#Pitmad

Billtrumpet25

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,299
Reaction score
201
Age
30
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Hello, everyone! :)

Just today there was another #Pitmad on Twitter. For those who do not have a Twitter account and/or do not participate in it, #Pitmad is where you pitch your novel in 140 characters or less, using the hashtag #Pitmad (have I said #Pitmad enough yet? ;)). If agents like what you pitch, they will then request (either through "Favorite"-ing your Tweet or even replying to it) that you submit a query and 'x' number of pages to them.

This got me thinking...

I did a search for #Pitmad here on AW, and all I saw were passing mentions to it; there weren't really any full threads devoted to the topic. I also know that if writing a query makes heads itch, then condensing one's query into 140 characters is not in any way an easy feat. I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread for authors to share their #Pitmad Tweets, in preparation for the next #Pitmad (dunno when that will be, but it's good to be prepared). Knowing how great a resource the "Post Your Opening 3 Sentences" thread is, I guessed having a #Pitmad thread would be a useful resource.

If a mod wants to move this thread at any point, you'll hear no complaints from me. :)

Good luck, everyone, and have fun! :D
 

Buffysquirrel

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
6,137
Reaction score
694
Judging by the three sentences thread, you will get a lot of entries that are over the character limit. A lot.
 

Kaarl

Novice Wordsmith
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
172
Reaction score
6
Location
UK
Thanks for the info !
 

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
5,029
Location
We couldn't possibly do that. Who'd clear up the m
Website
francisknightbooks.co.uk
Judging by the three sentences thread, you will get a lot of entries that are over the character limit. A lot.

But a pitch (this time kinda an elevator pitch in extremis) is not the same as the first three sentences. And if you go over, you get cut off. Twitter forces you to abide by the character length (unless you utilise outside apps, which, well...)

I kinda like the idea -- forces you to get the main premise in your head, and succinctly. Which we all need to do anyway. It's a good skill to have.* No different to a tagline.



*I always want to use the phrase 'and then hijinks ensue' but I have refrained so far
 

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Messages
4,827
Reaction score
336
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Website
home.comcast.net
We're still sort of waiting for the mods to get back to us on a public request to do the elevator pitch contest again. Elevator pitch is 1 paragraph, so it's a lot longer than 140 characters. Personally I don't like the idea of trying to pitch a book in such a short limit as a tweet, I feel like I couldn't communicate all the relevant information about it.
 

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
8,555
Reaction score
8,433
Location
The Seattle suburbs
Website
www.reneedominick.com
Right, but you don't--include all relevant info, that is. It's an enticement, an amuse bouche. And if you can do it, it's an interesting exercise for query writing. Someone else posted for help on one of these a few weeks ago. It was interesting to see the distillation.

My problem is I don't understand Twitter well enough to know if you can follow hashtags. How do you hear about these things??
 

Billtrumpet25

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,299
Reaction score
201
Age
30
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Right, but you don't--include all relevant info, that is. It's an enticement, an amuse bouche. And if you can do it, it's an interesting exercise for query writing. Someone else posted for help on one of these a few weeks ago. It was interesting to see the distillation.

My problem is I don't understand Twitter well enough to know if you can follow hashtags. How do you hear about these things??

Hear about #Pitmad, or hashtags in general? :) I actually learned about #Pitmad from an agent that I follow (and she follows me back, which is cool). As for hashtags, I find that they are more like "folders" that tweets are organized under, for lack of a better term (maybe someone might be able to describe it better). I find the "folder", I find a ton of tweets related to that topic...if I'm looking for something for writers, I can search for a specific, writer-ly hashtag instead of combing through thousands of tweets.
 

seun

Horror Man
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Messages
9,709
Reaction score
2,053
Age
46
Location
uk
Website
www.lukewalkerwriter.com
I'm terrible at this sort of thing, but it could be fun and, as has been said, a useful skill.
 

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
5,029
Location
We couldn't possibly do that. Who'd clear up the m
Website
francisknightbooks.co.uk
Right, but you don't--include all relevant info, that is. It's an enticement, an amuse bouche. And if you can do it, it's an interesting exercise for query writing. Someone else posted for help on one of these a few weeks ago. It was interesting to see the distillation.

The distillation is important too -- when someone asks you off the cuff what your book is about, rather than go off into a ream of stuff that will make their eyes glaze over/wish they hadn't asked (if they sound interested after your first pitch, then you carry on), you shoot out your distillation. It only needs to be enough for someone to think 'That sounds ver' cool'. Bingo, job done.*

It's a good way of sorting out what your book is actually about and a flavour of it to entice someone in. If you read Save The Cat (I recommend it BTW) the screenwriter author says he never works on a script till he has the tagline (essentially the elevator pitch) right. Because when he's writing, it helps keep him on track. He knows what the story is.


*ETA: when anyone asks in casual convo what my books are about I say 'Like Bladerunner, only with wizards instead of replicants'. It almost always garners a request for more info. Which is what it's for. It's also helpful to the agent because they can 'see' who it's targeted at, who might like it, where it will sit on the shelves, how to market it perhaps...
 
