Three by Five Life-Saver

By Jacqueline Floyd

Your palms leave sweat imprints on your new silk blouse. Your throat is parched. You can't remember your own first name, let alone your heroine's. That's right, it's time to make the face-to-face five to eight minute pitch to an agent or editor that's the first potential step toward making your first sale or dooming you to eternal oblivion. Pretty high on the stress-O-meter scale, right? Are you ready? You bet you are. Whether this is your first-ever editor/agent appointment or your twenty-second, you have a lifesaver tucked in your pocket. Not a little round breath mint, (although that might be a good idea, too) but a handy 3 x 5 card with all the pertinent information you need to present to the editor or agent waiting impatiently for you to find your voice.

What information should your 3 x 5 card contain? Just the facts, ma'am. The agent or editor wants to know if what you've written makes sense and fits into a market he or she can sell. At this point, all they want is an overview of your story, not a lot of details about anyone's hair color, favorite food, or genealogical background.

Start with a single sentence that reveals the name of your book, the setting, the length, and whether or not it's completed. Example (for the purposes of this article only, not a real example): My completed manuscript, Down in the Dumps, is a 100,000 word contemporary suspense set amidst the New Orleans jazz scene.

If you have a high concept, or basic premise that the editor or agent will recognize, set that up in your second sentence. Maybe for you, it's a Cinderella theme, or The-Nanny-from-Hell-meets-Count Dracula, or going with the scenario from the previous paragraph--Mardi Gras mayhem prompts a marriage of convenience.

Next, give a two or three word description that reveals the dominant impression of the hero and heroine followed by a thumbnail sketch of their conflict. The descriptions should be an adjective paired with a noun, either complementary or contradictory. Either word can be their occupation, but doesn't have to be. Something along the line of loyal rebel, or charming nuisance will show two sides of their personality, whereas a heartless executive or prudish librarian could be considered one dimensional. Also, don't waste your precious time with generic descripstions like handsome or beautiful. Only use a physical description if it's imperative to the story or goes against type.

Okay, lets say from our New Orleans story above, we have a cynical historical preservationist and a blind jazz musician. One of them owns a historic club that will be demolished by the preservationist's uncle if it can't turn a profit before April. Combine the descriptions with the conflict and encapsulate your story in twenty-five words or less. So your next sentence is: Lucas, a cynical preservationist, must join forces with Maddie, a blind jazz musician, to keep a historic club from being demolished by her unscrupulous uncle.

If you participate in a group appointment, those three sentences may be all you have time for. Remember, less is better than more. In an individual appointment, the agent or editor may interrupt or ask questions. If not, be prepared to continue with a brief outline of five plot points. Highlight the romantic relationship as much as possible, starting with their first meeting and the event that spurs their attraction to the next level. Next, mention one or two turning points, the dark moment, and the resolution. None of these individual references should be longer than ten words.

What happens if you make your pitch, the editor asks to see a partial, and you have time leftover? Or what should you do if you begin your pitch with your prepared opening statement and the editor says, "Oh, we're not really buying anything set in New Orleans right now"? In either situation, you reach into your pocket and pull out your backup lifesaver. That's right. You have a second card prepared with a pitch for your previous novel or work in progress for just such emergencies.

One final piece of advice: Do Not Read Directly From the Card. Use the card as a reference guide only. Just the act of committing the information in writing will allow you to have your thoughts in coherent order and prepare you for your presentation. Practice your pitch to yourself a couple of times, then present it out loud to a trusted friend or critique partner.

Now you're prepared. You can do this. You may not make a sale with this approach your first or tenth time out, but you'll get through your appointment efficiently without stumbling over your words, and with feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment. Good luck!

Jacqueline Floyd writes single title and short contemporary novels and has pitched projects using this approach twelve to fourteen times at various national, regional and local conferences. While she hasn't made her first sale yet, she's been asked to send partial or completed manuscripts from each presentation.

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