Each spring, Green River Writers puts on a Novels in Progress Workshop in Louisville.

Louisville is a great place to visit, and I would like to live there. But that’s not going to work out for me, so I often take advantage of the fact that I live only three hours away and use any reason to return. Recently, Bonnie and I attended some sessions of the Novels In Progress Workshop. The week long conference offers “faculty led breakout sessions, individual instruction with faculty members, small group critique sessions, a panel discussion with agents and editors, and opportunities for one on one meetings [pitch sessions] with agent and editor guests.” Also included are a welcome dinner, mid week pizza party, and closing party. Class topics included point of view, novel revision, and publishing, among others. Andrew Beahrs was part of the faculty, instructing about “Research and the Author” and “Tightening Your Writing.”

One great thing about this conference is that you can attend the entire week, or choose certain days to attend. The only session I attended was Saturday, the panel discussion followed by the pitch session. There were four agents at the panel discussion: Brandi Bowles (Howard Morhaim Agency), Paul S. Levine (Paul S. Levine Agency), Laurie McLean (Larsen Pomada Agency), and one editor, Lynn Price (Behler Publications). They provided insight into the relationships between agents and writers, editors and writers, and the business of publication. They fielded questions, shared success stories and gave tips on queries and pitching. The pitch session is like speed dating for your novel. This was my second time doing this, so I started off with an antacid. While I waited, I mentally prepared myself to make my novel sound like a novel they’d write a contract for, sight unseen. I vowed to be way cool when movie rights were mentioned.

Truthfully, I’m not so good at the pitch yet. Paring my novel down to one sentence, or three minutes, takes practice and grit. But generally, everyone that I pitched to was kind and gave considerate advice about how to tweak my pitch for success. Last year, when I told one agent that my novel was set in Kentucky, he said, “Kentucky? People in New York don’t care about Kentucky. They don’t even know where Kentucky is!” I guess he’s entitled to his opinion. And I got another lesson in keeping my chin up when I got his less than favorable feedback about my work. This year, an agent did ask me to send sample pages and a synopsis (different book but with parts set in Kentucky). Okay, no contract was signed, but I have to start somewhere. Besides, I’d gained experience for the next time.

If you look at the website, you’ll see that I paid $169 for Saturday’s pitch session. Of the four agents present, I pitched to three. As a result of the session, I have an opportunity to contact one agent at her invitation, so the envelope I send to her won’t go straight into the wastebasket or slush pile. Whether anything comes of that, or not, I think it was a fair price for pitching my novel to qualified agents who paid attention when I spoke, asked pertinent questions, gave me advice, and wished me luck.

I need to give Green River Writers the credit earned for its professional manner of providing a variety of options to learn, for writing and publishing instruction, for making everyone feel welcome, and for throwing in a little fun on top of all that. Jeff answered my email questions promptly, which I appreciated. As a result of attending, I’m gaining confidence in my pitching ability and learning more about myself as a writer. If you want to be added to the Green River Writers email list for next year, sign up on their website.

BONNIE SPEAKS: I’ve attended this event for the past three years. One thing that stood out each time was the accessibility of faculty members and their genuine support for writers. From the Pulitzer Prize nominated William Cobb (A Walk Through the Fire [1992]) to fellow alumnus, An drew Beahrs (Strange Saint [2005] and The Sin Eaters [2008]), faculty and Green River Writers members were available to answer questions and share their own experiences. A unique feature of this event is Saturday’s pitch session. This is set up in Spalding University’s ballroom. The day begins with an informative panel discussion so that writers know which agents represent, for example, horror or science fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, nonfiction, or screenplays, etc. Writers then approach appro priate agents with a three minute pitch. An agent sits at a table in each corner of the room, with one empty chair beside him. Kindly, but firmly, an agent will say that he/she is not interested, or, if interest is piqued, the agent may extend the discussion. Sometimes agents sim ply wish the author luck, or they may hand over their business card and ask the author to send the first three chapters, a synopsis, or an entire manuscript. The pitch session forces writers to focus on the conflict and resolution of their novels, and to learn to draw out exactly the story’s reason for being. For novelists, especially for me, keeping in mind the primary plot point, the tone and intent of the story is helpful when revising or when preparing a pitch. With practice, meeting with agents or editors becomes less daunting since you become the spokesperson for the work you’ve created. A healthy dialog with an agent strengthens a writer and perhaps the work. The NIP Workshop has a lot of bang for the buck primarily be cause of the accessibility of faculty and the variety of agents who attend. Each agent is careful not to raise false hopes or waste a writer’s time. They tell what kind of writing they represent, how they select manuscripts, and the appropriate ways to query and pitch. It seems that agents seek more commercial than literary properties, but all hope for quality writing. As its name indicates, the conference is designed for fiction writers only (including children’s and genre fiction) and is not for poets, although screenwriters may glean useful information.