Illustrators Information: September 2009

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Pitching for Illustrators

You will be aware that we have a Pitch Slam happening at the conference.

We have had a request from Huia publishers regarding this and Illustrators.

Huia would like illustrators to pitch to them as they have a lot of
work available. You will need to show that you can draw a variety of
Maori characters. Huia are also always on the look out for good book
designers who apparently are thin on the ground and hard to find.

If you would like to pitch to Huia...Contact us at the spinning.gold09@gmail.com with Pitching in the subject heading. The Pitch Slam costs $10 payable on registration.

If you are pitching Illustration... copies of your tear sheets to give at the Pitch is probably a good idea.

Kind regards

The Spinning Gold Team

Pitch Slam

This is your chance to talk to a captive editor or agent. You will have 3 minutes to pitch your fabulous idea/finished book/partly finished book.

Cost: $10 to participate, pay at the conference. (Note: this fee gives you the chance to make several pitches to different editors/agents).

Bookings:
You confirm your booking when you pay at the conference (on a first come, first served basis.) The sessions will run in a similar way to how meet the teachers sessions are run. Each editor/agent will be in individual rooms so it will just be you and that person for 3 minutes. A bell will ring at the end of the time. Please leave on the bell.

Participating Publishers:
Random House
Longacre Press
Scholastic
HarperCollins
Penguin
Mallinson Rendel
Huia

Agents:
Frances Plumpton from Richards Literary Agency, Auckland
Fiona Inglis from Curtis Brown Agency Australia

What to Expect:
The editor/agent will probably not give you any feedback, they may simply say thank you, and that they have your card if they wish to contact you. This is your chance to sell your book, to grab their interest and make them want to know more in which case they will get in touch with you using the details on your card.

What to Bring:
Your business card. That’s all. Nothing else except yourself and your well-polished, practised pitch.

Preparation:
Before the conference check out each publisher’s website to see if they publish the type of book you are pitching. We may have to limit the number of times people can pitch, depending on how many people sign up.

Make sure you have business cards, and bring enough with you.

Practise what you want to say. Cut to the chase and get straight to the point. Sit the family down and make them play the role of editor/agent. Your pitch is going to have a much greater chance of impressing if you have worked it out and practised it beforehand. Time yourself so that you ensure you are able to make the pitch within the timeframe.

Suggested Format:
One concise sentence saying what your book is about.
Say who the intended audience is.
A short synopsis of the plot.
A brief description of the main character.
Say what is special or different about your book.
Say why your book would be a good proposition for them.
Prepare any questions you want to ask.
Ask if there is anything they would like to ask you.

Thank them, and leave when the bell rings.

Illustrators Information

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Pitching for Illustrators

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Pitch Slam

Some Illustrators attending Spinning Gold

Emile Zola

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