AWP: LOOKING FOR AN AGENT

Make the most of your Seattle conference

1. Go to every talk by an agent and panel with an agent on it, and DON’T BE SHY about going up to them after the presentation for a quick little pitch.

2. Don’t pitch unless you are ready to send the book — as in, the next Monday. All they can say is, “Send it to me when it’s finished,” and then they will look annoyed.

3. You can always say something like, “Thank you,” after their presentation and ask for their card. If in the future — even ten years from now — you can write in the subject line of your query email, “Met at AWP Seattle,” that single line will get you placed in a different pile of TBR.

4. If you are focused on getting an agent AND YOU HAVE A COMMERCIAL BOOK, and you are in the Seattle area, PNWA (usually in Oct) is a better conference for that. AWP is much better for placing LITERARY WRITING.