Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
As a writer, you’re always going to find it necessary to “sell your stuff.” To do that, you need to create those all important sales materials for your book: The one-sentence summary. The query. The pitch paragraph. The elevator pitch. The proposal.
I want to focus on fiction here today (since our blog survey revealed 78% of you are writing fiction!) So, how do you create those sales materials for a novel? The main elements of a fiction pitch are:
The main character
Their choice, conflict, or goal
What’s at stake (may be implied)
Action
Setting
But it’s still hard figuring out exactly the right way to pitch. You have to simplify your story and pitch a single plot thread and as few characters as possible. You have to be precise, and use specific (not vague) language. And you have to make it interesting, which means you need to find the most unique and special aspect of your story and make sure it’s covered in the pitch.
So I’ve come up with a set of 11 questions that I recommend novelists work through before even starting to craft a pitch or summary. If you think about the answers to these questions, and write them down, you’ll be more equipped to find the right elements of your story to include in the pitch.
The 11 Questions
1. What’s the genre of your book?
2. What’s the hook, or what’s most unique or special about your book?
3. Who is the protagonist and what’s the most interesting thing about him or her?
4. Who is the antagonist and how is he/she standing in the way of the protagonist’s goal?
5. What conflict, dilemma or choice does the protagonist face? (Central story question.)
6. What is at stake? What are the consequences of the choice or conflict?
7. What is the catalyst, or the main event that gets the story started?
8. What are the main points of action that drive the plot?
9. What is the setting of the story?
10. What is the interesting backstory that affects your characters in the current story?
11. What is the book’s theme?
The point of these questions is for you to identify the crucial elements that would make for a good pitch, and it’s best to figure it out before you get started rather than in the middle of trying to write your pitch paragraph or 1-sentence summary. Let me know if you find these helpful.
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Great list!
I’d suggest adding, for Christian fiction –
8A – How does the faith of the main characters inform their actions?
Looking back to Question 2, here is something one might consider –
It would seem to be important for a writer of Christian fiction to have a Scriptural hook, as well as a dramatic one – and she (or he) should be capable of expressing these hooks individually and distinctly.
By ‘individually’, I mean that a lay reader should be able to understand the point of the story without seeing the Scriptural reference, and the Christian should be able to place the story within the context of Biblical teaching and exegesis.
Dear Rachelle: For a pitch to be caught instead of dropped,I found it invaluable, in my meetings with agents at conferences, to show passion for my work -the energy is catching – an interest in the agent sitting across from me and asking what his or her passion is – good eye contact and smiles levels the field. Taking breaths helps too.
Thanks for the wonderful, informative blog.
Verbal pitches are an art, but one that can be learned…and should be practiced on any captive audience you can round up.
* Approach with confidence, good posture, and a smile.
* Guys, eyes up. No need to focus on the nametag, or other things.
* Shake hands firmly, and ‘royally’ – one pump up and down, and release. No “eek, it’s a dead fish!” or “Egad, she’s Arnold Schwartzenegger in disguise!” handclasps, please.
* Speak slowly, but not pedantically. It’s not a lecture, but don’t trip over your words.
* Give a ‘two-beat’ opportunity for an expression of interest, but don’t fish, and don’t let the silence become deafening. The agent (or editor) may need some time. Thank the person for his or her time.
* Leave graciously, and don’t linger. Leave the immediate area without looking back. Even giving the appearance of hanging around to eavesdrop is a bad idea. Be dignified, square your shoulders, lift your pack, and go (with apologies to Housman).
Do practice. A good pitch is improved and sharpened by refinement through a critical repetition process.
Thank you, Andrew!
I like that addition, Andrew. It gets you thinking about your characters’ motivations and how readers can relate to them.
Thank you for mentioning the importance of a Scriptural hook. Each of the stories I’ve written have focused around a verse that ties into my theme. I also choose a verse that enunciates the spiritual arc of my main characters.
These verses may or may not show up in the story itself, but they inform the plot in a big way.
That’s how I do it – it keeps my ‘eyes on’.
Do you put them on a Post-It on the edge of your screen, too? 🙂
Terrific addition Andrew, thanks!
Rachelle … this is an awesome list! I’m at the point of editing my MS … again and again! Yeah! And I was able to answer each of your questions right off the top of my head. But I had been having difficulty coming up with that one line hook … it just came to me! Yay! This list was so helpful to me.
I’ll be using this! Thank you!
Great list!! And I’ve deviated from these points in a pitch and immediately find myself lost. So if a person can stay focused and succinct, this helps SO much. Especially, when limited to the most critical 15 minutes of your writing career. #nonervesatall 🙂
Thank you! Perfect timing since I spent most of last night working on my pitch. I’ll have to review these and make sure I hit all of them.
