Friends & Family in the Path of the Hurricane
I know I have readers from all over the world who visit/read this blog regularly. Today I ask if you can take a few minutes and remember in prayer those in Louisiana who are about to be hit by hurricane Gustav. I have family in Baton Rouge, Belle Chasse, Natchitoches, and Shreveport who are all battening down the hatches in preparation for the storm, which looks like it may still be at Category 2 strength when it goes over Baton Rouge. I also have friends throughout the state, and while I haven’t heard whether they’re evacuating or are riding out the storm wherever they are, I don’t want to forget them either.
So please pray for our friends and family in the Gulf Coast region as this storm bears down on them tonight that the damage will be minimal and the recovery afterward swift.
Fun Friday–Favorite Fantasy Series/Movies
The winner of this week’s critique is Alexandra R. Congrats, Ally!
“Still round the corner there may wait,
a new road or a secret gate.”
~J. R. R. Tolkien
My definition of fantasy is slightly different from AFI’s based on some of the movies they had listed as fantasy instead of SciFi. As a writer, I believe that all storytelling is an exercise in fantasy. But there are storytellers who take it further and make up their own settings and give us characters with special abilities or supernatural talents. So here are my favorites—again, combining TV and movies:
5. LOST (2004–2010, ABC Studios)
Starring Naveen Andrews, Matthew Fox, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Evangeline Lilly, Terry O’Quinn, Michael Emerson, Elizabeth Mitchell, Henry Ian Cusick, and many more. This is why I had to include TV in this topic—because this is my favorite TV series of all time. Why is it fantasy? Well, if you watched the end of the fourth season, you’d know why this now falls firmly in the realm of fantasy.
4. The Mummy/The Mummy Returns (1999, 2001, Universal Pictures)
Starring Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, Rachel Weisz, Oded Fehr, and Arnold Vosloo. Not being a fan of horror/thriller movies, I waited to see the first one of these films until it came out on DVD—so that I could stop it if it got too scary for me. Of course, I felt pretty silly for thinking that once I actually watched it. Brendan Fraser plays Brendan Fraser in this film that’s almost a send-up of the adventurer/treasure-hunter films of the 1930s/40s. The dialogue is witty and snappy (and occasionally a bit melodramatic, but in a good way), and the graphics are pretty good until we get to the end of the second movie and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appears as a poorly computer-generated scorpion/man hybrid monster. But in a way, it just adds to the fun. I can’t rightly add the third film (Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) to this list, because even though it’s a fun movie to watch, it just doesn’t match these two for entertainment value (and Oded Fehr isn’t in it).
3. Ladyhawke (1985, Fox).
Starring Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeifer, and Matthew Broderick. I’ve mentioned this film twice before on the blog: once on Favorite Medieval Movies and once on Best On-Screen Kisses. I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it as a teenager. Typically, if I heard “Matthew Broderick in a medieval-fantasy movie,” I would laugh and pass on by. But with the gravitas brought to the roles of Navarre and Isabeau by Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeifer, Matthew Broderick’s character (Mouse) brings a much-needed comic relief to the story. Though the music has not aged well, this is a classic for the ages.
2. The Harry Potter Series (2001–2011, Warner Bros.)
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Gary Oldman, and many, many more. I love the books. I love the movies. That doesn’t usually happen. Typically, I’ll either like the book better than the movie (like with Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games) or I’ll like the movie better than the book (like with Michael Crichton’s Timeline). But with the Harry Potter series, I anticipate each film’s release because they are so well-done. Even when the movie deviates from the books, it isn’t as bothersome as it could be (as it is with adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels), mostly because it’s just so wonderful to see Rowling’s fantastic world brought to life. The movies are like checking in to make sure that as I read the books, I’m picturing everything and everyone properly. I know there’s a lot of controversy over these books in Christian circles, but I have to defend the powerful message of good versus evil, and the theme that no living person can become more powerful than death no matter how much magic he possesses. The sixth film (Half-Blood Prince) was originally scheduled for this November, but apparently they decided it could make more money as a summer release, so it’s been pushed back to summer 2009:
1. Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003, NewLine Cinema)
Starring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Sean Bean, David Wenham, KARL URBAN, Miranda Otto, Liv Tyler, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, and a cast of hundreds. Though I had a really hard time reading the books, filmmaker Peter Jackson’s take on Tolkien’s classic trilogy is, in my opinion, the best fantasy movies that have ever been made.
Jennifer Johnson says, “Prepare to Be Blessed!”
