Pitch Wars

Cricket pitch (not to scale) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is a pitch war, you ask? I wondered too. As it turns out, nothing to do with cricket pitches or baseball pitches. Just as well really, as I am pretty hopeless at both sports.

Pitch Wars is a writers’ competition in the USA, but with international involvement.

Full details can be found at Brenda Drake’s website.  In summary, the Wars offer a panel of mentors who help aspiring authors prepare a manuscript for a pitch to selected agents.  I’m writing about it in case any Australian/New Zealand authors might like to take a peek.  It closes 8 pm EST (I think that is California time) December 5th USA time, so you still have a few hours to enter – not that I want any more competition, but authors are supposed to support each other! I’m supporting by spreading the word!

While I do have submissions in to two publishers in Australia, given they haven’t snatched up my book (more fool them ), I believe I’m free to explore whatever other avenues happen to come my way.

I’ve probably broken one rule already – the competition details say to submit to three prospective mentors and I only submitted to one.  I found out rather late and was running out of time (until I remembered the time difference).

After I hit the “send” on the email, I thought, “Hell, they are likely to think I can’t spell.”  As it turns out one of the mentors is Australian (not my genre) and assured me they are aware of spelling style differences between the USA and Australia! Phew, that was a relief!

I see most of the other authors turn to jelly after they have submitted, so I know I’m not alone in feeling “Oh crap, what have I done!”

What will be, will be. It is an experience: each time I “pitch” I learn (so far) what doesn’t work. Hopefully sooner or later I’ll stumble on something that does work!

Maybe I should go and enter another two times to at least comply with the rules. You reckon, huh? I reckon.