Last edited:

CKeelty

Registered
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Harlem, NYC
Website
www.ChristopherKeelty.com
My problem is I don't understand Twitter well enough to know if you can follow hashtags. How do you hear about these things??

Twitter has a search function that's easy to use. You can just as easily search "pitmad," but the benefit of the hashtag # is it sorts out those who are deliberate from anyone who might accidentally have used that letter combination in some other context.

There are also lots of Twitter clients (software used to read what's on Twitter) that make it easy to follow a hashtag, but those are more complicated to explain. :)

I took part in #pitmad yesterday for the first time--the first time I've had a book ready to go to market, which is one of the rules. The book has to be finished, query and synopsis and such in hand and ready to go.

I got one bite. The target is mostly agents, but an editor at Curiosity Quills Press reached out and asked me to send a query. Looks like they are trying to build their list. It was researching the publisher that brought me back to AbsoluteWrite and inspired me to try to be a more active participant.

I was a little dismayed that there was one editor who said he was specifically looking for adult SF with an LGBT element, which is SO perfectly what my book is, but he didn't take an interest when I reached out to him. Maybe he's not into superheroes (the book--not me. ;))

PS: You actually have LESS than 140 characters to work with, because the #pitmad hashtag (which must be included) eats up 7 characters, and the standard practice seems to be to include a word count and genre ("95k SF," for instance) which uses another 6-8 characters or so, so you're down to like 125.

For those unaccustomed to Twitter, abbreviations are VERY accepted. Some are better than others at creating readable abbreviations. Sarah Palin, for instance, is notorious for trying to squeeze so much into 140 characters that her tweets are often incomprehensible and hilarious.
 
Last edited:

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Messages
4,827
Reaction score
336
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Website
home.comcast.net
Right, but you don't--include all relevant info, that is. It's an enticement, an amuse bouche. And if you can do it, it's an interesting exercise for query writing. Someone else posted for help on one of these a few weeks ago. It was interesting to see the distillation.
The concept of this kind of pitch just doesn't appeal to me at all. If I was an editor I would not want to read or hear them. They tell you enough to dislike a concept, but not enough to like it.
 

Billtrumpet25

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,299
Reaction score
201
Age
30
Location
Phoenix, AZ
The concept of this kind of pitch just doesn't appeal to me at all. If I was an editor I would not want to read or hear them. They tell you enough to dislike a concept, but not enough to like it.

It takes a lot of practice, just like writing a normal query would.

For #Pitmad, I had to shorten my "best" paragraph of the query from this:

"Amidst the turmoil of civil war, Lendlelott finally gets his wish, but it comes at a cost. When the leader of Trent, known only as The Wizard, discovers Lendlelott’s new powers and brands him a traitor, Lendlelott is thrust into the center of the conflict between the Trentian government and a brave band of rebels. Exiled from home, he makes some unlikely allies, joining forces with Saura, The Wizard’s ex-advisor, and Rab Resurian, the mysterious leader of the Rebellion. With The Wizard breathing down the rebels’ necks, Lendlelott discovers a terrible truth that throws him into a precarious position where he has to choose between dealing with the demons of his past and fighting to protect friends he never knew he had."

To this: "When Lendlelott is caught by rebels, he must choose between confronting his own demons and protecting friends he never knew he had. #PitMad" (139 char.)

Or, alternatively, this: "An elf named Lendlelott becomes a wizard at a cost. When he is branded a traitor, he uncovers more secrets than he bargained for. YA #PitMad" (140 char.)

Both seemed anemic to me. I felt I could've done better. I don't know if I did enough to make the concept appealing. But at least the Tweets were cleaner than my first attempt back in March, so progress is being made. :)
 

Billtrumpet25

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,299
Reaction score
201
Age
30
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Twitter has a search function that's easy to use. You can just as easily search "pitmad," but the benefit of the hashtag # is it sorts out those who are deliberate from anyone who might accidentally have used that letter combination in some other context.

There are also lots of Twitter clients (software used to read what's on Twitter) that make it easy to follow a hashtag, but those are more complicated to explain. :)

I took part in #pitmad yesterday for the first time--the first time I've had a book ready to go to market, which is one of the rules. The book has to be finished, query and synopsis and such in hand and ready to go.

I got one bite. The target is mostly agents, but an editor at Curiosity Quills Press reached out and asked me to send a query. Looks like they are trying to build their list. It was researching the publisher that brought me back to AbsoluteWrite and inspired me to try to be a more active participant.

I was a little dismayed that there was one editor who said he was specifically looking for adult SF with an LGBT element, which is SO perfectly what my book is, but he didn't take an interest when I reached out to him. Maybe he's not into superheroes (the book--not me. ;))

PS: You actually have LESS than 140 characters to work with, because the #pitmad hashtag (which must be included) eats up 7 characters, and the standard practice seems to be to include a word count and genre ("95k SF," for instance) which uses another 6-8 characters or so, so you're down to like 125.

