Pitchwars Wish List 2019

Hi folks. My name is Alex Segura and I’m a Pitch Wars Adult Mentor this year. What’s Pitch Wars (www.pitchwars.org)? Well, it’s a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns pick a writer each to spend three months revising their manuscript. It ends in February with an Agent Showcase, where agents can read a pitch/first page and ask for more.

“Why should I pitch to YOU, Alex?”

Well, great question, Unnamed Potential Mentee – let me try and answer. I’ve written five acclaimed crime/mystery novels, two of which have been nominated for Anthony Awards (a semi-big deal in the crime writing world). I also write comic books and podcasts, both of which have been praised by The New York Times. I also have a lot of experience tutoring and helping writers, having run a comic book pitch writing class for a few years at LitReactor. I also work as Co-President at Archie Comics by day, where I oversee the company’s editorial output – which is a fancy way of saying I work with writers all day, and then write my own stuff at night.

“Cool, I think. But what kind of books are you looking for?”

I’m looking for mysteries/crime novels, mostly. Ideally those with flawed protagonists and realistic situations, NOT international spy thrillers or badass alpha male action movies on paper. People dig those! But I’m not looking to mentor someone writing one. I just wouldn’t be of help. I’m interested in crime novels that explore the human condition, have some level of timely social commentary, and are strong in terms of setting and supporting cast. It does not have to be the first in a series, though – standalones are great, too. I’m also really intrigued about reading a crime novel with a feminist slant and/or a female protagonist, but that is not a dealbreaker. I also like to explore different cultures and backgrounds, so diversity is a +++. I am a big supporter of #ownvoices mysteries and books that represent marginalized communities, so I’m on the lookout for that.

My preferences as a reader lean more toward noir/hardboiled vs. cozy, but that does not mean I don’t like to laugh – humor really helps contrast drama and tension, so please keep that in mind!

One more thing – voice is extremely important to me! If your mystery is well-plotted, that’s great. I really love to be surprised. But you’ll win me over if your characters sound unique, your descriptions feel real and not Googled, and your prose reads like YOU, not your idea of what you want to be. This is hard, so I don’t expect your first pass to read like Charles Willeford or Patricia Highsmith. But aim high. I value ambition and effort vs. sticking to what’s safe.

As much as I love all genres, I’m not looking for anything that doesn’t fall into crime/mystery/noir/hardboiled. I’m not the right person to give you feedback on your fantasy, sci-fi, romance, or historical fiction. But I wish you the best if that’s what you’re working on! I love reading those kind of books.

I’m obviously partial to the PI genre, but don’t feel compelled to send me established PI stories – I love me some amateur detectives. I love exploring how people evolve from regular folk to heroes or at least try to. I am not a big fan of the boozy detective who doesn’t face any consequences for his/her/their actions, though. So, if your hero knocks back a twelve-back and still saves the day, hooks up with the femme fatale, and recovers from a gunshot in your novel with little repercussions…that’s not my bag.

In terms of books that get me jazzed that fall into the category I’m looking to mentor, here’s a quick list, off the top of my head:

Wonder Valley, by Ivy Pochoda
A Firing Offense, by George Pelecanos
Charm City, by Laura Lippman
Little Deaths, by Emma Flint
Night Film, by Marisha Pessl
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, by Sara Gran
Darkness, Take My Hand, by Dennis Lehane
The Long and Faraway Gone, by Lou Berney
Red Harvest, by Walter Mosley
The Passenger, by Lisa Lutz
Rum Punch, by Elmore Leonard
Deep Water, by Patricia Highsmith

As for communication style – I’m pretty responsive over email, and will let you know if I need more time with anything or if I’m dealing with other stuff. I have two kids, a full-time job, and I’m writing a novel and two comics at the moment. So, my time is at a premium, but this is important to me and I will make the time to work with you. But please keep my time in mind on your side, too. It’s appreciated!

I’m honest. I don’t believe in candy-coating my feedback. If something doesn’t work for me, I will tell you and explain why. If you don’t like getting blunt feedback, or if you need sugar with your tea, I might not be the person for you. That said, when something is good or works well, I will sing your praises. But I don’t believe in clapping to fill awkward silences.

I’m not a proofreader – I’ll be editing for content, style, tone, plot, and general quality. I won’t bog you down with typos and grammar checks. I kind of expect that stuff to be buttoned up before you send it to me, so please give your MS a spit and polish before you hit send. 🙂

Pitch Wars 2019 Adult Mentors’ Wish Lists

Pitchwars Wish List 2019

Share this: