You may have noticed that a few weeks ago an event called #PitMad happened on Twitter, but you may not know a lot about it, or about pitching in general. #PitMad or PitchMadness is a contest held quarterly in March, June, September, and December where writers enter story pitches for a chance to win manuscript requests from literary agents.
Now, not everyone is into traditional publishing. Some authors prefer the self-publishing route and don’t feel they need agents. But knowing how to pitch novels is just as important for indie authors as it is for traditional publishing.
Why?
Writers need to know how to pitch in order to market their work. Every novel needs a good pitch – something to draw the reader in and make them pay attention.
But how do describe a full-length manuscript in 35 words or less? It certainly isn’t easy. Like writing your novel, creating a great pitch takes time and revision.
Some things to remember when creating a pitch are:
• Give a clear idea of your book’s core conflict.
• Include main characters or anyone the reader is meant to care about
• Demonstrate what’s at stake for the main character.
• Use active voice, not passive.
In order to give a clearer idea I will use my novel, Painting the Apocalypse, as an example.
The summary for my novel is as follows:
“Charlotte George finds herself unwillingly drawn into a plot to destroy heaven and earth when her paintings and sketches are revealed to contain a more sinister purpose. Only the archangel Raphael can save her from being used as a pawn in Satan's plans. If they fail, she'll be damned to hell and Raphael could face exile. Can a hopeless girl and a disgraced Archangel really manage to stop the apocalypse?"
So in order to create a pitch I need to narrow the focus. What is the conflict? Who is my main character? What is at stake?
My first rough pitch was something like this:
• “Demons use girl’s artistic ability to communicate Satan’s plans. A disgraced angel intervenes, saving the girl but starting the apocalypse.”
But that isn’t quite specific enough, nor does it make readers care about my main character. So I tweaked it several times until…
• “Charlotte’s art is a medium for Satan’s plans for revenge. Can one girl and a disgraced angel stop the apocalypse?”
And then with help from friends I managed to make it even more specific…
• “Satan speaks through Charlotte’s art. A disgraced angel is her only salvation.“
This pitch gives a clear idea of the conflict, while also including my main character and an idea of what’s at stake.
If you’re interested in learning more about #PitMad visit http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-madness/
The next upcoming quarterly #PitMad event takes place on December 4, 2015 at 8 AM and ends at 8 PM (EST).
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