by Jann Audiss
As the excitement of the 2012 RWA National Conference starts to wane, I pose this question to conference attendees who pitched: what are you going to do now?
The buzz going around at the conference from individuals who pitched was that the editors and agents were voracious. They wanted everything from partials to fulls. On the other hand, we also have heard editors and agents say that they only receive about ten percent of the manuscripts they request.
You took the first step by gathering the courage to pitch. Are you ready to take the next and send it?
The next 30 days are so important. It may require you to be selfish with your time. Ask for support and understanding from your family. Let them handle some of those pesky day to day chores and events (dinner, laundry, social engagements) so you can carve out the necessary time to edit and polish your pages. Put your critique group or whoever reads your manuscripts on notice that you might need an emergency read session or emotional support. This is what you’ve longed for – to have an editor or agent read your manuscript. Then send the darn thing! Don’t let this moment pass you by.
If you have a WIP but were not in a position to pitch, I’m going to assume that your goal at conference was to go to as many workshops as possible to hone your craft, to see how to raise the stakes in your plot, fix that sagging middle, add more sexual tension, etc. The conference workshop schedule had something for everyone. So, I’m going to ask you the same question – what are you going to do now?
Take what you gathered from conference and apply it to your manuscript. Put a plan in motion, do whatever it takes to get that WIP completed, because in just eight months you’ll have the opportunity to attend the SoCal Chapters 2013 Conference in Santa Ana and pitch to editors and agents.
Don’t let grass grow under your feet and miss this opportunity that will be in your own backyard March 15-17, 2013. Stay tuned for conference update.
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Author Details
A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers.
The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
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A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers.
The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
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It was a great conference, wasn't it? 🙂 The best part about it for me was not only all the seriously great workshops on self-publishing, but by the end of the conference I'd answered the question – what are you really good at and really enjoy?
The answer to that question should help people decide what path will work best for them. And now I know that self-publishing is definitely the way to go for me. All the legal talk and accounting info and discussions on ISBNs made me excited and gave me energy, a sure sign it's a good path for me.
So I've come home to work through all those to-do lists I already had, and add to them all the new business stuff I learned. I'm signed up for two business of publishing webinars in August and plan to join the Independent Book Publishers Association. I'm totally stoked!
Only 10%? Wow, that's incredible! I'd believe that must be so low because of other groups, because what I see at OCC is so amazing. So many people got requests, and are ready to send. I'll be getting mine into those agents and editors e-mails over the next few weeks. Partials first, then fulls! See you next week!