All In

It’s 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 20, 2016, and I’m sitting in the Las Vegas airport, hungover with excitement after a high-stakes weekend of pitching my book to literary agents. I went all in 10 years ago when I decided to write a novel, and I’m doing everything I can to increase the odds that my big bet pays off. It’s why I decided to attend a writer’s conference focused on publishing, and it just so happens that the organizers selected a host city known for rolling the dice.

The workshop was hosted by a funny guy named Chuck Sambuchino, author of the humor book titled, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will). In addition, Chuck runs the Guide to Literary Agents Blog, which is a widely respected blog in the publishing world, and he also works as a freelance editor with a specialty in query letters and synopses.

A query is a one-page letter that writers send to literary agents hoping to pique their interest so they request a copy of your completed manuscript. A synopsis on the other hand is a detailed summnary of the manuscript from beginning to end.

I had just finished emailing my first round of query letters to a dozen or so agents back in August when I stumbled upon Chuck’s blog. I visited his website and read reviews from authors who had used his services in the past and received agent representation as a result, so I decided to hire him to edit my work, too. Three weeks later, the day before my trip to Mo Ranch, I received Chuck’s first round of edits and used the time away to think through his suggestions.

I also started researching different writer’s conferences that I could attend before the end of the year. Most of the conferences had already passed by the time October rolled around, but I found one in Las Vegas I thought was a good fit. And wouldn't you know it: the same Chuck who I hired to edit my work was also listed as the guest instructor on the conference website, so I emailed him my revisions and asked if he could send final edits back to me before I flew to Vegas.

One of the perks of these writer’s conferences is the opportunity to pitch literary agents in person. These so-called “pitches” consist of a one-on-one meetings with agents, where an author has 10 minutes to recite a memorized query and answer any follow-up questions. The problem for me was that I was kneck-deep in work when I received my final edits back from Chuck and didn’t have the opportunity to start memorizing my revised query until I was 30,000 feet in the air.

The next morning, I reread the bios of the different agents in attendance and decided to add two last-minute pitch sessions, increasing my total to five. I then made my way into the conference room, took my seat and continued practicing.

It was the responsibility of us 75 or so writers in attendance to know our scheduled pitch times and to quietly excuse ourselves when necessary, because sitting in the room down the hall were eight agents hopeful to meet the next big author. I remember exchanging formalities with the first agent on my list and taking a seat across from her. I could overhear the pitches from the other writers sitting at tables to my left and right, so I cleared my throat and started reciting my own.

My first attempt was…eh, ok. I was more focused on not screwing up than I was delivering my pitch with confidence. I knew I needed to improve and fast. My second pitch was noticeably better, but I stumbled when the agent asked me to name comparable book titles. I walked back to the conference room frustrated with my lackluster performance, but I kept things in perspective by reminding myself that I had never done this before and practice makes perfect.

When we weren’t pitching, we were listening to Chuck give a series of informative talks, such as the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing. Another hour was devoted to a panel discussion, where Chuck read aloud the first pages from conference attendees who had anonymously submitted their work in exchange for a public critique from the participating agents.

Afterward, I returned to the meeting room determined to use the experience from my earlier conversations to my advantage. I went two-for-three during my afternoon pitches, securing a referral contact from one and a formal request to send additional material from another. And to think of the disappointment I would have felt if I had not added those last two pitch sessions earlier in the day!

I returned to the conference room just in time to hear the end of Chuck’s closing talk: 10 Professional Writing Practices […] to Find Success as a Writer. Number five on the list was “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” meaning few writers succeed in their first publishing attempt. I found it ironic that he chose an egg adage to express this particular point.

It made me think about all the struggles I have had to overcome to get to where I am today. Sometimes, I look back and think of where I would be if I had invested more time over the last 10 years writing mortgages instead of writing my book. It would have been a far easier road to take but an empty one at that. Instead, I slid all of my chips across the table and started walking down the road toward personal fulfillment.

I understand the risks involved with my decision, but I also know there is difference between writing a book and being called to write a book. And when you bet on God, it’s not a gamble. It’s a promise.

Follow me on Instagram at @Joshua_Maven or @HonchotheVan, on Twitter @MaventheRaven or Facebook at Facebook/TheLastImperial.