Hello, Faithful Kaye Dacus Blog Readers! I am thrilled to share some of my feelings on the spiritual aspects of the ACFW conference.
First, prepare to be blessed!
I don’t know how He’ll touch you. I don’t know where He’ll touch you. God knows, and He is not stingy with His blessings. He may touch your heart in worship. He may tickle your soul at a meal. He may whisper in your ear in the quiet of your hotel room. He may even nudge your spirit in the confines of a public restroom with other attendees all around. Isn’t it amazing that God can touch us anywhere! With so many men and women longing to do his will and fellowshipping in one place, He Will Bless You!
“But Jennifer, how do I prepare for this blessing?”
Give up on your will!
It’s a simple as that.
“That’s not simple!”
Yes, it is! Once I truly surrendered my whole being, my every desire, my yearnings, my cravings, my lusts to Him, it was that simple.
Now, am I saying to not prepare? Am I suggesting you not purchase a new outfit or get some new nail tips or a new trim on the locks if you can? Am I implying you should go without one-liners and business cards and all that jazz?
Well, heavens NO! Being prepared really has little to do with the will of a person. I get up each morning, get bodily ready for school (I’m a teacher), and make sure my lessons are prepared so that I can teach my students. But I allow God to nudge my heart when I see a child needs an extra word, allow Him to show me if my class needs a different route, and so on. I am always ready, but He, my Abba, holds my will.
Allow Him to have control of your will.
I’ll share a couple little stories with you. I attended the first conference, then ACRW, in 2001. I went expecting to “wow” editors with my story. I was excited, but I was prepared. God had told me I would see my words in print. I believed Him, and I believed He would do His work at that conference. While there, God used the book of Esther in my own personal quiet time to show me that I still had some beauty treatments (lessons in humility and faith) that needed to be applied before I could go before the king (be published).
Talk about a big, fat bummer!
Three years later…I think it was three, maybe it was two…I could get up and look, but nah, I’m too wrapped up in the writing. Anyway, I went to the conference again. This time my spirit was broken. I’d received rejection after rejection. I was a wife and mom (to three very active, exhausting, but wonderful girls). I was a fulltime student, trying to become a teacher, and writing…well, I didn’t have time for it and it was getting me nowhere.
I begged God to take the desire away from me. I cried at the meetings, fought through the worship services, sobbed in the prayer room. I told God to take it away. Just take away the desire. Take away my wants. Take “me” away.
And the last request was what He did.
I can’t fully describe it. Me, a writer, cannot explain in words the transformation God did within my spirit. I was truly no longer my own. I had been bought with a price. And I belonged heart, body, mind, soul, and fingertips-on-the-keyboard to Him.
It was at that conference, in the midst of my utter brokenness, that God brought Cathy Marie Hake to me. She’d asked Jim Peterson at Heartsong Presents if there was an almost-ready-for-publication author whom she could mentor. He sent her to me. Within months, I had my first contract. Two days, yes, two days later, I received an additional contract for a novella that had been proposed nearly two years before. Two contracts in two days.
Amazing, isn’t He!
So, what can you expect spiritually at the conference?
Expect GOD! Oh, sweet brother and sister, EXPECT AND ACCEPT GOD!
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JENNIFER JOHNSON is married to the world’s most amazing, supportive man, Albert. They are the proud parents of the three loveliest young ladies on the planet, Brooke, Hayley, and Allie. Jennifer enjoys being a 7th grade language arts teacher, where she learns as much from the kids as they learn from her. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and loves to read, write, and figure her checkbook – when the numbers match. Blessed beyond measure by her heavenly Father, Jennifer hopes to always think like a child – bigger than she can imagine and with complete faith. She invites you to stop by and see her at http://jenniferjohnsonbooks.com.
Taking Care of “God Appointments” with Lena Nelson Dooley
We can plan what classes we want to take, what editors or agents we want an appointment with, even whom we want to have a paid critique with. But one thing you can’t plan are the “God appointments.”
What are they, you ask? They come in many places and with unexpected people.
If you have never met your roommate, that’s one of your God appointments. No matter how you became connected with this person, it was orchestrated by your loving Father. I’ve made some very good friends through rooming with someone I didn’t know, or didn’t know very well. Look for His hand on the time you spend together.
Some of my best God appointments have been in the hotel lobby. Are you shy? Let God show you how to reach out to other ACFW members you’d like to get to know. Laugh together, chat together, and include others in your circle.
God appointments can be with the people who sit next to you in the main sessions or in workshops. Get to know the people you’re spending time with. More possible good friends.
