Your work is done, you’ve gone through numerous feedback sessions, and you’ve edited your heart out of your piece. Then comes the next, dreadful question - Now what? I have had mentees ask me the same question once they were done with a story, and my answer usually centers on these three points:
This month, we talk about getting your work out and what you may like to know before presenting your work to industry gatekeepers. # First and foremost - you’ll need a pitch line, or a hook to bring in potential agents or publishers, and most importantly, your readers. To challenge yourself, try to reduce your story to a 21-word long paragraph, no exceptions. Audiences now have no obligation to consume stories or entertainment to the end, so if you can’t hook your audiences in quickly, you can lose a lot of people - including those who “fit the profile” of your ideal audience. Surprise exercise - Summarize your novel or story in 10-20 words! You can also find examples on the following sites:
Secondly, the next thing you’ll want to take note of is “who to pitch to”. In this area of the world, or Singapore in particular, there are a few options:
We’ll be talking about Self-Publishing and the support you’ll need in a separate post. Instead, we’ll focus on Publishers, Open Calls, and Agents - since they’re a little more straightforward. At least with the workflow. Thirdly, would be how to pitch. Like the parties you can pitch your stories to, there are different ways you can do so. Regardless, there are these common main pointers to take note of:
TL;DR version - read and follow the submission requirements, and keep your story pitch short and sweet. Most importantly, if you need to explain / defend your story without having it defend itself, you might want to relook at your story. That being said, I would say the most important tip is to be patient or send a polite request for a response about a month or two after your submission. Be professional and straightforward - begging, declaring your passion for writing, or saying that you’re just a student looking for a chance are surefire ways to be shut out from the running. If all else fails and you really feel like there’s nowhere else to go, try other options - we’ll be doing another post of another popular alternate publishing option, self-publishing. So stay tuned for that! # Again, all the best with your drafts and your pitches - stay tuned next month when we tackle another stage of creation!
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November 2018
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