Pitching is a topic that sneaks into dinner conversations this time of year, especially with the Red Sox leading the American League East. But I just spent a weekend experiencing pitching of a different sort—trying to sell a story to a publisher or agent. Knowing that I have several novel manuscripts hiding in the back of my closet, my daughter-in-law invited me to participate in Fiction Fest, a writer’s conference for all genres of fiction sponsored by the Connecticut Romance Writers of America. Writing under the name Libby Waterford, she has already published a novel and three novellas, so she knows a thing or two about pitching. I had never attended a writer’s conference before, but the workshop offerings looked very promising, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend some time with Libby in her professional environment. I was nervous, though. It’s challenging to make your living as a creative person, and I’ve found that competition for space in a small market can sometimes bring out the worst in fellow artists and writers. And don’t get me started on critics and judgment. So I wasn’t prepared for the weekend to be so full of insights and encouragement. The workshops focused on craft, the tips and tricks of how to make writing better. I’ve spent a lot of time writing fiction, and a good part of my career writing non-fiction, but I still appreciate good advice. The actual pitching was done in roundtable settings, small groups with one agent or publisher giving feedback. The biggest challenge was coming up with a compelling 35-word summary of my novel! I did it, though, and found that I enjoyed the sharing and the comments. I’m waiting to hear if I’ll be asked to submit a chapter, but I can appreciate that I have more work to do to make my manuscripts sellable. It may be a while before I send any fastballs zinging over the plate, but my pitching arm is definitely improving.