Some deep, spiritual God appointments happen in the prayer room. Perhaps you praying for someone else. Or someone praying for you. Connections that will last through eternity are made in the prayer room.
I know you’re more interested in God appointments with editors and agents, and there are plenty of them around. I mean in addition to those on the schedule.
You might ride the elevator with an editor who asks you, “So what do you write?” Be prepared to give a very brief synopsis for a book. You never know. That person might ask you to send a proposal.
Standing in the hall, perhaps in a line, you could meet an editor or agent. Here’s a tip. Show an interest in that person. Ask polite questions. You might become friends with an editor or agent who never handles any of your work, but that still a bonus.
MAJOR CAUTION: You’ve already heard this before, but it’s very important. Don’t intrude on an editor or agent in their private time. The conference is tiring for them, too. Give them space. I don’t really have to mention the stall, do I?
God may even give you an unexpected appointment with the keynote speaker. He’s done that for me a few times. What a blessing!
Before you leave for conference, spend time with the Lord asking Him to make you aware of any appointments He has planned for you when they happen. He’ll open your eyes to them if you let Him.
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LENA NELSON DOOLEY lives in Hurst, Texas with her husband, James, and enjoys her two daughters and her grandchildren. Aside from writing, Lena has been a speaker to women’s groups and retreats, as well as writing seminars and conferences. Lena appreciates any opportunity to spread the gospel through missions work and writing. Learn more about Lena at her website: www.LenaNelsonDooley.com.
The Scoop on Pitching, by Virginia Smith
The ACFW conference is almost here! At my house I’ve started the Countdown to Minneapolis, and I’m already assembling all the important stuff I don’t want to forget – clothes, camera, book money, earplugs (for my roommate – I snore), and a couple of Sharpies. (Why Sharpies? I have no idea, but several years ago Camy Tang told me she always brings them to conferences, so I make sure I have a couple in my bag.) Of course, since I’m hoping to interest an editor or two in my new book project, I’m also assembling my one sheets, business cards, and my 30 second elevator pitch.
What? You don’t have a 30 second elevator pitch for your book? Well, it’s a good thing we’re catching this early. My dear, you simply must have one!
In today’s tough publishing environment, many publishers no longer accept unsolicited or unagented manuscripts. Naturally, this is discouraging for a writer with a book that’s ready for publication. But here’s the good news: if you pitch your book to an editor or agent at a writer’s conference and receive an invitation to submit, your book is no longer unsolicited. See why the pitch is important? It could be your foot in the door.
What is the 30 second elevator pitch? Simply stated, it’s an intriguing sentence or two about your book designed to snag the interest of an editor or agent. (If you need help crafting your pitch, I’ll refer you Brandilyn Collins’ blog post “Creating a Pitch for Your Book” here: http://forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/2005/08/creating-pitch-for-your-book.html.)
Assuming you’ve developed a terrific pitch, let’s talk about how you can make the most of your opportunities to show it off at the conference.
Fear Not! – Many attendees, especially first timers, are nervous about approaching editors and agents. Let me put that fear to rest. Editors and agents go to conferences expecting to hear pitches. That’s why they’re there. So get rid of any misplaced notion that you’re bothering an editor. You aren’t, and they won’t think so.
Practice – No kidding. Stand in front of a mirror and give your pitch to yourself. Give it to your friends, your family, the people at church and work. The more comfortable you are in delivering your pitch, the better and more intriguing you will be when you come face to face with that scary editor. If you’ve practiced, your natural enthusiasm for your book will come through as you talk. Remember, enthusiasm is contagious!
Identify Your Targets – Make a list of the editors/agents who may be interested in your book. On the ACFW conference website, each editor and agent has specified what kinds of books they’re interested in seeing. Also, at the beginning of the conference there will be an Editor Panel and Agent Panel where each person is given an opportunity to state what genres they’d like to see. Take notes! You don’t want to appear unprofessional by pitching your science fiction novel to an editor who clearly stated they’re only interested in seeing historical romance.
Study the Mug Shots – You need to recognize the editors when you see them in the hallway. Look at the pictures on the conference website, and jot down reminders for yourself during the Panel discussions. At one of my first conferences, I sat in the lobby chatting with a stranger for ten minutes, only to find out after she walked away that she was the editor from the publishing house I desperately wanted to send my proposal to. Ouch!
