Tag: pitch

Categories
Kids Lit

Pitch Opportunities

Last month we put together pitches – the 30-second “What is your book about?” Unless you happen to end up next to an editor or agent at a conference dinner, what can you do with them? 

1 X (formerly you know who) Pitch Events.

These were great during COVID!

Google “online pitch event,” and several sites will listed. Many are for specific genres of groups of authors. If you fit one of those, this is an excellent place to get noticed because editors watch for new and emerging voices. Read all the parameters on the group website. Some will let agented authors pitch, but some won’t. All have rules for how many times a day and how many titles may be pitched.

However, with the X (formerly blah blah) world in flux, many events or Pitch Parties are pausing or moving to other hosts. Just verify that the one you like is active.

2 In person planned pitching.

Short of tracking your preferred agent into the restroom (DON’T) or pouncing out from behind a potted palm, in-person events are increasingly adding pitch opportunities, sometimes at a luncheon where people with the same genre get a minute or 3 to pitch a book to one of the guest editor/agents. (Don’t talk with your mouth full.) It may cost the price of the lunch or a bit more.

At other times, conference speakers, agents, and editors will be available for a conversation of 10–15 minutes. Have your pitch ready Because these move very fast – think speed-dating your book.

Finally, sometimes agents offer an opportunity to pitch after the conference ends and get special consideration.

All About (hehehe) Hashtags

Every pitch event has categories they specifically use for their opportunity. But even if you are in a meeting in person, mentally defining hashtags will help you define and narrow your focus to make your pitch more impactful. Some samples:

  • Age Categories
  • #PB = Picture Book
  • #CB = Chapter Book
  • #MG = Middle Grade
  • #YA = Young Adult
  • Additional hashtags (ONLY if applicable)
  • #DIS = Disability subject matter
  • #LGBT = LGBTQIA+ subject matter
  • #ND = Neurodiverse subject matter
  • #OWN = Own Voices
  • #POC = Author is a Person of Color
  • Genres/Sub-genres
  • #F = Fantasy
  • #GN = Graphic Novel
  • #H = Horror
  • #HA = Humor
  • #HF = Historical Fiction
  • #M = Mystery
  • #NF = Non-fiction
  • #STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
  • #SH = Superhero

It is worth having pitches in a file for use any time – and don’t forget to watch for the latest hot topics. That dusty idea from 7 years ago might be just right for now! Pitch it!

Multi award winning author Robin Currie holds a Master of Library Science from the University of Iowa but learned story sharing by sitting on the floor during more than 1000 story times. She sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks, writes stories to read and read again, and just dusted off a pitch for an editor of an old story whose time has finally come! (Cross fingers!)

Categories
Kids Lit

Wind Up and. . .Pitch!

Kids Lit

“So, tell me about your book.” What a great invitation – whether it is from family or friends or (gasp) agent or editor! You finally have their attention! Be ready with your PITCH!

Pitch/logline is one amazingly compact sentence the relates the essence of your story, specifically the plot.

Well, that sounds easy – until I try to write one! There are two good places to find examples.

1 Book description on Amazon or another book seller.

Many times, an original pitch to sell the manuscript is fleshed out to become the book synopsis or back cover copy. I am currently pitching “We’re Getting a Dinosaur!” I looked at board books about dinosaurs and new babies. I found back cover copy:

“A big sister anticipates the birth of a new sibling in this warm and funny stage-by-stage picture book tour of all the sizes of a growing baby, from teeny-tiny poppy seed to giant watermelon. (My Brother Is an Avocado by Tracy Darnton (Author), Yasmeen Ismail (Illustrator). Margaret K McElderry, 2023.

“A big-kid dinosaur can’t wait to teach the new baby everything in this funny, tender, joyful take on becoming a big sister or brother.”

(How to Grow a Dinosaur by Jill Esbaum (Author), Mike Boldt (Illustrator), Dial, 2018.

“It’s not easy being a big sister, especially when your new baby brother is a dino-baby!” (Dino-Baby by Mark Sperring (Author), Sam Lloyd (Illustrator). Bloomsbury, 2013.

2 ChatGPT generates loglines.

It is NOT compromising your authorship to let AI help with pitches!

I typed in: “kid thinks new member of household will be a dinosaur. Shocked with baby in pink blanket.  Baby is like dino – loud, messy, and runs the house.”

AI came back with: When a young child eagerly awaits the arrival of a new family member, they’re convinced it’s going to be a dinosaur. But when the baby finally arrives, wrapped in pink, they realize she might just be the wildest dinosaur of them all.

So I asked AI to rewrite the pitch for a board book. 

