I’ve had some great experiences pitching and having projects pitched to me since first arriving on the convention scene in 2005. In the last year alone I've taken pitches at The World Horror Convention in Austin, The Bram Stoker Awards in Long Island, and KillerCon in Las Vegas. Pitching a project is not the mysterious dark art most make it out to be, but it is your one chance to make a strong impression with an agent or publisher. I'll be taking pitch sessions for Cutting Block Press and The Editorial Department at The World Horror Convention 2012 in Salt Lake City and am always on the lookout for the next big thing in the horror/suspense genre. Introductory Critiques, Manuscript Evaluations, and Query Submissions Packet Evaluations are a great way to make sure your work is pitch-ready, but the face-to-face pitch is up to you.

Here are a few cautionary Do's and Don’ts I’ve learned over the last few years, making it from one side of the pitch table to the other. Whether you've already booked your convention registration, or are just considering attending a writing conference, these tips will help you present the best possible pitch, and give your project a chance to stand out from the convention noise.

Our first Horror Week contribution comes from RJ Cavender, a staff editor with a long-time passion for the horror genre. His work on the Horror Library series has earned him two Bram Stoker Award nominations, and he's always on the lookout for up and coming talent in the genre.

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"The World is degenerating today; bribery and corruption abound, children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it is obvious the end of the world is fast approaching"

- Assyrian Tablet circa 2800BCE

I spend a lot of time talking with people about horror fiction. I've been a working editor for years now and I love my job and the horror community as a whole. So it's frustrating for me that not a year goes by without someone, somewhere declaring with great authority and conviction that once-and-for-all -- "Horror is Dead".

Each year some new film or book flops onto the scene that supposedly nails the coffin shut on what is said to be a failing and unappreciated subgenre. Without proof or provocation anyone can utter these three inflammatory words to instantly spice up any review or quasi-literary conversation.