Pitch!

On a chilly but sunny day yesterday, Saturday May 2, I pitched my book, The House on Křenová Street, to three literary agents at the 2026 Washington Writer's Conference in Rockville, Maryland.

There were approximately 200 attendees and 20 agents who participated.

It was a first for me. First time at this conference and first time pitching!

The conference began on Friday May 1 @ 5:30 pm. That evening we listened to a panel of four agents discussing pitches, query letters, and general writer-agent etiquette... Very helpful!

The next day we pitched. It was exciting and nerve-wracking.

Weeks before, I had signed up for a time slot with each of three agents whom I had researched and thought might be interested in my work. I honed a very brief opening pitch—essentially a 30-40 second overview of my book—as recommended by a webinar on pitching. I also got input on my pitch from my writer's group, friends, family, and anyone who would listen!

The time slots for pitching were six minutes each and scheduled throughout the day from 9 am until 4:30 pm. Think speed dating, i.e., little time to make a first impression, but spread out and with more choice.

At the appointed time, we writers who had signed up for that particular slot lined up outside the closed door of the pitching room. A very conscientious gatekeeper with a clipboard opened the door when it was time to go in, find our agent, and start pitching. The room had neat rows of about 20 small tables, an agent seated on one side, and an empty chair on the other side. Each table had a number on a stand, like at restaurants, to help us find our agent. As soon as everyone had walked in, the gatekeeper closed the door behind us. Six minutes later she came back in to tell us it was time to leave.

From the moment I sat down at the table, I was only aware of the professional opposite me and how she was reacting to my book. It was scary, yet also exhilarating to describe the story to someone so experienced and powerful. The six minutes went by in a flash.

The networking at the conference was just as stimulating. I met a young reporter who was pitching her book on AI and trying to cope with the current assault on the news media. I met a veteran former gardening columnist, who was pitching his book on gardening as a way of cultivating beauty and calm in a turbulent world. And I met a fellow psychologist who was pitching her screenplay and novel related to her family history. We had known each other by name through our involvement in the Maryland Psychological Association. And now we're going to stay in touch.

All in all - a very rich and productive two days. All three agents I spoke with indicated an interest in the book—one even called the story "extraordinary". Two of the agents wanted the first ten pages of the manuscript and a cover letter. The third wanted a book proposal. It's a start. And so...back to work!