Little Pitchers Have Big Ears

EE, here's a news article you might find interesting. In short, research shows people are more amenable to ideas spoken into their right ear: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5612036/Want-to-get-something-done--talk-to-people-in-their-right-ear.html I extrapolate that to making agent pitches: If you're at a writers' conference and have a chance to pitch your story idea, pitch it into the agent's right ear. And if you're stuck on the agent's left side, just point off in a direction to her left and say, "Hey, it's Stephen King and he's looking for a new agent." When she turns her right ear to you, give her your pitch.

--Bill H


Clever, Bill. But according to the article, the evidence is the number of cigarettes bummed per ear, along with the fact that what goes in the right ear is processed by the logical side of the brain. But the way I see it, if someone tries to bum a cigarette, the logical side of your brain will assume that if you give him the cigarette he'll go away. If someone tries to pitch you a manuscript, the logical side of the brain will assume that if you buy the manuscript, you'll never be rid of him. Thus, a pitch should go to the left ear, where it will be processed by the illogical side of the brain, the only side that might consider buying it.