Pitchfest in New York

Hello from New York City. I’m here for work, but I thought you might like a five-minute break from whatever you’re doing to visit along with me. I’m supposed to be sitting in writing classes, but the weather is so fabulous I decided to play hooky.

There are a few new things in the city. The first indication was the increase in price for the Airtrain out of JFK from $5 to $8.50. Then, the train ride into the city was $11.40. What happened to the $2.40 version? Somewhere, I missed something. Maybe can tell me?

All MTA trains (at least the ones I rode) have no private advertising. However, the interiors of each train are plastered with slogans teaching passengers how to be nice to each other. Here’s an example for you.

I stayed in the Theater District, just below Central Park and above Times Square. It is not as noisy during the day as in Midtown, but it is the same at night: car horns, police, ambulance, construction, and garbage vehicle noises are the constant background noise of the city. Even on the 25th floor, I needed earplugs to sleep.

I came here for part of Thrillerfest, the collection of writers and readers for all things thrilling. There are many famous writers here, and it’s refreshing to see they are normal people like you and me. One even gave me a pep talk in the ladies’ room when I was anxious about pitching my novel.

Given my heart rate and anxiety level, I ditched the rest of the day's events, took a nap, and then took a walk in the park around the Pond. It was what I needed. I think my doctor and I will have a long conversation; otherwise, I will need to begin spending half of each day in meditation.

Leaving the city's noise, I walked to Gapstow Bridge. Central Park is huge, with 843 acres of beautifully kept park. If you haven’t been, watch this video from the park conservancy. It wasn’t always this beautiful, but the city's people turned it around.

Not wanting to fall asleep on the park bench, I began walking down 5th Avenue, reaching St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where a graduation ceremony had just ended. The front steps were crowded with celebrating guys in white tuxedos while the sidewalk traffic flowed around them and down the street.

At Rockefeller Center, I remembered the Christmas tree I saw the last time I was here and the trip years ago I took with my sisters to visit the original Twin Towers. On that trip, I learned I was afraid of heights, hyperventilating on the observation roof. New York always teaches me something, even though it may be something I wish I didn’t know.

Seeing these cool shoes, I window-shopped at Bergdorf Goodman.

If you’re somewhere around West 55th Street and 8th Avenue, you will swear you are in Miami if you close your eyes. The music changes to Reggaeton, and Cuban sandwich shops are on the corners. Walk another block, and “poof,” you’re back in New York.

The strangest thing on this trip was the “burger joint,” a hamburger restaurant constructed to look like a hole-in-the-wall joint with Five Guys-type food. It is inside the Thompson Hotel, behind a large red stage curtain. Walking through the luxury hotel, through the curtains, and into this place was weird.

The burger, sweet potato fries, and chocolate shake were good. I asked for more calories, but that was all they had. (Do not tell the doctor I ate this. I don’t want a lecture.)

Then, I continued walking toward Times Square. My anxiety level (her name is Charlotte if you’re curious) asked me to avoid the lights and crowds, so I turned the corner and kept walking. Then it was back to get ready to pitch my suspense novel. This trip was for that, so I needed to quit goofing off and get ready.

This was my first experience at pitching in person. I thought it would be very different from pitching to a legal client. It isn’t. A pitch is a pitch, I guess.

To prepare, I followed the instructions on pitching from numerous websites, videos, and instructors. It seems everyone has their own view of how a book should be pitched to an agent. I also followed the recommendations from the helpful Pitchfest author who helped me prepare.

Three hours before we began, a panel of agents gave the hundreds of writers their expectations when pitched—a completely different experience than I had prepared for. I hustled back to the room, back to the drawing board, and scrambled for three hours to redo my pitch and practice.

This trip reminded me of why I gave up being a litigator. As I said, New York always teaches me something. I was so anxious before every trial that I became a permanent fixture in every courthouse bathroom until just before the judge entered the courtroom. I had forgotten how bad it can be.

While I was nervously preparing, life went on as usual outside my window.

Then, it was time.

I pitched for three hours in this speed dating event for writers. You’re given three minutes to sell your book to the agent, and then you’re off to the next line, standing and waiting for your selected agent to hear your three-minute pitch. Three hours gave me enough time to see just over a dozen agents. I had flagged twenty-one to talk with out of more than double that number of agents at the event.

There just wasn’t enough time to meet them all. Even so, the event was a success for me. Was it worth the anxiety? I’m still thinking about that.

For those unfamiliar with what an author goes through, the next step is to send my query letter and manuscript to the agents who requested to see it. They will read part or all of my book and then decide (months from now) if they want to represent me. If one is interested, and we agree, that agent will try and sell my book to a publisher. That takes more time. Then there are the publisher’s edits, cover work, and on and on and on. It may take several years to complete this process for my book to be published, and I’ve been told that I’ll still have to do most of my marketing.

Anxiety Charlotte taps her fingernail on her watch face. “Tick-tock,” she says, a reminder that I “don’t have time for this” and that “there’s too much you want to do” rather than put up with this BS.

Well, Charlotte, I can take this next step or publish the book myself. If I take that path, you’ll find something else to fuss at me about. But she may be right.

Thrillerfest, and especially Pitchfest, was an extremely organized event. I met many nice people and was reassured that my book might be something others might read. It was a learning experience.

Charlotte, however, thinks I should have blown the whole thing off and taken a carriage ride around Central Park.