How I’ve Prepared To Pitch My Novels

In the late hours of the night, I find myself tired but not willing to rest, weary but fighting to keep focus, and overwhelmed but still keeping hope.

Let's Set Expectations

I’d like to say this off the bat: if you clicked this article expecting a detailed breakdown of how I’ve formatted my works, planned my talks, organized everything, etcetera, you’re mistaken. This is how I as a writer and a person have mentally prepared myself to sit down one-on-one with a literary agent to talk about writing projects that I have spent months working on.

This upcoming weekend I have my first pitches with two different agents for two novels I have written. Despite the rough road I have been on to get the chance to do so, I’m thrilled.

Don’t get me wrong: I am completely prepared for the fact that my work may be rejected. It’s fine. That’s life after all? Yet I find that doubtful mindset to be a bit of a motivator for me. Somehow I have found that being up against the ropes is how I keep fighting back. Whether it is a hobby or a work project, sometimes healthy stress is good.

Sometimes.

The Two Works

I typed the first word for my first novel nearly a year ago and was immediately excited by the possibility of it being a completed work. Granted, it very much needs developmental editing, and I still have one more story to complete and polish (this is a fantasy anthology). Growing up I always dreamed of being able to say “I wrote a novel”, so actually putting some energy into it was already a win in my book.

My second book has a better background story. After spending much of my life in the Information Technology field, I walked into work one day, said to myself that I’d been fighting for too long and needed a proper rest, and quit my job. Just two hours later, still in my work clothes, I was in my favorite cafe and wrote the first couple thousand words of another idea I had. That was five months ago, and it is now probably my proudest piece of writing yet. Be warned: ensure you have proper savings before attempting to quit your job to follow your dreams.

Since then, I have spent nearly every waking moment writing, editing, planning, advertising, creating social media content, making music, performing at open mics, and pretty much throwing my heart out everywhere to fight for what I want, what I need to do in life. It’s daunting, the moments where I stop and ask if it will all be worth it are still lingering, but it's what I want to do.

What I Have Learned The Most About This Process

All that being said, there’s something to be learned about dedicating so much energy and effort towards your goals in life. I, like many of you, could format and write an entire speech dictating all the intriguing plot hooks and storylines about your work. But in the end, the mentality that I have is to “be myself” as cheesy as that sounds.

There are hundreds of millions of books out in the world across an endless expansion of genres. Do you want to know what makes your book special? It comes from you. I don’t write these stories and articles for the sole intention of “fame and fortune”, but because I want to tell enticing tales and have readers experience something fulfilling. All the technical stuff aside, if I could convey any message to an agent or publishing company, it's that I have a desire (like I’m sure every person here does) to make something special in the literary world.

What’s kept me going over the past few months has been the passion and drive I have for writing, and how badly I want to tell the stories I have. Whether it’s a fantasy anthology or a sappy romance, this is what I was made for, and I’m willing to fight to make all of this a reality.

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Writer’s Endnote

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

If you enjoyed it, consider checking out my artist profile on my LinkTree, where you can view my writing profile, music, and other creative works!

Thank You For Your Time,

-Kadence <3