Pinning this helpful list! Thanks so much, Rachelle. 🙂
Most helpful, Rachelle. Thank you! 🙂
Excellent information, Rachelle. You have made it very clear on how to craft a pitch for a fiction book. As others have said: “very timely”.
I agree with Andrew as to having a scriptural hook. I would add just one more point. How does my book glorify Jesus?
I liken a pitch session to giving birth in public. Okay, maybe not, but close.
This may sound shallow, but Mary Keeley can back me up on this…
Ladies? Wear waterproof mascara.
If the pitch goes either way, and you’re the least bit emotional, you’re gonna look like you should’ve listened.
I know this, because I blatted like a teenage girl at a (insert name of boy-band here) concert.
Public Pitching sounds mortifying! I always wear waterproof! I’m covered! But … I’d get teary-eyed meeting any of you from this blog. Great encouragers, you are!
So us guys have to wear mascara that RUNS?????
Oh my word, I KNEW this was coming! Hahahaha! Yes, OLDER annoying sibling, boys have to wear water soluble mascara.
Around this house, I can never say, “My nose is running” … 🙂
Shelli? Is your fridge running?
Jennifer, you just took me back to middle school! 🙂
I apologize for the trauma, 😉
Is Mrs Wall there?
That is just SO unfair and I’m SO going to throw a hissy fit and turn you into the fashion police but FIRST I’m going to read aloud to you, PROUST!
In FRENCH!
So THERE.
Arret ca, mon frere Nouvelle Mexicaine! Tu pense que je me deteste Le Prouste!
Le Dernier de les Mohiquaines? Oui.
C’est la mer…uh, guerre, oui?
La mer? Ahhhh, je pense que vous just did!!! HAHAHA!
Wow, y’all just gave me a shock in your reply to Shelli about Mrs. Wall…it so happened that I had a Mrs. Wall as my French and Spanish teacher in middle school, and I recently heard that she was killed in a car accident.
Awww. So very sad.
Good stuff, Rachelle. Thanks!
Yet another bookmarked blog post to revisit. Thanks! 🙂
I’m bookmarking this too, Kathryn. Thanks for such helpful material, Rachelle. Maybe this was already mentioned, but I’ve found it enormously easier to boil down my stories when I work off of my plotting material rather than the entire WIP. The essentials are there–the answers to the questions you’ve proposed–and I don’t get lost in the bulk everything else.
Love this list, Rachelle. It really breaks down the major things you need to consider for pitching your novel. Thanks!
These are useful questions for the SOTP writer, like me, during the rewrite stage. Thank you, Rachelle!
Thanks for sharing your list, Rachelle. I plan to keep it in mind, as I continue writing my first draft.
Thank you, Rachelle. The list is extremely helpful. 🙂
Jennifer wins. Pitching akin to childbirth. Bam.
But this post is extremely helpful to all those brave authors who will be sitting in front of agents and editors in the near future.
I applaud you all.
🙂
Excellent blog Rachelle.
All these things are good to know, but at some point doesn’t the unfolding of the story and quality of prose have some importance? A well-written and compelling story, to a certain extent, have legs of its own. The true test is not always in gaining acceptance of the gatekeepers, it is in gaining the acceptance of what seems to always be overlooked…readers! Three cheers to Amazon. A wise agent will have an assistant dedicated to combing through self-published authors with fifty or more reviews. It is there where the writers of tomorrow will more easily be found. And whether we writers become the become the next big thing or not, we will keep on writing for the love of it, (and because now it is a good way to make pretty decent money).
Yes, I see it: “have legs” should be “has legs.”
Hmmm…I think your process is great. Much better than mine, which is to go to one conference every year for the past 6 years and pitch the same book every year, while I’m working on new stuff. Although my way is very informative. About the market and how it changes and about what parts of the story intrigue people. So yeah, my pitch has improved a whole lot, although the market is still difficult for YA.
Thank you for the list. I think the book was easy to write compared to a query that even comes close to describing it. Hoping this will make an agent want to look under the hood.
Thanks
Michelle
Since I am in the process – for the first time – of pitching submissions to various publisher accepting ‘open submissions’ with little help or guidelines given on their sites, this has been timely and a wonderful aid. Many thanks for taking time and trouble to go through all this for writers like me. Much appreciated.
Such great tips, Rachelle. Thanks for sharing since I’m looking forward to sending you my query letter in the immediate future.
Hello.
I hope this finds you, all, well!
I have written a 200 pg. collection of short-stories (classified as Contemporary Fiction). It has a heavy undertone of religion and spirituality while offering strong characters and very diversified, dramatic,settings.
My problem is: Query letters. With multiple main characters and story-lines, how do I offer a single focus pitch?
Thank you, so much, for your time and consideration. I do appreciate the help!
C.C.
The list was added to my things to know as a beginning writer; and I enjoyed the addition of comments by others, and the playfulness between all of you. I hope to someday feel a part of this writing family. Thank you!