Tips on delivering the perfect pitch to a publisher

During my last semester at RMIT, where I did my Associate Degree in Professional Writing & Editing, my classmates and I were offered the valuable opportunity of pitching our manuscripts to two major publishers: Penguin and Text. I thought I would share some thoughts about the experience to help other newbie authors who feel their manuscript is at this stage.
We were all nervous, yet excited. We were given two minutes each to get our pitches across and then a further couple of minutes for questions from the publishers. Not a lot, granted, but it’s amazing what you can get across in a short period of time if you know your stuff.
The biggest lesson I took away from the event was not to be concerned about a ‘poker face’ or lack of enthusiasm from the publishers. In most cases, their reactions will have no bearing on the quality of your delivery – they’re just concentrating on listening to your pitch and where it might fit within their publication list.
And if they don’t show interest, well, you just keep on trying. It’s not the end of the world, or the end of your writing career. Chalk it up as experience. And the more experience you have, the better you will get at representing your manuscript.
Some students managed to get themselves all het up, as if this was their one big chance – forget it! Look upon this as a stepping stone. I’ve got a binder with rejection letters that I’m proud of; it means I’m moving through the stages that all successful authors have been through before achieving success. If you’re expecting to nail it first time, you’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Go easy. It’s just the beginning.
I found that knowing your story inside-out is the key to confidence. Showing that you care about your characters and their stories is what’s going to come across in your delivery.
Quick Tips:
- remember this is a chance – not your only chance
- be brief: make a list of around 6 – 8 key points and stick to them
- open with genre, name of manuscript, name of protagonist
- focus on your pitch and not your perceptions of the publisher
- inject some humour into your delivery
- make eye contact
- show passion for your writing
- don’t expect to be perfect, it’s okay to stumble: you’re only human
- practise your pitch again and again until it rolls off your tongue
- practise in front of a mirror
- know your market and be able to name some comparison authors or books
- leave arrogance at home and don’t tell the publishers what to think
- say thank you for the opportunity
I also found this YouTube video: Make your pitch! 12 finalists pitch to big Hollywood live at the Napa Valley Film Festival. Enjoy!