One of ASJA's perks for members at the conference is the Personal Pitch, in which conference attendees get short appointments with editors and agents to discuss ideas. It's a great opportunity. I'm on the organizing committee for the One-on-One Conference, which is very similar.

That eight or ten minute appointment is great. You can learn a lot about editors and what they want. However, too many people seem to think it's the be-all and end-all of their career, and it's not. It's just ten minutes.

So when you find yourself in a short meeting with an editor, at a conference or a cocktail party, here's how to handle it:

1) Bring a card, nothing else. If the editor wants clips and a resume, send them later. The editors don't want to carry tons of stuff home.

2) It's a conversation. You have ideas, but so does the editor. How does she like to work with writers? Does she assign, or does she prefer queries? Should you send clips, or will she check Web sites? Then, you know how to follow up. Even if the editor loves the idea, she's not going to assign it at the conference. You MUST follow up.

3) If you don't get a chance to meet the editor of your dreams at a conference like this, simply send a note that says "I am so sorry we didn't get a chance to meet. Here's my great idea." You have a ready-made reason to send a timely query! And you'll be more impressive than the writer who had the meeting, who also had a great idea, but who didn't follow up.

4) Finally, do not chase the editor down the hall, follow her into the bathroom, interrupt her when she's on the phone. Editors want to work with professional writers. Nothing says "I'm an unprofessional pain in the butt" than "David? Is that you in the next stall? Let's talk now about my great idea about how kids these days like rap music."