Pitching Your Novel

So you’ve finished your novel and your ready to set your baby loose. But if you were asked to describe your novel in a few sentences, would you be able to do it?

Some people call it an elevator pitch. The little sound bite that will catch an editor’s attention, if you were in…well an elevator. Though you many never use it in the elevator, it’s good to start off with a one sentence summary.

If you use Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake method, you’re already ahead of the game.

“I was using Randy Ingerman’s Snowflake method for my new wip, and I realized that the 5-sentence summary in step 2 is an easy, painless way of creating a 30-second verbal pitch. The 5-sentence summary consists of story setup, three plot disasters and lastly the ending/resolution. It made me break the storyline down into basic components, made sure I have those crucial three disasters, and also helped me to look at the pacing of those disasters.” Camy Tang. Read the rest here.

So what is a pitch?

Here are some great quotes and thoughts about pitches:

“A pitch is a HOOK. It should have one goal and one only: to make the editor want to know more about your story. Just as a chapter hook makes the reader turn the page, your pitch hook makes the editor ask a follow-up question. (Sometimes editors will ask a follow-up question simply to be polite. The trick is making them ask a question because they really are curious about the answer.)” Brandilyn Collins. Read the rest of the post here.

A pitch is a “one minute back of the book type blurb memorized to to an editor. We call this an elevator(pitch). Because, like me, you may literally be pitching it in an elevator. Though it could be anywhere, more than likely, over a meal. I practiced mine last year for weeks before the conference. My friends and I would cold-call each other and say, “Tell me about your book.” This practice was nerve wracking but paid off big time at the conference.” Gina Holmes. Read the rest of the post here.

“Don’t tell me your entire story. Just stick to the P’s: Pitch, Package, Platform. PITCH: Give me the essence in as few words as possible. (caveat: “Aliens meets Blue Like Jazz” is not helpful. “Philip K. Dick meets Don Miller” is better, but explain that genre with a more specific comparison like, “Kathy Tyers meets Siri Mitchell.” Mick Silva, acquisitions editor for Waterbrook. Read the rest of the post here.

Okay, you get the idea of how to pitch, now why should you do it.

“One of the most important reasons to go to a conference is to pitch to an editor and/or agent. Many CBA publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. This is a good way to get yourself before an editor you have targeted. With ACFW conference in two weeks there will be a lot of reasons to practice your. ” Margaret Daley, Steeple Hill author. To read the rest of the article go here.

Ready to pitch? I’ll go first.

Here’s my one sentence summary for my WIP Digging Up Death:

An ambitious archeology television hostess investigates a murder and her husband’s involvement in an antiquities smuggling ring.

Not very exciting or engaging. How can I take it up a notch?

Here’s my 77 word summary:

Archeology professor Mari Duggins has the perfect life and everything money can buy. As cable television hostess of “Archeology Today,” she’s in line for her dream job at WKZO.

Then her colleague is murdered, and her husband is accused of stealing an Egyptian artifact. Compelled to clear his name, Mari digs up dirt on those close to her.

Will Mari sacrifice her professional dream for her husband’s reputation? Or will someone prevent her from uncovering the truth?

Seems a bit too long for a pitch. How can I combine the two, hook the editor and get him to ask more questions?

Anyone want to tackle my pitch? Leave me a comment! Then work on your own and come back and leave a comment. I’ll feature some in the next Conference Confidence post on Saturday and show you what I’ve come up with!