AI sent back: In “Dino Baby Adventures,” a child eagerly awaits a new family member, expecting a dinosaur but instead finding a wild, messy baby girl wrapped in pink. Could she be a dinosaur in disguise?

3 Find the common thread or buzz words.

They are upbeat and funny, succinct but piquing curiosity. Many have SEL education about accepting a new baby.

My final pitch is: A child’s dream of a Dino Sized Romp is shattered by the arrival of a baby in a pink blanket, but she has dinosaur traits: loud, messy, and rules the house. Maybe it’s a Cyndi-saurus!

This month look at book blurbs and mess with ChatGPT (the free version). Then experiment with writing pitches for your WIP. You are ready to meet an agent in an elevator!

Next month I’ll take pitching a step further with “X (formerly known as Twitter)” contests and above the slush pile opportunities.

Multi award winning author Robin Currie holds a Master of Library Science from the University of Iowa but learned story sharing by sitting on the floor during more than 1000 story times! She sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again!

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Do you need a book proposal “cheat sheet”?

The Intentional Writer column

If you hope to pitch a book to a publisher, especially a non-fiction book, you will need to write a book proposal. A book proposal contains all the key information an acquisitions editor needs to determine if your book might be worth publishing. It’s sort of like a query letter on steroids. And if you hope to snag the interest of an editor (or an agent), you will need a professionally crafted book proposal.

Writers generally use a query letter to pitch an article. But a book is longer and more comprehensive than an article, thus authors need a full-blown book proposal to pitch a complete book. Book Proposals That Sell by W. Terry Whalin is a one-stop resource for creating a quality proposal. Whalin has decades of experience in the Christian publishing world, including serving as an acquisitions editor. He has shared his advice in many writing venues, including Almost an Author. Find his book proposal posts here.

The book guides you through the process of creating a book proposal that has all the elements an acquisitions editor is looking for without the mistakes that flag you as an amateur. This book is aimed specifically at nonfiction books. While some of the advice pertains to fiction book proposals, it’s better to heed the author’s advice and find a fiction proposal to model rather than using the nonfiction proposal examples included in the appendices.

What’s in the book?

The book begins with an explanation of why publishers want book proposals rather than full manuscripts for nonfiction books. However, the key value comes in the 21 secrets he shares about crafting a book proposal that will sell your book concept to an editor. Here’s a sampling of the advice this book offers:

  • Be able to share the topic of your book in a few words or sentences.
  • Understand some specifics about who will read your book—your target audience.
  • Explain your credentials for writing this book. Why are you the right person to write this particular book?
  • Prove to the publisher that you are willing to be involved in the marketing process and understand something of that process.
  • Don’t promise hype you can’t deliver.

In addition to practical explanation of the various sections a proposal needs, Whalin also offers some advice on strategy, including the importance of building good relationships with editors and how to use your book proposal to snag an agent.

And the appendices are full of even more helpful information, including additional resources and two sample proposals for you to use as models.

If you’ve spent many hours of time and effort crafting a great nonfiction book, give it an equally well-crafted proposal to show potential editors that you are a professional who has what it takes to be successful. That’s your best shot for winning that coveted publishing contract.  

Book Proposal Resources

Click this link for an offer to get a free eBook version of Book Proposals That Sell.

Here are two additional resources on writing book proposals:

Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why, 3rd edition

How to Write a Book Proposal: The Insider’s Step-by-Step Guide to Proposals that Get You Published, 5th edition.

Lisa E Betz

 Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and speechwriting coach. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit lisaebetz.com.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Pitch Perfect

You’ve worked hard to write your middle grade novel, and now you’re ready to sell it to a publisher. Except you’ve been told you must describe your entire 50,000 book in 30 to 150 words.

Welcome to what the writing community calls “the pitch.”

A pitch is a short description of your book that highlights what makes your story unique.

I’ve taken online classes, read articles, and listened to conference talks about how to write a pitch. When it comes to elements every pitch should contain, most presentations boil down to this: The pitch needs to identify the main character in a manner that shows their goal, the obstacles that stand in their way, and what might happen if they don’t succeed.

Let’s use the technique (protagonist, goal, obstacles, fallout) with a well-known story: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Start with the Protagonist. Bilbo is a hobbit, a race of short people living in middle earth, a land with magical creatures.

What is his goal? He will aid the dwarf king, his faithful subjects, and a wizard on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ ancestorial home.

What are the obstacles? The company runs into trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and wood elves. Aided by Bilbo’s magic ring and a river town, the heroes kill the dragon who took over the kingdom. However, a battle between five armies breaks out over the treasure the dragon guarded.