Seize the Moment – You may have signed up for a meeting with your target editor, and if so, that’s terrific. But chance encounters will result in invitations to submit, too. Generally speaking, editors are not available for pitches when they are in the restroom, or during special times the conference organizers have set aside to allow them some privacy. At all other times, they’re fair game. At most meals you will have an opportunity to sit with an editor, and that’s a great time to pitch. If you encounter Ms. Editor in the hallway as you walk from one session to another, go for it. If you’re waiting in the lobby for another appointment and you spy Ms. Editor alone, grab her. And don’t forget the elevator. 🙂 Of course, you want to be courteous and not interrupt her while she’s talking with someone else, but it’s okay to stand off to one side and wait your turn. (But don’t hover.) Remember – that’s why she’s there.
The Approach – The scariest part of the pitch is knowing how to get started. My advice: go for the direct approach. The editor knows you want to pitch a book, so why beat around the bush? Walk right up to her and say, “I have a book I think you might be interested in seeing. It’s about…” and launch into your pitch. When you’ve given your brief pitch (that’s why it’s called a 30 second pitch), shut your mouth and allow her to react. She may say, “Tell me more,” and then you can give her a little more intriguing information. If she’s engaged and receptive, end the conversation with, “Would it be okay if I send you a proposal?” If she seems uninterested or bored, end the conversation politely and try again with someone else.
I know from personal experience that impromptu pitches really do work. At the 2005 ACFW conference, I sat at Krista Strover’s (Steeple Hill) table. Over dinner she told us she was interested in seeing cozy mysteries. As we stood up to leave, I turned to her and said, “I have an idea for a cozy mystery. A kitchen klutz tries to impress everyone by making a casserole for her church potluck. But someone plants poisonous mushrooms in her casserole to kill a gossipy old lady.” She smiled and said, “I’d like to see that. Send me a query.” The result? My second published novel, Murder by Mushroom.
So get busy on that pitch, writers!
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Virginia Smith left her twenty-year career as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am. In March of 2008, Ginny was honored with the Writer of the Year award at Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. She writes mystery/suspense novels such as Murder by Mushroom and A Taste of Murder, and humorous heart-touching stories like Stuck in the Middle, book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister Series, and Sincerely, Mayla.
Conference Prep–Neworking on the Fly
Almost everyone I know groans and rolls their eyes whenever I bring up the topic of networking. But it’s one of the best skills I’ve ever learned, and the primary reason I’m now a published author. I’ve mentioned many, many times before about how I knew both my agent and my editor for years and years before submitting to either of them—just through networking with them at conferences and through my position as an officer with ACFW.
This week, two of our guest bloggers will be discussing on-the-fly networking—from impromptu pitching to recognizing and taking care of “God appointments.” Then on Thursday, we’ll start looking at getting spiritually prepared for conference.
And to refresh you on networking, here are the posts from the two series I’ve done already on the blog:
Gas–$3, Book–$12, Networking–Priceless
Networking–What is it, really?
Networking = Name Recognition = Marketing
Networking: Addendum to Building Name Recognition
Networking: Stumbling Block #1–Fear
Networking: Stumbling Block #2–Communication
Networking: Stumbling Block #3—Following Up
Dos and Don’ts of Networking
Networking–A Refresher Course
Networking Refresher–The “Soft Sell”
Networking Refresher–Building Name Recognition
Networking Refresher–Is This Seat Taken?
Networking Refresher–Face-to-face editor/agent meetings
Networking Refresher–When Did We Stop Sending Notes?
Fun Friday–Favorite SciFi Movies/TV Series
I forgot to add this last night before posting: Krista Phillips is the winner of this week’s drawing for the 25-page critique. Congratulations, Krista!
“Sometimes I think we’re alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we’re not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.”
~Arthur C. Clarke
Not every science fiction movie/TV series is about aliens, nor do they all have futuristic/space-faring settings. I had to expand this to include TV series as well as movies, because some of my favorite SciFi started out on television.
I will admit that I’m not a huge SciFi fan, and I know that there are purists who’ll completely disagree with what I have on my list. I don’t claim they’re the best in the genre, they’re just my favorites.
5. Men in Black (1997, Amblin Entertainment/Columbia)
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, and Vincent d’Onofrio. This is a SciFi movie for even confirmed alien-film haters. Jones and Smith play so well off of each other, and Vincent d’Onofrio, better known for his role as the slightly unstable police detective Robert Goren on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, gets to show his comedic acting chops as the alien “bug” they’re chasing all over New York.
4. Jurassic Park (1993, Universal Pictures)
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based (loosely) on the novel by Michael Crichton, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sir Richard Attenborough, and Samuel L. Jackson. I went to see this movie several times when it first came out. John Williams’s brilliant score aside (which is not the music in this trailer), this movie set the bar for computer generated graphics for years to come. No, it doesn’t follow the book as closely as it should. But the film is wonderful enough to forgive it for those deviations.
3. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Star Trek: Voyager (1987–2001, Paramount). Yes, I admit it, I’m a Trekkie (I’ve actually been to some conventions—no, I did not dress up!). I’ve listed all three series under one entry because for me, these are all part of each other. Though there were some not-so-great episodes in each series (and some not-so-great seasons in DS9 and Voyager), I watched every single episode and will still watch them in reruns on the SciFi channel, even though I can practically quote some of them word for word. I will say that I didn’t like the final season of DS9 (after Jadzia Dax died) and Voyager got off to a slow start, but once Seven of Nine showed up, the show got better and better—and the Voyager final episode is the best, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t really care for the original series—mostly because William Shatner annoys me. The last series, Enterprise, was good in that it brought Scott Bakula back to the screen and introduced a few new actors, but the timing was wrong for it. Of the movies, First Contact is my favorite, and I am really looking forward to JJ Abrams’s take on the series/characters when he does a prequel featuring the original-series characters as much younger (of course, that could have something to do with the fact that Karl Urban is playing Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy).
2. Star Wars IV–VI (1977, 1980, 1983, Lucasfilm/Fox)
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Alec Guiness. The only surprise here for most people who know me is that this isn’t my #1 pick. Star Wars is the first movie I vividly remember going to see at the movie theater (we won’t talk about how old I was). By the time we got it on videotape when I was twelve or thirteen, I could quote almost every single line of the first movie. That was back in the day when movies stayed out in the theaters for months—and somehow, I managed to see it several times in the theater. A few years ago, VH1 did a special called “When Star Wars Ruled the World” that discussed the cultural impact of the original trilogy on American culture. Love it or hate it, this is a movie trilogy that changed the film industry and the way we watch movies forever.
1. Firefly (TV)/Serenity (movie) (2002–2003, Fox TV / 2005, Universal Pictures)
Starring Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass. Unfortunately, I didn’t start watching this series when it was on TV. Also, unfortunately, Fox canceled it after only eleven of the fourteen produced episodes aired (and the episodes didn’t air in order, either). Because of the support of fans of the TV series, creator Joss Whedon was able to get a greenlight on a feature film which spent two weeks in the top ten at the box office. But it’s been on video that this TV series and movie have really gained popularity—and that’s how I came to it. I originally watched the movie on the recommendation of a friend from grad school, since she knows I love Adam Baldwin. And the rest is history. Joss, the series writers, and the actors created a set of characters that belong on anyone’s list of favorites—with some of the most quotable dialogue as well. There’s humor throughout, and they managed to do it without having the ease of the Trekkers and their fancy ships with replicators, shields, and weapons. Gene Roddenberry always claimed that his concept for Star Trek was a wagon-train to the stars. Well, Joss Whedon did it.
Ane Mulligan, “Pitchers” Coach
You’ve honed your tag line to the smallest number of words for a great hook. Your synoptic paragraph (back cover blurb) is refined for the thirty second pitch. Now what?
Pitching, according to Webster: to erect and fix firmly in place [pitch a tent] 2: to throw with a particular objective or toward a particular point b: put aside or discard by or as if by throwing [pitched the trash into the bin] 3 to attempt to persuade especially with a sales pitch; to present for consideration.
Since we aren’t camping or forming an ACFW baseball team, we’ll go with definition 3, although there may come a time you might want to use definition 2b for said proposal.
There are three types of pitching at the conference: the elevator (or lobby) pitch, the mealtime pitch and the fifteen minute appointment pitch. What’s the difference? At the appointment, you have a couple of minutes to simply chat and soothe your nerves before you launch missile one—I mean your tag line.
In the elevator, you have thirty seconds or less to get your message across. You need to have a tag line and a “back cover” blurb. Then memorize them. You have to know your story so well you can summarize it in a few short sentences.
So project yourself forward to September in Minneapolis. Hey, work with me here. I only have 1000 words.
The elevator door opens. The editor/agent of your dreams enters and smiles, then presses the third floor. You now have twenty-five seconds.
“May I tell you about my book?” Always ask permission. For all you know, the e/a may have a Bluetooth ear bud in and listening to Dean Koontz pitch his new WIP.
“Sure.” Whew, you got lucky. Dean already hung up.
You’re down to fifteen seconds. Your tongue is suddenly stuck to the roof of your mouth. You wrote ninety-thousand words but can’t remember your tag line.
