Get a Literary Agent: The Complete Guide to Securing Representation for Your Work by Chuck Sambuchino Read Free Book Online Page A

have a book store, and you might also want to schmooze and make writer friends at the hotel bar. Occasionally these social events attract agents, but they’re also great places to meet writers who can give you referrals.
Do read other writers’ blog posts describing their experiences at conferences so you can get a better sense of how to best spend your time. Especially seek out writers who’ve met with agents at the conference in previous years.
Do seek out conferences that focus on your specialty, if applicable. There are specialty writers conferences for scribes of children’s books, thriller/mystery, romance, and Christian works.
Conference Don’ts
Don’t pass agents or editors any pages. Agents can’t carry around sample pages from all the writers they meet. They’d collapse from all that weight, and it would make their suitcase explode.
Don’t come in with a long, rambling pitch. Aim to discuss your book and yourself in ninety seconds.
Don’t skimp. Most conferences charge a base fee to attend, and then they charge for add-ons, including pitching to agents, receiving critiques, or seeing the evening keynote speaker. If you can swing it money-wise, take advantage of all aspects that you believe can help you. It’s worth money to be face to face with an agent.
Don’t be afraid to start conversations—whether with industry professionals or fellow scribes. Be bold, but use your best judgment. Don’t pitch an agent in the bathroom or interrupt someone’s conversation to step in and introduce yourself. Creating such an awkward moment will work against you.
Don’t monopolize an agent’s time. If you sit down at a table and an agent joins you and others, know that most if not all of the people next to you will want to chat with the agent. So be respectful, and do not dominate her attention for long periods of time. Hogging an agent’s time doesn’t make a good impression.
    To find writers conferences, start by consulting market resources such as Guide to Literary Agents and asking local writing groups if they sponsor annual events in the area. Also note that simply using Google is an underrated approach. Try Googling your regional area(s) and the words “writers conference,” and see what comes up. Just this moment, I searched for “Virginia writers conference” as a sample. Within the first two pages of search results, I turned up events in Roanoke, Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, and Richmond. Not bad at all.
    You’ll find that there are general writers conferences out there, as well as events that have a particular focus—such as children’s books (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators [SCBWI]), mystery writing (Mystery Writers of America [MWA]), romance (Romance Writers of America [RWA]), Christian writing, screenwriting, and journalism (Society of Professional Journalists [SPJ]).
    If you have a completed manuscript, look for an event that has not only a sizeable number of agents attending, but more specifically, a good amount of professionals seeking the genre/category you’re writing. Money should and will factor in, so make sure this specific conference will be worth it. If you attend a large conference and pay $600 to schmooze with twenty agents, it won’t be of much help if only one or two will consider that travel memoir you’ve composed.
    Remember that there are many events nationwide vying for your attendance, so take your time and choose wisely.
    LITERARY AGENT ROUNDUP
WRITERS CONFERENCE PITCHING TIPS
    “Relax. We are people, too, and we are there because we want to meet you and find someone to represent. Some conferences do a better job than others in preparing writers for these things, but just remember to be yourself. Act professionally, and remember: The more relaxed you can be about things, the better for both parties.”
    —Elisabeth Weed (Weed Literary)
    “Make sure I represent your genre to make the best use of your money and time. If you encounter an agent