I got a lot of responses from my post about agents and the state of the industry right now. And most of those asked how to get an unusual book in front of editors these days if they couldn’t get an agent to bite. Well, there is one way. Go to writer’s conferences that have editors from major houses and make a five minute appointment with the editor.

I can hear the “Huh?” from many of you out there.

In this new world of publishing, there has developed a wonderful learning tool for all types of writers called a writer’s conference. There are hundreds of these around the country. Kris and I teach at a few every so often. But mostly, the reason for all of you to go is to meet editors and agents. Let me add the word “good” in front of both editor and agent.

Of course, the conferences have wonderful panels with top people speaking.  You will learn a ton about craft, about business, about plotting, about editing, everything.  Nonfiction or fiction writers.  Doesn’t matter.

Many of these conferences are set up so that the editors meet for a few minutes with people who sign up. Now this is a horrid grind for the editors, but the editors do it because they are hoping to meet that one special writer, find that one special book that will fit their line, discover that one new talent and maybe the next bestseller.

So that allows you to get your book in front of an editor.  Easy, huh?

Well, not really. First off, you have to know what type of book you have FINISHED. Don’t bother meeting with an editor unless you have a finished book. If you know the type of book you wrote, then you have to research the editors attending the conference you are looking at. Say you wrote a paranormal romance. Are there any editors going to the conference who edit those kind of books? Or even better yet, two editors.

Are the editors with major New York houses? Research the companies, the book lines as well as the editors.

Then you have to work out your pitch, boil your entire book down into a really nifty “elevator pitch.” An elevator pitch is this. You get on an elevator on the 4th floor and an editor is there. Editor turns to you as the doors close and the elevator starts down. “What are you working on these days?” You have until the doors open on the first floor to light up that editor with your book, control their interest, make them want to read it. That’s an elevator pitch. Or sometimes called a Hollywood Pitch, or a High Concept Pitch.

Before you go to the conference, have that pitch ready and practiced. And be ready to answer questions in an excited manner about your book. If you’re not excited about it, how do you expect an editor to be excited?

If you are saying, “But I can’t afford to go to conferences, or workshops, or conventions.” Find another profession. You really don’t want to be a writer. What you are saying is “I really want to be a lawyer, but I don’t want to spend the time and money to go to law school.”

Kris and I could not afford to go to conventions in our early days of writing. We once shared a room at a hotel with seven other writers. One convention I had no money to eat and didn’t really know editors enough to buy me a few meals, so I managed to get enough food by taking a cooler from home and grazing the free food at a couple of parties. If you want this career bad enough, you do what you need to do.

And one good way to get around the agents is go to a writers conference prepared with a finished book sitting at home. You might need an agent if the editor is interested in your project, and if they make an offer, you MUST get an agent. But at least you can meet editors and get your book looked at by simply going to writer’s conferences.

And don’t forget that while you are preparing to try to sell your first novel, write the second one.

Cheers, Dean

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