I am a proud Pitch Wars contestant this year.

Yes, I am already an published author with an independent press, but believe it or not, I have been floundering around for the last several years, semi-lost in the publishing sea, AGENTLESS.

I love writing. If you’ve been hanging around here long enough, you know that telling stories is near and dear to my heart. (And it’s my therapy, to some extent)

I’ve been through several independent publishers, two of which have closed their doors and reverted rights.

I am still happily with my two remaining publishers, but the other two houses closing made it plain to me that I should not put my eggs in one basket. (Or even two, as it were.)

I do a lot of research, and I’ve met enough people to ask questions and get honest answers. So I know that to get into one of the other publishing houses I am interested in, I will need an agent.

For those of you out there trying to find an agent, you know the slush pile isn’t much fun. The challenge is to get pages read at all, let alone gaining representation… and it’s so darn hard.

That is where Pitch Wars comes in.

If I’m selected, I get the help of a super-deep-dive beta read (Which I just LOOOOOVE) You guys know I usually have 5-12 beta readers. I love new ideas and fresh perspectives. I am a firm believer that a novel can always be improved, so I am TOTALLY for this.

Next, after the beta read, is the AGENT ROUND. Now this is where I am hoping to shine. Because Pitch Wars has earned a reputation. Agents know these manuscripts have not only been heavily culled, they’ve been deep-dive edited for two months in preparation for the Agent Round. So I’m hoping this will give my story that extra boost, because I know in my heart that Mollie will wiggle her way into their hearts once they start reading.

Lastly, even if I am not chosen, the Pitch Wars community totally rocks. This is a great place to make writerly friends.

“Hello, fellow pitch warriors!”

So, If you are entering this year, GOOD LUCK! I am totally rooting for you.

Have fun, make friends, and most importantly, keep writing. No matter what happens in the next few months, you still have a story to tell.