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.

This year I was honored to be on the faculty of The Word Guild's annual Write!Canada writer's conference in Guelph, Ontario--five hours due east of my house. This was my first time attending a writer's conference as a freelance editor instead of an in-house acquisitions editor, and the difference might seem subtle but it is important. Before, my take on your manuscript was important for how I could make all your publishing dreams come true; now, I'm just a guy with an opinion. I agreed to come and meet with writers, but I really didn't expect for too many of the writers there to waste their time with an opinionated powerless guy. But from previous experience, I knew that the Canadian writers who attend the conference are usually fun, quirky folks who kindly chuckled at my international traveler persona, so I looked forward to the experience.

I wasn't disappointed; the conference was great, and I had many good conversations about the Christian book industry, about self-publishing and indie publishing and the difference between them, and about books and writing in general. I had dozens of one-on-one appointments where I met with aspiring writers and discussed their work with them, both on quality of craft and viability in the marketplace.

And I feel like I learned something on behalf of the aspiring writer: freelance editors offer a unique and vital perspective on your work.