For those unaccustomed to Twitter, abbreviations are VERY accepted. Some are better than others at creating readable abbreviations. Sarah Palin, for instance, is notorious for trying to squeeze so much into 140 characters that her tweets are often incomprehensible and hilarious.

Brilliant post. Welcome to AW. :)
 

WendyN

8-armed cyborg tree
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
1,904
Reaction score
181
Location
in the mountain's shadow
#PitMad

I'm starting this thread for a bunch of us who have set a goal to participate in the #PitMad Twitter party this year as we seek literary representation for our work. Experienced #PitMad participants are welcome to chime in as well!

Details about #PitMad can be found on Brenda Drake's blog (click image for link)

The AW Water Cooler thread for working on your pitches and receiving feedback from other writers is located in the SYW section (click for link)

A couple other resources I've stumbled across:
- A blogger's analysis of January #PitMad
- Another blogger's analysis of March's #PitMad
- A blogger's compiled list of advice from agents regarding #PitMad (from May)


Anything else to add?
Anyone have a strategy planned out (# of different pitches to use, frequency of pitching, etc)?

Good luck to everyone!
 
Last edited:

Cranky1

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 23, 2013
Messages
422
Reaction score
25
There will also be #MSWL on Sept. 24th. Agents will be posting their manuscript wishlists.
 

Undercover

I got it covered
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
10,432
Reaction score
2,054
Location
Not here, but there
It says there will be publishers there too?

Is there a way I can see the agent and publisher lists that are participating?
 

krashnburn

I've gone to pink!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
1,914
Reaction score
319
Location
NY
What up, pitmad peeps!
Never been on this board before...

How does the #MSWL one work? You have to put #MSWL in your tweet? Just follow that hashtag and then tweet at the agents who put up what you have?
 

WendyN

8-armed cyborg tree
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
1,904
Reaction score
181
Location
in the mountain's shadow
What up, pitmad peeps!
Never been on this board before...

How does the #MSWL one work? You have to put #MSWL in your tweet? Just follow that hashtag and then tweet at the agents who put up what you have?

Nope, #MSWL is just for agents to specifics of things that they're looking for, their "dream projects" or whatnot. You'd respond to these by querying the agent as per usual (NOT on Twitter), and putting "#MSWL" in your subject line or somewhere in the query to reference their "wish list"
 

WendyN

8-armed cyborg tree
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
1,904
Reaction score
181
Location
in the mountain's shadow
It says there will be publishers there too?

Is there a way I can see the agent and publisher lists that are participating?

Because it's a drop-in setup, open to any publishing pros on Twitter, I can't imagine there'd be a list anywhere, though maybe (maybe??) you might be able to find one of agencies that participated last time? I remember seeing some of my 'top pick' agents request things last time.

Just skimming through tweets from last session, here's a few names I recognize:
Publishers - Entangled
Agencies - Donald Maas Agency, Andrea Brown Lit, Red Sofa Lit, Eric Ruben, Inklings, Foreword, D4EO, Sandra Dijkstra Lit, Gelfman Schneider, FinePrint, Bradford Lit, Booker Albert, P.S. Literary, New Leaf Lit
 

Maramoser

much writing. very books
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
380
Reaction score
50
Location
TN
Website
marafitzgerald.blogspot.com
I'll be sitting this one out, but I've done #PitMad twice (with the same MS) and generally had pretty good results. One tweet an hour is usually what they call the maximum acceptable amount, but I typically don't even tweet that much, usually just 3 or 4 times total--and at a reasonable hour when agents seem to be around, not too early or too late.

Even though nobody asked for my advice on pitching haha, the best "wisdom" I can impart is to be able to look at your manuscript and your concept objectively and pick out what's unique and sell-able about it. Don't just summarize your plot if there's nothing about it that will jump out and grab an agent, and don't be vague. For instance, the MS I was pitching had an LGBT romance at front and center, so I made sure to be very explicit about that (and I'm pretty sure it's a big part of the reason I got any requests). One game you can play during the actual event is to scroll through the pitches once a lot of requests have already been made and try and guess, without looking, which ones will have gotten requests, then check to see if you were right. You'll start to notice a pattern of attention-grabbing pitches and pitches that are easy to gloss over. And the crit thread here can definitely help with that. Good luck, everyone! It's very stressful, so bring a paper bag to breathe into. I'll be watching for sure and probably retweeting my favorites, cause I like to do that.

For publishers, World Weaver Press, Entranced, Spencer Hill Press, and Bloomsbury Spark have previously made appearances as well.
 

StellaArgentum

Enjoying the Adventure
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
260
Reaction score
25
Location
Pacific Northwest
Thanks for starting this thread, WKlein! :)

This will be my first #PitMad, and it should be fun! I have my pitch prepped and plan to tweet it every few hours.

I'll check in here throughout the day, too, to cheer for everyone and see updates on the requests people are getting. Go team AW!

--Stella