No problem! Super One Sheet to the rescue. Whip that puppy out and use it a cheat sheet. The e/a understands you’re nervous. So use your one sheet as a crutch. However, they’ll be more impressed if you have it memorized.
My critique partners and I worked hard on our pitches for our first ACFW conference. We were newbies, one step past raw and ready to pitch. I’d reduced my tag line to five words and could deliver my blurb in fifteen seconds. Okay, I was smooth when I read it off my one sheet. I needed to get better.
No problem. In the middle of fixing dinner one evening, one of my CPs, Gina Holmes, called. “Tell me about your book.”
“Uh, oh, um, well, uh …” She hung up.
That didn’t go well. The next time she called, I only stammered twice before I launched into my pitch. We continued to call each other at odd hours, day or night, until we could deliver the pitch smoothly on demand.
We were ready for the conference. To be honest, there will be a slight difference between the random phone calls from a CP and the actual pitch—your tongue won’t cleave to the back of your teeth during the phone call. But with practice, the quicker you’ll recover the use of your tongue.
The mealtime pitch is similar to the elevator, and your tablemates will appreciate you if you stick to that timeline. So will the e/a. Give him/her the opportunity to say, “Tell me more.” Most likely, they’ll hand you their card and say, “Send me a proposal.” After all, they came to find the next bestseller—it might be yours.
Whatever you do, don’t dominate the conversation. There are six other people sitting at that table waiting their turn. Let the e/a eat a few bits before attacking … er, pitching. And if no one talks, be gracious and ask the person next to you to tell you about their book. That will get the conversation flowing.
While waiting your turn for the fifteen minute appointment, you can either let nervous heart palpitations turn you into a twitching lalophobe, incapable of coherent speech, or you can chat with those in line with you and relax.
Writers aren’t notorious for quick-witted repartee. That’s why we’re writers. We mull over our word choices. But I try to appear intelligent and business-like. The appointment is the first interview a potential professional relationship with this publishing company/literary agency.
Besides wearing your favorite business-casual outfit, remember to wear your smile. If you can’t relax, then act relaxed. Just because your heart is beating the 1812 Overture, doesn’t mean your mouth should. Ask the e/a how they are, get to know them. This “interview” works two ways. If contracted, this may be the person you’ll work closely with for a long time.
The most important part is your preparation before you sit down to pitch, even before leave for the conference. The more you refine your pitch, the more comfortable you’ll be delivering it.
I remember one agent I pitched at my first ACFW conference in Nashville. The poor agent was exhausted and I hadn’t done my homework well enough. Know the editor/agent’s preferred genres. By the third sentence out of my mouth, the agent’s eyed had glazed over. I realized my error and ended both our agony with a swift closure and departure.
Colleen Coble told me she met her editor at a conference. They sat on the floor outside the meeting room, and Colleen pitched. The editor had the proposal on her desk for a couple of months, but after that face-to-face meeting, she went right back and read it. The two just clicked in an amazing way right from the start.
So refine your tag line and “back cover” blurb, practice it until you’re saying it in your sleep. Then relax and enjoy meeting people at the conference, because in the end, editors and agents are people just like you.
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Ane Mulligan has a varied professional past; hair dresser, business manager, legislative affairs director and playwright—her lifetime experience provides a plethora of fodder for fiction. She’s co-owner of the popular literary blog Novel Journey and has published over fifty plays and many articles.
She’s won numerous awards in contests for unpublished novels. Ane has served as creative arts director for The Family Church for 11 years and is the Zone Officer on the Operating Board for ACFW. Residing in Suwanee, GA, with her husband, they are owned by one very large dog.
http://www.anemulligan.com
http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com
http://anemulligan.blogspot.com
Lynette Sowell Advises You to Take a Time Out at Conference
My ACFW conference memories began with the first unofficial regional conference back in 2000. About 25 writers gathered in one room in a small hotel in Houston. Since then, attendance has exploded to its current numbers. I’ve noticed as each ACFW conference has grown, the atmosphere has changed as well. Many writers are natural introverts and more comfortable typing than talking. The thought of being thrust into a setting of several hundred people might send some writers to hide in their rooms. I’ve thought of some helps for those who battle nerves.
1. Don’t be surprised if the conference is an emotional roller coaster. One night in Denver I found myself bawling in the corner of a hallway with a stream of people flowing by me. Part of me felt like, “Huh? Where is this coming from? What is WRONG with me?” I felt like “everyone” was having fun but me. See how self-ish we introverts can be?
