Critiques, Pitches, Queries: A Cheat Sheet for 2010

Standard or extended critique? Pitch? Real-time Query? With some many opportunities for one-on-one time with faculty members, how can an attendee get a crash course in who is doing what and for what types of writing?

I’ll admit, even as the conference chair, I have a difficult time keeping all of the faculty names, genres and locations straight (I use index cards). But, as attendees, there are a couple of things you can do before registering. First, read the biographies of the faculty members. Each industry expert who is offering any of these services has a bio page that you can find by going to the faculty page of the conference website. Second, do a little research on the faculty member. If the folks you might be interested in have websites, start there. A Google search never hurts, either. But when all else fails, check out a cheat sheet.

So, here’s a cheat sheet for writers so they’ll make the most of their time at the 20th Annual South Carolina Writers’ Workshop conference. I’ve listed the type of item offered, a brief explanation of what it is and then a list of the faculty members and the genres they’ll work with at the conference.

Due to the length and sheer volume of information, I will provide an individual post for each type of one-on-one meeting. It will include a short description before getting to the nitty gritty of who is looking at what.

When all else fails, shoot me an e-mail or call one of the the volunteers listed on the SCWW website. We'll be more than happy to help you.


So, there you have it. A cheat sheet for choosing one-on-one time with faculty members. Remember, you may purchase as many critiques, pitches and queries as you would like. And, for more time to learn what faculty members are looking for, thinking about, reading and just doing as a hobby, don’t forget to register for meals! Friday and Saturday dinners will have faculty-hosted tables. While we ask that you don’t pitch a manuscript during meals, unless the faculty member specifically asks what you’re working on, diners are a great way to learn more about these publishing folks. Sometimes, understanding the “world” they live in helps you to better market the book you want to become a reality.

For the most up-to-date information on the conference, be sure to visit this blog often, and to check out the SCWW website, www.myscww.org/conference.