BEA/Writer's Digest Writers Conference

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, animals both domesticated and wild, it hurts to be dead. I can feel myself rot ...

I've decided to attend the BookExpo America Writer's Digest Books Writers Conference at the Javits Center in NYC on May, 27th. Besides the numerous workshops, the conference boasts what is called an Agent Pitch Slam, which is nothing more than speed dating for writers. You get a few minutes to pitch your book to as many agents within two hours.

Because I've never attended an Agent Pitch Slam before, and because I couldn't sell water to a man on fire, I've been struggling to find the best way to attack this shindig and to sell my story the way it should be sold (wait a sec ... isn't that the purpose of getting an agent in the first place? Ohh, the paradox!) For starters, I've been researching all of the agents that will be attending and have narrowed my focus to about twelve that I think would best be interested in my work. I want to go to the conference knowing who exactly I want to see.

I've also been polishing my query letter, reading countless blogs on the do's and don'ts of writing query letters, working on a synopsis, reading more blogs on the do's and don'ts of writing a synopsis, polishing my manuscript ... and repeating this process to the point my head (or perhaps it's the room) is spinning.

All for the hope that one agent will say, "Sure, you can follow me on Twitter."

Ah well ... At the very least I should take away from this conference some additional knowledge about the industry, and I'll be sure to share my experience with you, Dear Reader.

Later Fiends,

Posted in: BookExpo America,Pitch Slam,Writer's Digest,Writers Conferences