Tons of aspiring creatives spend their lives sending out query letter after query letter, hoping against all hope that some unknown pair of eyeballs on the other side of the mailman is going to get their letter.
“Stop the presses!” he’ll yell. “We’ve got to find this person and make them famous!”
It doesn’t work that way. Surprised? Don’t be. The best way to get someone to look at your work is to have an “in.”
What’s an “in?” It’s a friend of a friend who works in the industry. A real person you can talk to that’ll give your work to the right person and vouch for you at the same time.
This person is out there, you just have to find them. And here’s the catch, they have to know that they can help you.
Here’s how you do it. Whenever you start a conversation, anywhere, and the other person asks how you’re doing, respond in this way.
“Busy. I’ve been working on (insert novel, screenplay, painting, etc. here).”
It’s that simple. If you can work this line in to every single one of your conversations, you WILL meet someone who knows someone. I have a friend who talks to everyone about his writing, and he’s got tons of “ins.
Some people are better social creatures than others, and that makes it all the more critical that the creatives with fewer opportunities for conversation maximize every one.
After that, it’s up to you and your work to shine.
This is a great idea! I’m going to make my writing a conversation piece more often.
Left by latoya on March 6th, 2007