Pitch Session Open Invite
When: January 28 and 29th, 2010
Where: CJLA website-forums
We always get excited about the start of new year here at CJLA because it means we have more time to dive into reading queries and manuscripts. To kick of the new year with a bang, CJLA is holding an online pitch fest. That means you'll get a chance to pitch your books to either Caren or Elana (you have to pick one!) and receive feedback on your pitch/book. We'll be requesting the most intriguing ones.
This will be hosted on the newly created CJLA forums section (under the SOCIAL tab at the top of the page). We'll be posting the instructions in the coming days so you can format your pitches to quick readable bites, and post them for us on January 28th, during a specific time. We'll be reading and responding the following day, January 29, 2010.
What we're looking for:
Caren - I'm looking for romance (urban fantasy, contemporary and historical), YA (contemporary and paranormal) and women's fiction.
Keep in mind some of the books I've read and loved in the past few months: SANDMAN SLIM, Richard Kadrey; THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE, Phillipa Gregrory; IF I STAY, Gayle Forman; GIRLS IN TRUCKS, Katie Crouch; TIME OF MY LIFE: A NOVEL, Allison Winn Scotch; TWILIGHT OF A QUEEN, Susan Carroll; HARMLESS, Dana Reinhardt
Despite the different genres, all of these books hold something in common: they feature strong characters who the reader is eager to find out more about. Spare writing and tight plotting made each of these page turners, often keeping me up past my bedtime and well into the night. Good quality writing should do that so the reader feels invested in the story from the very first page straight through until the end.
Elana – I'm looking for middle-grade and YA novels and series.
Voice and hook are the two biggies I'm looking for. I'm looking for perspective I haven't seen before, or a «What if?» premise that intrigues me. I tend a little more toward the dark and quirky, and I like sci-fi or fantasy elements woven into a reality-based world. Take a look at Pam Bachorz's CANDOR for a great example of a hook and voice that took me in immediately—and it's reality-based. My wishlist includes a book that is religiously irreverent and thoughtful (like the movie SAVED!), a killer romance, and a time-travel book (that works). But if you have a great concept or twist, try me.
Other books I've read and enjoyed recently: HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT by Natalie Standiford, LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann, THE ASK AND THE ANSWER by Patrick Ness, EMMA JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis.
pitch fest, pitching 
Reader Comments (20)
Arrrrrgggghhhh!!! I wish my book was finished and ready to pitch. Will you be doing this again next year?
YEAH! What a great idea! And you'll be responding on my birthday! I know. I'm self-centered!
xoxo-
G
I really wish I was finished with edits! Hmm, maybe I can get done in time; if not, it's a great thing you're doing, and I wish I could participate.
Good luck everyone!
I can't wait. I have one that is completed and one that is finished and going through edits. I plan on doing it. I am so excited.
I'm so excited that your agency is doing this! What a wonderful way to start the new year!
I noticed paranormal listed under YA. Do you not accept adult sensual paranormal romance?
I have two possibles. One is completely done, the other is on its final polish. Will you accept two pitches from one author?
Thanks for all your comments and questions! We'll be posting detailed instructions on Monday that will hopefully answer everything.
~The CJLA team
Great idea! I'll keep my eyes peeled for your next Pop Culture pitch session so I add my Zombie Dating Guide to the mix. :)
This is a great idea. I'll tweet this and post it on my lj blog. I have some YA writers on my list that may have friends interested in this. Cheers, Simon.
Thanks for hosting such a great opportunity. Good luck to everyone :)
At AQ Connect someone said the pitch in your contest needs to contain the genre, title and word count included in the 100 words. I do not see that info on your submission guidelines.
Is that a necessary part of the 100-word pitch?
Where exactly do I copy and paste for Elana?????????
Beverly, go to the forum page (johnsonliterary.com/forum) click on "Pitch Elana" and scroll down to the bottom where you will see a button to post a reply. Paste your pitch there.
I guess I'm not too savvy but I've gone back and forth several times and can't find where to write the pitch. Mary
This was a great idea. Thanks for giving us all the opportunity. I'm sure you've got your work cut out for you now.
I wish all agents did this!
I just wanted to say thank you for hosting this. My pitch did not make the cut, but I am grateful for the critique. We as writer's are so close to our projects that we sometimes overlook the correct way to explain them, and you gave me the opportunity to see where I'm lacking in certain areas. I got so excited about the pitch session that I forgot a very important thing when it comes to pitching any idea...Who, What, When, Where, and Why? Once I took a step back and asked those questions, just as you did. I knew it was back to the grindstone. Thanks again.
how do we know who made the cut?
Thanks for the feed back on my pitch - I was able to realize that I made it so short (72 words) that you missed the point. Now I'll know for next time - I should have included just one more little line - In the afterlife, falling in love and binding oneself to another soul is strictly forbidden. Maybe then it would have been clear my main characters were ghosts. Oh well, live and learn. The short pitch worked on two agents at a conference recently, but I see now that it can be unclear. Thanks again for the critique.