What might happen (fallout)? If Bilbo cannot negotiate peace between the various factions, his whole company might die.

Now put the ideas together.

Bilbo is a hobbit, a race of short people living in middle earth, a land with magical creatures. He will aid the dwarf king, his faithful subjects, and a wizard on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ ancestorial home. The company runs into trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and wood elves. Aided by Bilbo’s magic ring and a river town, the heroes kill the dragon who took over the kingdom. However, a battle between five armies breaks out over the treasure the dragon guarded. If Bilbo cannot negotiate peace between the warring factions, his whole company might die.

This pitch rings in at 97 words, which will work for most conference pitches. However, if your selected entity wants it even shorter, watch me trim the idea to 41 words and still keep the heart of the story.

Aided by Bilbo, thirteen dwarves go on a quest to reclaim their ancestral kingdom, which is guarded by a dragon. When the beast is killed, five armies converge to claim the treasure left behind. Bilbo must negotiate peace or die trying.

Sure, you say. Simple to do with a well-established story. But will it work for me? Let’s see. Using my method, here’s a 52-word pitch for my newest release, Offsides.

Danielle expected a challenging senior year with her final season of soccer, a strained friendship, and a new crush. What she didn’t expect was to uncover a human trafficking ring in her town. When an older man starts grooming her neighbor, Dani intervenes. But her actions may make her the next target.

Intrigued? That’s the power of a pitch. Good luck crafting your own. (And please, make my day and check out Offsides.)

Lori Z. Scott is known for her bestselling Meghan Rose series. Besides these humorous children’s chapter books, Lori has published over 200 articles, short stories, devotions, and poems for magazines like Brio and Focus on the Family. She has also contributed to 15 books, including Writing and Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market. In 2022, Lori introduced a new YA series. The first book, Inside the Ten-Foot Line, is a Carol Award semi-finalist, the Golden Scroll Youth Book of the Year winner, and an Illumination Book Award medalist. The second book, Offsides, promises even more action and humor. You can connect with Lori on Instagram @Stories.by.Lori 

Categories
Book Proposals

Do You Know Your Competition?

Many writers overlook a critical section in their book proposals: the competition section. After reading thousands of book proposals and manuscripts from authors, I’ve often read a statement like: “There is no competition for this book. It is a unique idea.”

If you have this statement in your proposal, then I encourage you to remove it. Editors and agents will roll their eyes and maybe send you a rejection letter. Why? With over 4,500 new books entering the market every day, as King Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Every book will compete and your task as an author is to understand this fact and dig into finding your competitive titles.

When I acquired fiction for Howard Books, a Simon and Schuster imprint, we could not fill out our internal paperwork without listing the competitive titles. Yes it is that critical in the publishing process.

Need an example?

The Appendices section of my Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success includes an example of one of my proposals which received a six-figure advance. In my proposal, I also used a similar statement touting the unique idea in the competition section. In the many years since I wrote this book, I’ve learned every book will compete in the marketplace. It is naïve to assume your book is unique.

The writer is responsible to include the competitive titles in your proposal. While agents and editors specialize in different areas of the book market, we can’t know everything about every book—but we are certain your book is not unique and will have competition.

How to find competitive titles

Here’s some tips on how to handle this important part of a book proposal or pitch:

1. Go to the bookstore and imagine your book as a completed project. Which section will have your book? Go to that area and look at the top books. Visualize your book completed and on the shelf. Make note of these bestselling titles because they are your competition.

2. In your proposal, make a record of these competitive titles including the complete title, author, publisher, and publication date. Use the Internet to research and locate any sales information about these books.

3. Summarize the contents of the competitive title in a sentence or two, and then explain how your book is distinct from that title. Maybe your book will go deeper or in a different direction.

Finally, outside of your work on the proposal, I encourage you to reach out to these “competitors.” Instead of seeing them as competitors (i.e. enemies), consider them colleagues. Ask if you can help them such as review their books or write magazine articles about them. If you have built these relationships, there will come a time when they return the favor but only if you have built such goodwill bridges.

Your proposal can stand out from the others under consideration because you understand your competition and don’t contend your idea is unique.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s newest book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. The revised and updated edition released October 5th. You can get a free book proposal checklist. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #13 – Be Conference Ready

Writer’s conference season is upon us. If you’re like me, this time of year gets your creative juices flowing and turns you into a bundle of excitement and nerves. This will be my fourth season to enjoy the bounty these wonderful gatherings bestow. Nope, the thrill still has not faded.  If you have never attended a writer’s conference, I would highly recommend you go to at least one. After you’ve shared several days with people who get your writerly heart, I promise you’ll be hooked.

