what is it with the idea of "the pitch"? it used to be just for Hollywood filmmakers; now emerging writers are supposed to do it. a junior editor I proposed an article to recently said she gave "the pitch" to a senior editor. a writer in the Age at the weekend talked about his editor giving "the pitch" to the editorial meeting.

this concept of sales that's infiltrating writing worries me. I know editors and publishing houses are terribly busy. but the idea that it's a competition, or that the slickest presentation wins, does not leave a lot of room for the shy, the weird, the quietly talented, to ever get a chance. of course I'm idealist. I'm a writer.