The Art of the Pitch: A Writer’s Guide to Conference Pitching
An Agent's Perspective
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Picture this: You're an aspiring author, sitting before a literary agent with just three to five minutes to sell your book. Your palms are sweaty, your heart's racing, and suddenly, your carefully rehearsed pitch becomes a jumble of words.
As an agent, I’ve done a fair share of pitch conferences—virtual and in person—and I've seen it all from rambling nervousness to rare moments of brilliance. But here's the secret: mastering the art of the pitch isn't just about landing an agent. It's about distilling your passion into a compelling story that sells itself.
So I’ve compiled a few tips and tricks to help you nail your pitch and make the most of your time:
Pre-Pitch Preparation: Setting Yourself Up for Success
Before you even step foot in a conference (or log into that Zoom call), research the attending agents thoroughly. Most conferences publish their agent list weeks in advance—use this time wisely. Make a priority list of agents who represent your genre and are actively seeking books like yours. Follow them on social media, read their interviews, and understand their wish lists.
📌 Pro Insight: Practice your pitch with a timer. Even better, practice with distractions. Set up background noise such as a TV and a podcast playing at the same time. Unless you have a 1:1 with the agent, there’s going to be a lot of noise in the room. Also, practice while walking –you never know when an opportunity will present itself.
The Pitch
It’s OK to read from a script
If you can memorize your pitch, great. Otherwise, a prepared script can actually help you stay on track and avoid getting lost in the moment—especially when there’s people talking on both sides of you.Leave Behinds
It's fine to bring your business cards or a one-sheet (a single page summarizing your book, bio, and contact details) to offer to the agent following the pitch.
Use your time wisely
You’ve only got a few minutes, so make every second count:Skip the apologies. Don’t spend the first two minutes explaining how nervous you are. We know and we understand.
Lead with a compelling log line or hook. This quick intro sets the stage. Follow it up with a succinct “back-of-the-book” style summary of your plot.
Leave time for conversation. Don’t take up more than a quarter of the allotted time. Leave room for questions and discussion—that’s where the real connection happens.
Listen carefully. Don’t interrupt the agent or become defensive if they ask challenging questions.
Skip show & tell. Don’t bring props or other cumbersome visual aids. (Page format samples for specific types of books are fine)
One book only. Don’t pitch multiple book ideas during a single pitch session, unless the agent asks about other projects.
Focus on your book’s market potential.
Instead of sharing your writing journey, emphasize why readers will want to buy your book. This is your chance to showcase your story's unique selling points and its place in the market.
📌 Pro Insight: Bring a notebook to jot down agent feedback or requests. In the excitement of the moment, it's easy to forget important details
Be Ready to Send Your Work
Ideally, your work should be ready to go when you pitch, but at the very least have:
For fiction: A few polished chapters (your first three are a great start).
For nonfiction: A formal proposal that lays out your concept, target audience, and platform.
If you’re just testing the waters and aren’t quite ready, that’s fine—just be mindful of timing. If it takes you six to eight months (or longer) to send your materials, the agent might not remember your pitch or could have already signed something similar. Submitting promptly helps keep the momentum going.
NOTE: This is not to say use it or lose it. I’ve had manuscripts sent to me a year or more later – and one of my recently published authors is proof that I was still interested in her story.
Sending Your Work
When submitting your requested materials, follow any directions given at the conference. I provide very specific details of what I want, how and where I want it sent. I even write it down for them. You’d be surprised how many people don’t follow directions.
For example your email subject line could start with "REQUESTED MATERIALS" followed by your book's title and where you pitched. For example: "REQUESTED MATERIALS: The Dark Between - Writers Conference 2025" (Unless the agent specifies otherwise)
The body of your email should be clear and concise. While I always ask for the query to be in the body of the email, here’s a template in case it’s not specified (though you should always ask):
Dear [Agent name],
Thank you for meeting with me during the [Conference Name] pitch session on [Date]. As requested, I'm attaching [specific materials they asked for] for my [genre] novel, [TITLE], complete at [word count].
[Optional: One-sentence reminder of your book's premise if it was something they specifically responded to during the pitch]
I've attached the materials as [file format] per your guidelines. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Best regards, [Your name] [Your contact information]
📌 Pro Insight for Submissions:
Send exactly what the agent asked for (no more, no less)
Use standard format (double spaced; Times New Roman; #12 font, 1” margins)
The usual file format is a Word .doc or .docx. PDF is acceptable. Check agent preference
Name your files clearly (e.g., "TITLE_LastName.docx")
If You're Querying Later
If months have passed and you're now querying an agent you previously pitched to, definitely mention the past interaction—but frame it appropriately:
"We met at the Writers Conference in [Month/Year], where you expressed interest in [TITLE]. While the manuscript wasn't quite ready then, I've since completed extensive revisions with my editor and am excited to share it with you..."
What Happens After the Pitch?
I know there’s a lot of frustration around agents or editors “ghosting” after a pitch event. It’s disappointing when someone asks for your pages and then never responds. Here are a couple of reasons this might happen:
Some agents struggle with in-person rejection
Saying no face-to-face can be tough, and some agents would rather avoid it altogether—though it’s not an excuse to just disappear.
Pitch events are extra-curricular for agents
While I enjoy doing pitch events, they’re an addition to our regular workload. When I ask for pages, I genuinely want to read them, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed with cold submissions, event submissions, and the 60+ submissions that were already in my inbox; on top of current clients to handle—and don’t forget general life stuff.
I try to handle submissions in the order received, but it can get away from me. However, I agree, there should always be a response, and in a perfect world, there would be.
Follow-Up Protocol
After sending the requested materials, give the agent a minimum of 8 weeks to get back to you.
If you don’t hear back in that time frame, send a gentle reminder following up on the original email thread and ensuring your attachments are included as well so the agent doesn’t have to dig through their email to find it.
If the follow up email still doesn’t get any response, then file it away and continue on your query journey. A response may/may not be forthcoming.
📌 Pro Insight Never let agent silence or delays prevent you from moving forward. It doesn’t matter if you REALLY want to work with that agent. In the end, you might not get the response you were hoping for.
Look Beyond the Stats
You may have heard pitch conferences typically have lower success rates than traditional querying, but higher rates of requests. In my experience, about 50-60% of pitches result in requests for materials, but only 1-2% of those might lead to offers of representation.
However, these statistics don't tell the whole story; pitch conferences offer additional benefits:
Direct feedback from, and face-to-face time with industry professionals
An opportunity to refine your pitch skills
Potential to bypass closed submission periods for some agents
Networking opportunities (and subsequent friendships) with other writers
Pitching at conferences is more than just a shot at representation—the value lies in the experience, including the connections you forge and the insights you gain.
Securing an agent through a conference pitch isn't inherently superior to the traditional query route. I’m sure many successful authors have never pitched at a conference.
The key to success, regardless of your approach, is a polished manuscript and a solid grasp of your book's market position. Whether you're face-to-face with an agent or crafting the perfect query email, these elements remain your strongest assets.
Further Reading for Conference Info and Guidance
Is Your Story Book-Worthy: Being One In A Million
Pitching An Agent: Insights From the Other Side of the Table
Writing Conference Success: Strategies to Maximize Your Investment
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Query Mastery: Key Insights to Crafting a Strong Submission
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Crafting a strong submission package is the first step toward landing your dream agent, and this free, live, webinar is here to guide you.
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Here’s what I plan to cover, plus a Q&A in the second half:
Query Letter Essentials – How to write query letters that get responses
Demystifying the synopsis – How to summarize your story effectively
Solid First 5 Pages – How to write captivating first pages
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Great information, Renee! I've been hesitant to invest in conferences until I had a solid game plan. This helps immensely! Thank you!
I’ve been leaning more towards pitching at a conference. Even though I talk to people for a living, the idea of pitching in person is intimidating! Having a template of what to say and an inside look into what a pitch actually looks like is helpful. Thank you!