Pitching advice

LisaHy · Apr 7, 2006

Hi,

I have the chance to pitch a couple of my novels to an editor and have been told to prepare a 25 word pitch. Now, as the pitch draws closer I'm having panic attacks about what exacty is required in the 25 word pitch.

We were told to describe our books in 25 words or less, but that we must do it in such a way to capture the editor's interest. A back cover blurb is another way it was put.

My question is this, is this 25 word pitch supposed to be a straightfoward telling of the plot and main characters? Or can it be more like the catch phrase on the back cover?

For example, the pitch for one novel is...

Rayne McGregor's extraordinary. She wants to be ordinary. But when you work for George Craven, nothing is ordinary, not even the end of the world.

Everyone I've shown this to says it's catchy, but does it do the job? It doesn't tell you that it's an urban fantasy and bar the 'end of the world' bit, it says nothing about the plot.

Do I need something more plot orientated?

Thanks for you help,
Cheers, Lisa.

willietheshakes · Apr 7, 2006

The elevator pitch. Just enough to whet the appetite of someone you want to read your work.

My elevator pitch for my first novel: "It's a novel about miracles in an age without faith."

Seemed to do the trick - it's sold into three countries and counting.

janetbellinger · Apr 7, 2006

I would leave out the first sentence and start with: Rayne MacGregor wants nothing more than to be ordinary.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 7, 2006

When you work for George Craven, nothing is ordinary, not even the end of the world.

That's all you need.

Sentia · Apr 7, 2006

I write this with trembling fingers, as I dare to disagree with Uncle Jim. Janet's version is the one which, if I read it as a jacket blurb, would entice me to open the book and see what's inside.

Forgive me, Uncle Jim.

cwfgal · Apr 7, 2006

Sentia said:
I write this with trembling fingers, as I dare to disagree with Uncle Jim. Janet's version is the one which, if I read it as a jacket blurb, would entice me to open the book and see what's inside.

I agree. I like Janet's version better. Although I'm having some difficulty imagining how the end of the world could ever be considered "ordinary."

Beth

James D. Macdonald · Apr 7, 2006

You aren't writing jacket blurb. You're trying to pitch to an editor or agent who's sitting there.

Albedo of Zero · Apr 7, 2006

cwfgal said:
I agree. I like Janet's version better. Although I'm having some difficulty imagining how the end of the world could ever be considered "ordinary."

Beth

Me too.

LisaHy · Apr 7, 2006

cwfgal said:
I agree. I like Janet's version better. Although I'm having some difficulty imagining how the end of the world could ever be considered "ordinary."

Beth

I never thought of it that way... By not being ordinary, I meant no nuclear bombs or anything as 'ordinary' as something made by man.

Thanks all for the input. I have to admit, for short, punchiness, I like Uncle Jim's. (no, I'm not just fawning...

)

By the response, I take it a modification of this pitch is okay? Phew...

Cheers, Lisa.

cwfgal · Apr 8, 2006

James D. Macdonald said:
You aren't writing jacket blurb. You're trying to pitch to an editor or agent who's sitting there.

In my mind the added sentence makes for a stronger pitch because it's still quite brief, still enticing, and it gives a much better idea of the overall flavor of the book (POV, scope, etc.) than the single sentence does.

But I also have no experience to speak of with verbal pitches. I recall hearing or reading somewhere that one should make a pitch no more than 15 seconds long but try to use all of those 15 seconds. Since I can't recall the source, I have no idea if it's useful advice or not. What's the advantage in having the single sentence rather than the two?

Beth

LightShadow · Apr 8, 2006

I can never get mine down to less than 6 lines. It's difficult, but if you find the right one (or so I hear) and you have it ready at the right time, miracles can happen.

Bufty · Apr 9, 2006

I'm with UJ on this one - The longer alternative starts with 2 opening sentences that to me say nothing at all. If I were listening to someone speak - the UJ model is the one I'd perk up at. How would I deliver it? Could be a better way, but for me, slowly and clearly with emphasis.

When you work for George Craven......nothing is ordinary....not even the end of the world.

cwfgal · Apr 9, 2006

Bufty said:
I'm with UJ on this one - The longer alternative starts with 2 opening sentences that to me say nothing at all. If I were listening to someone speak - the UJ model is the one I'd perk up at. How would I deliver it? Could be a better way, but for me, slowly and clearly with emphasis.

When you work for George Craven......nothing is ordinary....not even the end of the world.

It was the revised one I was referring to, not the original one. I assume we're talking about two different versions since the one I was referring to only had two sentences (which could be one) total:

"Rayne MacGregor wants nothing more than to be ordinary. But when you work for George Craven, nothing is ordinary, not even the end of the world.

The single sentence version suggests to me that the book is about George Craven. It's not, apparently. Which is why I liked the other one better. It makes it much clearer what the perspective and POV of the book are. Maybe that's not a good thing???

Beth

Garpy · Apr 10, 2006

Think of the pitch as being like the tagline on the front cover of a book.

That said, there are some pretty cruddy/cheesy taglines out there in the world, such as Grisham's latest, The Broker:

'He broke the rules, now he has to pay.'

Stephen Kings Cell: 'Is YOUR number up?' I quite like that one.

Another approach is to go for the 'its blahblah meets blahblah' type pitch. Although it's horrible pigeon-holing yourself like that, it's a shorthand that agents, editors and movie-suits are very familiar with.

cwfgal · Apr 10, 2006

Interesting, because I've always thought a tagline and a pitch were two very different things. To me a tagline is some catchy phrase (advertising) designed to entice readers to buy. It reveals very little of the overall flavor of the work. A pitch, on the other hand, is a brief, succinct summary of a work designed to interest an agent or editor, who, I believe, would come to the table with different interests than a reader. The pitch would give an idea of the overall flavor of the book, as in the genre, POV, or general plot.

Now I'm beginning to think my understanding of these terms is wrong. Are these two things essentially considered the same by most people?

Beth

L.Jones · Apr 10, 2006

I've never done a verbal pitch for a book but have to say it's sales so think selling. Not just what you are selling but can you posit your work in a way that makes it easier for the editor to sell, for marketing to sell, etc. Think less about squashing your book into a predesigned number of word and more about that poor editor, think about what you would want to hear sitting in his/her chair.

Get the high concept, or perfect title, or catch phrase, anything that sells the work. Aim for that.

That your Heroine is extraordinary is in and of itself, ordinary. It's not a reason to buy. End of the world, is a reason to sit up and take notice - work with that.

I am about to go to contract (God willing and the creek don't rise) on a title and a tag line. The chapters required for my option were stinko. No one cared. Chapters can be changed. The selling point was solid. It was, btw, a fluke on my part.

annie
Luanne Jones (Heathen Girls - Mira)

Garpy · Apr 10, 2006

One other thing to remember....you're selling to editors/agents, not to the general reading public. That's an entirely different matter altogether.

Pitching advice

LisaHy

It's probably a tumour

willietheshakes

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

janetbellinger

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Sentia

cwfgal

On the rocks

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Albedo of Zero

That didn't hurt

LisaHy

It's probably a tumour

cwfgal

On the rocks

LightShadow

defender of the blahs!

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

cwfgal

On the rocks

Garpy

keyboard monkey

cwfgal

On the rocks

L.Jones

Garpy

keyboard monkey