Novel Update: San Francisco Writers Conference 2015
After cutting and refining my novel, I finally decided I was ready for the next step: attend the San Francisco Writers Conference, where real-live agenty people would congregate... along with the rest of us. I won't provide a ton of detail, except to say that the price is probably a bargain if you attend all four days. I came for only two. Still, I managed to get what I came for. On Saturday, my first full day, I showed up at the Mark Hopkins Hotel to do what is called "speed networking," where you meet with an agent for three minutes and pitch your novel. At 8 am, riding a caffeinated high, I flocked into a large room where agents sat and lined up with the ones on my list. I had just an hour to appeal to as many agents as possible, and regrettably, I was not as efficient with my time as I could have been. One big-time agent shot me down, stating my idea wasn't high concept. It was painful, but then again, she was right. It was a valuable lesso