Coach Teresa here… to say “I’m sorry that I’ll have to miss being with you at WNBA-SF Chapter’s signature event on March 24, 2012.  Special thanks to WNBA-SF Chapter fellow pitch-coaches Mary E. Knippel and Tanya Egan Gibson, program chair Lynn Henriksen and co-president Linda Lee for providing  bios of the agents and acquisition editors so that I was able to create handout material for tomorrow, and Mary E. Knippel and co-president Linda Joy Myers for taking care of duplicating material and bringing to event tomorrow.”

“I wish my colleagues, all the authors who will be pitching, agents and acquisition editors, and luncheon keynote speaker Meg Waite Clayton a most wonderful day at our signature event ‘Meet and Speed Date with Agents and Acquisition Editors.’”

After you pitch . . .

What to do if an agent or acquisition editor has asked you to send a portion of your full manuscript or the entire manuscript?

If he/she has asked you to email the submission:

• Make your email subject line” to the point”  (Example:  follow-up on our meeting at WNBA event on March 24      Another example:  Thank you for asking me to send my manuscript)

• Use salutation; pitch in 1 to 3 sentences (do not assume that agent/ acquisition editor remembers everything you told her/him); state what you are attaching  (first 3 chapters?  first 50 pages?  book proposal? (for a how-to book also known as prescriptive nonfiction);  ask when you can expect a reply;  your “thank you”; signature block with your full name and contact information and website/blog/facebook/twitter/YouTube address.  Be sure to use paragraphs in the body of your email so that your message doesn’t look like a block of text.  Email yourself to preview.

• The attachment—use industry standard format (Cover page showing your book title; genre; word count; your full name; your contact information.  Manuscript pages — 1” margins; double spaced; 12-pt. font; header on each page contains book title and  your full name; each page numbered)

Multiple agents and/or acquisition editors have asked to read a portion of your manuscript or the entire project?

• Show your professional self.  If more than one person asked to read a substantial portion of your manuscript (investing their time),  you be honorable–give one agent an exclusive reading period (typically 2 to 3 weeks); let that agent know that other agents are waiting to read.

What to do if no agent or acquisition editor has asked to see your work?

Despair not.  Polish your pitch and query other agents.  How do you find other agents?  Read acknowledgment pages of books similar to yours; authors usually thank their agents and editors.  Go to Association of Authors’ Representatives’ website and search in their database.

Books that can help you refine your pitch and/or build your writer’s platform:

How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen

Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message by Elisa Southard

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW by Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Cheering for you!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Coach Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams!”

http://wnba-sfchapter.org