Conference is an up-up-up high, high energy time. Remember this when you hop on that hotel shuttle. You’re excited to see friends. You remember the phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” You don’t want to miss a session. You want to go to the right room for your appointment. You want to know you don’t have lipstick on your teeth (or broccoli, if you’re a guy). You function on little sleep. There are a hundred people you want to see, and not enough time to see them. Highs and lows will happen. Brace yourself, and have a plan.
2. As a conference veteran, I’d suggest that you take a moment to get off the merry-go-round. Take a swim. Take a nap. Or better yet, head to the prayer room. Find someone to pray with you. I didn’t take my own advice one year and found myself burnt myself out. Don’t feel that you have to go to every session and say yes to every invitation to socialize.
If you feel like crying, or youʼre cranky, or you want to hide in your room–give yourself a time-out. Your emotions and your body will be glad you did. But don’t sequester yourself. Put on your game face and jump back into the happy crowd again.
3. Your writing career will most likely not rise and fall because of a single conference. Try to keep a balanced view. I would go between extremes. I might return home elated that an editor really seemed interested in my idea. I would remember stories about friends whose books sold as a result of meeting an editor at a conference. Months later, the interested editor would pass on my proposal.
Then at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, I’d have disappointing appointments where the editors just didn’t seem interested in my proposal. Or worse, when trying to sit at a particular agent’s table for a meal, I’d get there too late and all the seats would be taken. I’d feel like that poor crippled man in the New Testament who couldn’t climb into the pool in time to get healed. (Jesus ended up healing him, of course). So I’d lament my time spent at conference because “nothing happened.” One thing Iʼve realized is that the Lord has guided my steps through a series of connections, and those arose naturally, not because of my jockeying for position at a table.
4. Stop playing that unrealistic conference dream sequence in your mind. I believe a lot of our nerves arise not just from being introverts, but also from our expectations. You might have had it happen before. You imagine that you’ll walk into the room, and the light will shine down on your one-sheet. The editor or agent smiles and offers you a contract right away. Or even better, you’re trapped in an elevator with that one editor or agent you’ve wanted to meet, and they’ll hang on your words and youʼll find a new best friend. Force yourself to stop the internal movie projector and allow God to put people in your path. You’ll stress less by being flexible and submissive–things I must still remind myself to do.
5. A note on pitching. Relax, relax, relax. Don’t act like you’re standing on the editor’s doorstep at suppertime, apologizing while trying to sell them something. Don’t think you’ll help yourself by chugging three cups of coffee before your appointment. (This only makes you jittery. I know by painful past experience.) Practice your pitch out loud. Watch yourself in the mirror. Are you smiling? Do you look like you’re ready to pass out, or ? The first time I sat down across the table from an editor, I was ready to throw up. I didn’t. But I’ll tell you what helped me take the edge off those nerves. Editors and agents are our allies, and we have something in common with them that could lead to the start of a beautiful friendship. Well, a business relationship anyway. It’s something you should remind yourself about while you stand outside those conference room doors. It’s a very simple concept, really.
Editors and agents are book lovers. And guess what? We writers are, too.
Editors and agents care just as much about the story and the written word as you do. You have the opportunity to introduce yourself to them and tell them about your book in persontoo. I can also probably guarantee that most editors are excited to hear about your pitch. They’re looking for the next best seller. Maybe it’s yours! So kiss those nerves goodbye when you walk into that room.
So, remember: Plan. Pray. Prepare. Pack. Enjoy. Relax. And I’ll see you in Minneapolis. If your nerves are threatening to get the best of you, find me!
Lynette Sowell loves to spin adventures for the characters that emerge from story ideas in her head. She desires to take readers on an entertaining journey and hopes they catch a glimpse of God’s truth along the way. She is the author of three novels and four novellas, and served as a past secretary of American Christian Fiction Writers. Sheʼs Yankee by birth, Texan by choice, where she currently lives with her husband, two kids by love and marriage (what’s a step-kid?), and five cats who have their humans well-trained. She loves to read, travel, spend time with her family, and someday wants to have a green thumb. You can visit Lynette’s blog at http://myslicesoflife.blogspot.com, and her web site at www.lynettesowell.com.
Deborah Raney’s Advice for Getting Over Conference Nerves
As the conference approaches, even those of us who are old hands at this conferencing thing feel a little flutter of nerves. Will we remember the names of people we’ve met in the past? What if we say or do something stupid in front of someone whose opinion is important to us? Or worse, someone who holds our career in their hands?! If we’re volunteering or teaching a workshop, we worry that our performance won’t be well-accepted; or that because of us, someone will feel the conference wasn’t worth the considerable expense they sacrificed to attend. What if no one sits with us at dinner? What if the wardrobe we bring is all wrong? What if we get stuck with the roommate from you-know-where? What if we can’t think of an intelligent thing to say? What if we get there and realize we don’t know half as much as we thought we knew about this writing thing?
