Pitching Information
At the June 2025 conference, we will offer one-on-one pitches for both virtual and in-person registrants at the great price of $40 per pitch.
Here are the bios for:
Agents and editors taking in-person pitches
Agents and editors taking virtual pitches
About Pitches
Pitches will take place one-on-one with your selected agent(s) or editor(s) in person at the conference or, for virtual attendees, in Zoom breakout rooms. You will have 8-10 minutes for your pitch. After May 10, in-person attendees (after June 1 for virtual attendees) will be contacted to schedule their time slot(s) for pitching during the conference: Monday and Tuesday, June 23 and 24, for virtual attendees or Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, for in-person pitches.
Some Suggestions to Make Your Pitch Time a Success
1. Do your homework. Learn what you can about the agent or editor you are meeting with and understand what s/he represents or publishes. It is also good to know your own work, what recent publications like it are out there, and how yours is different or fills a niche.
2. Be professional. Conference attire is typically casual business wear.
3. Be friendly and polite. Smile and offer your name. Make eye contact with the camera or person and speak clearly. For virtual attendees, test your audio and video before the session.
4. Relax. Take a few deep breaths and smile before you go to the session. It will relax you. Have fun!
5. For pitches, start with your premise/high concept/pitch. The elevator pitch comes from Hollywood and as such can seem anathema to the novel writer: “A small boy sees dead people”; “A self-centered young woman grows strong as she struggles to keep her family’s plantation through the Civil War and Reconstruction.” These are examples you might recognize from popular culture. You can start with something like this and then expound a bit, but it’s best not to go over five minutes. Leave time for the agent or editor to ask any questions s/he may have.
Agents and editors at the Historical Novel Society Conference often ask, “Why does everyone here start with their time/place?” This is sometimes what we think of first, having immersed ourselves in these places for so long. But consider catching your agent or editor’s attention first with the universal problem(s) of your characters that may make them interesting.
Nonetheless, for historical novels, it’s probably a good idea to mention time and place. You might also mention your subgenre, such as action/adventure, mystery, or romance, and whether you are incorporating real historical characters, especially if they’re well-known.
6. If it will help your pitch, mention something about your qualifications to write this tale: degrees, other publications, or experience.
7. Be prepared to continue talking after your pitch, focusing on what excites you about the story. Be coherent. Use note cards if necessary. Be ready to share your manuscript’s word count.
8. Don’t plan on distributing your manuscript at the meeting. If an agent or editor is interested, they will ask you to send a few chapters or more and give you an email or snail-mail address. This is good. It means you can put “requested material” on the envelope or in the subject line of your email message and bypass the slush pile.
9. Make lemonade out of lemons. If your agent/editor isn’t enthusiastic about your pitch, use your remaining time to learn the name of someone they know who might react differently or inquire about what they’re interested in. It’s your time. Don’t waste it.
10. End the right way. Finish your thought when you’re told your time is up, part cordially, and move on. Afterward, jot down a few notes to jog your memory about revisions to your query letter, addresses, or material requested. This is particularly important if you’re seeing more than one agent/editor as meetings might blur together.
11. If you’re offered representation by an agent who has read your material, be sure to ask about the agency’s contract. Reputable agents will offer authors a contract that addresses all aspects of the agent/author relationship. Contracts offered by editors will spell out all terms of publication. It’s always prudent to have the contract reviewed by an attorney or other knowledgeable person. If you’re a member of the Authors Guild, their legal department will review your contract at no charge.