Maybe you’ve heard word of the Book Doctors and their Pitchapalooza. Maybe you’ve had the joy of seeing it live yourself at past James River Writers Conferences. The concept of presenting your elevator pitch to a panel of book marketing experts in front of a live audience might sound intimidating, but once you know Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, co-founders of The Book Doctors, you can see how educational and entertaining the experience can be.
Recently, local author and JRW board member Erica Orloff had the chance to chat with Arielle and David. Here’s a sneak peak of their conversation:
Question 1: For newbie conference attendees, what do you think should be the “plan of attack” when attending a writing conference?
The primary reason to come to JRW is to learn and to connect with other writers, not to self-promote. A lot of people come to do the latter and they turn their fellow attendees and agents/editors off. That said, come with your pitch for your book down pat (both a one sentence and one minute version) so that if you’re asked about it, you are comfortable talking about it. Talk to as many people as you can. If you get some time with a professional, ask them about themselves and what advice they have. If you sign up for one-on-one sessions, make sure to do your research beforehand. For one, you want to be sure you’ve signed up with someone who represents books like yours. And two, it’s nice to show an agent you’ve done your homework.More