Believe me, I’ve felt all these anxieties and more. But over the years, I’ve learned a few things that have helped me to feel more confident about the whole experience of a writer’s conference. I’ll share my list, and I hope you’ll add to it (via the comments) with things you’ve learned.
1. Go as well-prepared as possible. If I’ve done my homework and taken the time to learn all I can about ACFW and the faculty who will be at the conference; if I’ve read the conference blogs and participated in the forums about the conference; if I’ve rewritten and self-edited and rewritten my manuscript again, then I know I’ve done everything in my power to get the most out of the conference experience, and I can put some of those worries aside.
2. Go with realistic expectations. Most conferees will not sell a manuscript the first time they go to a conference. If you go feeling that you simply MUST sell something, or your money and time were wasted, then you can’t help but be a nervous wreck. If instead, you view the conference as a “next step” in the process to becoming a competent writer, you will free your thoughts and emotions to simply soak in the wealth of information you’ll encounter at the conference. If this is your first conference and you are especially nervous about talking to editors and agent, I suggest you don’t even make any appointments this year. Simply go to soak up information in the workshops and continuing sessions. As the week goes on, perhaps you can gather the courage to sit at the table of an editor, agent or author whose brain you’d like to pick. Start small, and save the tough stuff for next year when you’ve had 12 months to apply everything you learned, and when you can come back knowing what to expect from a conference.
3. Wear something that makes you feel attractive and confident, yet comfortable. That might sound like petty advice, but it’s a fact that if we’re comfortable with the way we look and feel, we’ll be less anxious and more self-confident. I always advise attendees to dress up just a little, especially if you have an appointment with an editor or agent. Err on the side of being overdressed rather than underdressed and you’ll usually be just right. That said, there is NO need to go out and buy a new wardrobe for the conference. If you feel you don’t have anything appropriate, borrow something from your sister or a friend. Or check out the local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Mixing and matching is another good option. You could probably wear the same outfit throughout the entire conference and if you jazz it up with different jewelry, scarves, jackets, etc. each day, no one will be the wiser. Wear something you can put on and forget.
4. Finally and most importantly, get your mind off yourself and into a servant mode. The truth is, most of the people you are nervous about approaching or interacting with are so nervous themselves, that they don’t have time to worry about how you look, if what you said was stupid, or whether you measure up. So use that knowledge and decide before you go that your main mission at the conference will be helping OTHERS to feel comfortable and encouraged. If you do that, I guarantee you will be well-liked, highly thought of, and will ultimately come away from the conference having felt it was an extremely worthwhile venture.
What are some tangible ways you can serve others at the conference?
- If you see someone standing alone and looking lost, confused or nervous (or crying!) approach them and introduce yourself. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. You may have to admit that you’re a newbie yourself, but between the two of you, you can no doubt figure out what you need to know.
- Don’t spend too much time talking about yourself. Yes, people want to get to know you, but most people respond to someone who not only shares their own stories, but is interested in what others have to say, too. Ask leading questions and be sure to listen to the answers. At a writers conference, “So, what genre do you write?” or “What are you working on now?” are always valid questions. Or ask people where they are from. Chances are you’ll discover you have something in common.
- Make the most of opportunities to help in tangible ways. At a conference, there is ALWAYS an elevator door to hold, a box of books to carry, directions to a meeting room to be given, a cell phone to loan, a cup of coffee to be ordered, a friend to be introduced.
- The minute you start concentrating your efforts on helping others feel welcome and at ease, is the minute your own nerves will start to untangle. I promise, if you look for ways to serve, the Lord will provide! But you’ll never recognize the needs if your eyes are too focused on how you feel, how you look, how frightened you are.
Start now bathing the conference in prayer. If you go expecting God to work in and through and for you, you can be sure that’s just what will happen. Maybe not in exactly the way you expect, but certainly in ways you’ll look back on and thank him for down the road.
Can’t wait to see you there!
DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her eighteenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, National Readers’ Choice Award and Silver Angel from Excellence in Media. Deborah’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her newest books are the Clayburn Novels from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster, including Remember to Forget, a 2008 Christy Award finalist. Deb serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Visit Deb on the Web at www.deborahraney.com
KayeDacus.com 