oh, I can't bug them,'" they now say when given the chance, even though the editors and agents will say on their social media and on editor and agent panels, "come talk to us." At those luncheons, they don't invite the editors and agents. Only after they sit down at a table, will someone then say, "hey why don't you now pick up all of your things and come over and sit with us." Thanks for the after thought.
Now to another level. These authors signed up for a pitch session and are not ready to submit, or THEN they find out more about the editor or agent and decide not to submit. This, I am sorry to say, is not cool. You just took up a slot for someone who did want that slot and who was ready to pitch. You should have done your research and you should have been ready.
But let me turn the tables and let me give you a view from an agent's side of things. We are looking for specific things. You sit down and pitch us a story that we are looking for at that moment. Maybe I just talked to an editor who told me to go and find something. I will tell you (HINT GEORGIA ROMANCE WRITERS) editors tell me to look for certain things and if I hear something, I will request a project because the editor wanted it. I you wait, I can promise you, that slot the editor had open is probably gone by now. Think of it this way. Have you ever seen someone post on social media of tickets to an event. You, however, decide to wait until you get home to discuss it with your significant other. Of course, when you do get around to reaching out about the tickets, they are long gone. Why? You waited.
OK, here is the last piece of the puzzle. It comes down to professionalism. If you change your mind, that is fine. Just let us know. At all four of the conferences, I listened to stories where I said I liked some things but I asked if they were either open to some things, or had some additional questions. What I told them to do was to submit the stories and in the email, let me know their thoughts. If they decided to stick with what they wanted to do, or if they decided to pass, just let me know and their would be no hard feelings. I just needed to know so I could "close the file" so to speak, on my end.
Have I heard? No.
Editor Adrienne Macintosh sat with me on a panel recently and said something I think all of us say. We are not out to say no to projects. We WANT TO ACQUIRE! We ARE LOOKING for your stories. We WANT to work with you.
But we can't if we don't hear from you!
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