Lookin’ for the Strike Zone

So, anyone here going to the ACFW Conference?
Read carefully for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card. One dollar for every one of my Seekerville buddies. AND a copy of Out of Control is also in the wide open prize vault today.

First of all, the Seekers will be gathering every evening in the lobby. Usually there’s a bar with a lot of seating area and we congregate there and finally get to SEE the people we’ve gotten to know through the year online. Every night. Come after whatever event you’ve got in the evening. If you skip the late night chats, then come early. If you go to them, come whenever you get free.

Now that the party has been fully planned, I’ll get back to getting ready for the OTHER stuff you’re supposed to do at the conference. You know, getting a book published? Meeting editors and agents, learning new skills that will help you kick your way through that stubborn door to publication. THAT STUFF!!!

Today—we’re going to pitch. We’re going to practice our 30 word pitch, elevator pitch, one sentence pitch…call it what you will.

But the idea is to have some lovely editor say, “Tell me about your book.” And you’re READY. Have you ever had to sit through a bad pitch? Like your neighbor says she’s writing a book and you say, “What’s it about?”

And (much to your regret) she tells you. In fifteen excruciating minutes. She meanders. She says, “You know…” too often. She tosses in asides that have precious little to do with the main point and everything to do with boring you to death…you know…THAT pitch.

Well, we aren’t going to have any of that from Seekervillager, now are we?

Many of you (most of you!) are waaaaaaay too experienced for that. Too smooth. Too wise. Way too cool.

No, when someone asks you what your book is about, you’re going to say, “A vegetarian and a cattle rancher go to war and fall in love.” (Buffalo Gal pitch)

Or you’re going to say, “A feisty lady rancher with four daughters marries a mountain man who’s never been around women.” (Petticoat Ranch pitch)

Or you say, “A controlling rancher must choose between his beautiful new neighbor, who believes exploring a dangerous cave is God’s will, and his brothers, who believe a childhood tragedy in that cavern destroyed their family.” (Out of Control pitch)

So today we polish pitches. We head for the strike zone. And we hope some kindly and wise editor is standing there (Jeter-like) to knock it out of the ball park...in a good way. Except wait...HITTING the ball is actually the pitcher LOSING right? So is the batter the publisher? Or is the CATCHER the publisher. And if the catcher is the publisher what part does the batter play? Or maybe there isn't a batter, it's a writer's conference after all. Not that many batters, unless the writer is parttime batter and parttime pitcher.

This baseball analogy may be taken a bit too far. Let's just MOVE ON!!! (and I only put Jeter in there for Ruthy anyway, he's not pitching.

Give me your pitch (whether you’re going to conference or not) and we’ll bat it around. (hah! More baseball.)

And have I ever told you I used to coach girls softball? 

Nightmare.

I don't want to talk about it. The psychological scars are still too close to the surface.

~~~~~~~~~~

So, now to the prizes. Two prizes today. One $15 Amazon ecard for being VERY BRAVE and pitching a book. And if you're NOT a writer, pitch a book anyway and you can still get your name in for the ecard. (P.S. Let me know if you're never going to be a writer and if it's okay to steal your idea and write it myself.)

And a second giveaway open to all commentors--A signed copy of Out of Control, either a print book or an audio books. Winner's choice.