I’ve been asked by my chapter to do a little talk on pitching next month. I said yes because apparently I have a weakness for teaching. I really do.

Am, I a pitching expert? No way! But I’m a very good student and I’ve studied up. As a naturally shy person who had to force myself to be able to speak publicly, I know if I can suck it up and appear confident, then anyone can.

I’ve pitched a handful of times and I’ve been reading up on pitching all over the agent/editor blogosphere to prepare. Plus, I’ve had the privilege of attending “Itching to Pitch” by fellow romance author D’Anne Avner twice. I think she does a great job of focusing on all the aspects of a pitch — not just what you say but how you present yourself.

I’m thinking the crux of my coffee talk is going to be this: According to Michael Hague, the biggest mistake authors make when trying to pitch is to try to tell their whole story.

Don’t think of it as a pitch. Think of it as a job interview with your story as your calling card. And — if it empowers you at all, consider that you can be the interviewer as much as the interviewee. 🙂

More later!