By A.C. Williams by @acw_author

Whenever conference season approaches, I hear the same question from authors: “How do I make a good impression on an editor/agent/publishing professional?”

It’s fairly standard to have the opportunity to talk to editors or agents at a writing conference, and it’s really important to put your best foot forward in those interactions. So rather than giving you a list of clothes to wear or industry tidbits to recite, let me tell you what NOT to do if you want to leave lasting, positive impression:

1. DO NOT ask if they’re old enough.

“Are you even old enough to be a publisher?”

It was the first thing this lady said to me when she walked into the appointment room. She didn’t even say hello. Maybe I should have been flattered? 

Point being, please don’t question the editor’s age. Leave age out of it completely. Sit down. Shake hands. Make eye contact. Talk about your story. And then leave.

Maybe whoever you’re talking to IS young. That doesn’t disqualify them from being able to teach you something. If you act like it does, that’s what they’re going to remember about you. 

2. DO NOT avoid research before your appointment.

“What can you do for me that I can’t do for myself?” That was this author’s opening line. Maybe he thought he was being direct, but he came off as ignorant and proud about it.

Treat your pitch like a job interview. Look at the editor as someone who is looking to hire you, not the other way around.

If you’re pitching to a traditional publisher, read their catalog. Read their website. Study their authors. Look at their popularity on different online platforms. See if you can track how they do their marketing. It’s tedious, but you can learn a lot about a publisher before you even meet them.

Going into a pitch with an entitlement mentality is one of the fastest ways for your manuscript to end up in the garbage.

3. DO NOT argue with them.

One time, I took a pitch from a young man with an epic high fantasy novel. I loved the concept (and I told him so), but it was 375,000 words. So I gently recommended that he consider splitting it into two or three books to make it more marketable. 

Apparently, that wasn’t advice he wanted. You see, since Patrick Rothfuss and Robert Jordan write books that long, apparently he doesn’t need a word count limit either. 

Good to know.

Here’s the deal. If an editor takes the time to give you feedback at a pitch appointment, please listen. Even at a conference, an editor is under no obligation to do that. Any feedback usually is going to come from a desire to help you be a better writer.

You are free to disregard their advice, but please don’t argue with them. Accept criticism with grace. Eat the watermelon, and then when you aren’t sitting across the table from them, you can spit out the seeds.

4. DO NOT declare if they don’t like your idea they can hit the road.

Another author began his pitch this way: “My story makes people uncomfortable, and if you don’t like it, I’ll go somewhere else.”

It’s wise to know the difference between confidence and arroagnce. If you start a pitch this way, most self-respecting editors or agents will tell you to leave (and then use you as an example in a blog post).

Your book is your book. Write it however you want. But realize that traditional publishing is a partnership. You aren’t the best thing since sliced bread, my friend. And neither is your story. Don’t expect that a publisher will bend over backward to accommodate you.

5. DO NOT pitch like a creeper.

Hey, you awesome, respectful male authors out there? You’re incredible, and the industry needs more men like you. Could you pass on your kindness and self-awareness to the others of your gender? The ones who like to use bullying and intimidation to get their way?

The most disturbing pitch I ever took was from a gentleman with a truly horrifying concept, which he described to me in extreme detail. I didn’t know what to do. I should have told him to stop, but I was so shocked I was speechless.

To be clear, he didn’t DO anything to me, but the content of his manuscript and his attitude about it made me feel unsafe.

Men, if you’re writing a story about a delicate subject matter (especially if it’s sexual in nature), please consider who you’re pitching to. If you’re pitching to a woman, give her the opportunity to set the boundaries of your conversation. 

Women, this goes for you too, by the way. 

An editor or agent will remember if you treat them with respect. Sadly, respect is something that’s very rare to see these days, even in Christian circles.

In conclusion, editors are people too. Treat them the way you’d like to be treated. And remember, the writing industry as a whole is very small. The Christian writing industry is even smaller. You never know when you’re going to run into another co-laborer in this field again, so put on your grown-up pants and be professional. That’s the best way you can make a lasting, positive impression.

Award-winning author A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if she isn’t, her socks won’t match. She has authored eight novels, three novellas, three devotional books, and more flash fiction than you can shake a stick at. A senior partner at Uncommon Universes Press, she is passionate about stories and the authors who write them. Learn more about her book coaching and follow her adventures online at www.amycwilliams.com.