PITCH, READ & CRITIQUE

If you’re wondering what an editor might think of your story, looking for some face-time with an agent to see if s/he might be a good fit to represent you, or craving some honest feedback on your writing from an industry professional, then you’ll want an appointment. PPWC offers registered attendees appointment opportunities at no additional charge! But appointments are limited and NOT guaranteed to every registrant. The earlier you register, the better your chances. Don’t miss out!

Prior to registering, figure out what kind of appointment(s) you want. Do your homework on the editors and agents who are taking appointments so you’re prepared to indicate your preferences on the PPWC registration form. You may sign up for one pitch appointment AND one Read & Critique appointment.

PITCH:

All Pitch appointments take place only on Saturday. Check your registration materials for your appointment card which includes your editor/agent and your appointment time. Turn this card and your pages into the session moderator when you arrive. Please arrive 10 minutes PRIOR to your appointment time and check in at the Appointment desk right outside of the Pitch room. A Pitch appointment is a SIX minute one-on-one meeting between you and an editor or agent where you pitch your manuscript. MANUSCRIPTS MUST BE COMPLETE. The goal is to determine if the editor or agent is the right fit for you and your work, and to hopefully get a “send it” if it is.

• Treat it like a job interview where you are both the interviewer and the interviewee. Dress to impress.
• Do your homework. Read up on the editors and agents who are taking appointments and make sure you’re a good fit for their house or agency.
• Know where your manuscript fits into the marketplace.
• Be able to summarize your project in a one sentence “logline.”
• Practice. The best pitchers have practiced talking about their projects and answering questions the editors and agents are likely to ask. (We encourage those with pitch appointments to attend our SPEED PITCH session on Friday to help hone their pitches.)

If you decide that you don’t want your appointment, PLEASE take your card to the Appointment Desk and turn it in so that we can give your slot to another attendee who may not have received an appointment. You cannot reassign it yourself by giving it to a friend.

R&C:

All R&C appointments take place only on Friday. Check your registration materials for your appointment card which includes your R&C type, session time and position. Turn this card and your pages into the session moderator when you arrive. Speaking of that, arrive five minutes early for the session and plan to stay the entire time because you can learn more about the folks critiquing your material by listening to what they say about other samples. A designated reader will read your first page aloud. You remain anonymous unless you otherwise want to self-identify. An agent, an editor, and a published author will offer their thoughts and suggestions. You need FOUR copies of your properly-formatted first page. (Click HERE for information on proper format.)

Open to all attendees to observe.