Tony Lee’s He’s Only A Writer column at Comics Bulletin surveys a bunch of folks, including Lee Nordling, Andy Schmidt, Rob Levin, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Keith Giffen, Andrew Foley and even (gasp) The Beat on pitching and how to convey yourself during the long, grueling task of selling yourself as a writer:
[Nordling]: Ask for advice, not for jobs. Listen. Discuss what they’ve suggested, showing that you listened. Thank them in person (if that’s how you met them), and thank them later by correspondence – then ask for suggestions about whom they might recommend you speak to that they know. You’ll then be able to use their name as a reference to begin the process over again.
Eventually, you’ll come across somebody who’s interested in what you do, and you’ll get work or the job you’re seeking. This is advice I got from a professional counselling company that specializes in this kind of work, and it’s never failed me.
Manners, the art of listening, and followups, as old fashioned as they sound, are classic relationship builders. Good advice!
Good in a Room: How to Sell Yourself (and Your Ideas) and Win Over Any Audience by Stephanie Palmer (9780385520430)
From BN.com: “STEPHANIE PALMER, the founder of the consulting firm Good in a Room, coaches business leaders and creative professionals in a wide range of industries on how to win over clients and prospective customers.” She worked at MGM, listening to thousands of movie pitches, and developed an analysis of what works and what doesn’t. This book doesn’t just deal with pitching, but also how to initiate and maintain contacts.
I am reading GOOD IN A ROOM right now for a review I’m writing, and I have to agree 100%.