Writer’s conferences provide some of the best opportunities for encouragement and motivation a writer can ever know—especially if that writer is in the middle of a long waiting season. These events offer networking opportunities with fellow writers, classes to help improve your craft, and face-to-face time with agents and editors who are usually difficult to access.

But before you venture out into conference land it’s important to be adequately prepared for the journey. Here are a few tips to jumpstart your conference success:

  1. Pray and ask God for guidance about which conference(s) to attend. He will place you right where He wants you. Plus, He’ll often prepare divine appointments where and when you’d least expect them.
  2. Once you’re registered, immediately research the conference website and take full advantage of signups for mentoring, intensives, VIP lunches, practicums etc. Many conferences offer special perks that have limited space and require advance registration. If you don’t scour the website, way in advance, you might miss out on some of these valuable opportunities.
  3. Enter the conference contest if they offer one. You’d be amazed at how a dose of competition can take your writing to the next level. It’s exhilarating to hear your name called from stage if you place, but even if you don’t the experience is guaranteed to kick your writing game up a notch.
  4. Research the faculty ahead of time. If you have writing that is ready to pitch, make sure to do your homework before you attend the conference. Find out which agents and editors will be attending. Spend a good amount of time online getting to know who they are and what they’re looking for. If you find a good fit for your work, be prepared to jump at every chance to meet with that faculty member at the conference. A little planning can go a long way.
  5. Pack your professional essentials. Be sure to take business cards, one sheets, paper and pen, clothing that shows you’re serious about the profession, and the confidence you need to sell your yourself and your work.
  6. Polish your work, practice your pitch, and prepare your heart. Prior to the conference dedicate some time to make sure that you’ll be taking your very best with you. Best work. Best pitch. Best you.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:12

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource: If you’d like more details about preparing a one sheet and pitching, here are some excellent resources:

One Page Sell Sheet
How to Prepare For Pitch Sessions at a Writing Conference

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.

Categories
Book Proposals

Why Do They Torture Us With Homework?

We’ve written the book, isn’t that enough? Now they want us to write a query, a pitch, a proposal, a synopsis! What next?

Every agent and editor understands that the dreaded synopsis or query or full proposal is anything but fun. And yet, it gives them a real look into the author’s actual skills. A quickly thrown together synopsis reveals the inability to follow through. A poorly addressed pitch tells them that the author isn’t really sure what the theme of their novel is at the core. And a badly written proposal indicates a lack of ability to organize or follow directions.

So is the purpose of writing these a test? Not at all. Everything is needed for the agent to convince someone else that the author’s work is worthwhile. If you can’t convince the agent, how will she convince the editor?

So let’s break this down. First, a great pitch will intrigue the agent or editor enough that they will want to read more. It’s like a twenty word hook that simply mesmerizes the individual, lures them to read on. The synopsis is a more detailed look at the entire novel’s outcome, telling the agent that the writer can write an introduction, middle, and ending well. And finally, the proposal gives the agent all of the details that he needs to take this brilliant story to an editor and hopefully have it be picked up.

Yes, it’s homework in a sense. It’s the final chapter to the novel that is needed to sell a work. It’s tedious, but necessary. Torture? Maybe a little bit, but all of us as writers have been there, and we all made it to the other side.

Blessings to you and your writing from one who survived.

Linda S. Glaz is an agent with Hartline Literary Agency, and also the author of eight novels and two novellas, so she “gets” writers. She represents authors in both the Christian and secular communities. She speaks at numerous conferences and workshops around the country each year. Married with three grown children and four grands, she lives in a small town where everyone is family.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Three Things I Learned in Wimberley, TX

This past month I packed up my little bag, tucked my insecurity into the glove box and drove south to Wimberley, TX to participate in the Serious Writer Tour conference.

The sun shone, the chickens clucked and y’all, I’m here to tell you, it was a great day.

Carpets of Texas bluebells added beauty to my journey.

Here’s some of the conference highlights:

  1. Children’s writers are eight times more likely to be published in nonfiction. Wendy Lanier shared this fantastic statistic, plus a slew of information on the various types of nonfiction that are published (hint: it ain’t just biographies).

From trade to literary, commercial to persuasive, there’s plenty of flavors within the nonfiction realm to explore. Until this point, I hadn’t considered writing nonfiction. I think I (incorrectly) imagined the process being very similar to writing an encyclopedia. But I like researching. And in the middle grade arena, tapping this market first could help build your credibility.

  1. Contests. One of the many info nuggets dispensed by Michelle Medlock Adams was that contests matter. Why? Because agents and editors who are on the hunt often look specifically at – you guessed it – contest winners. And you can’t win if you don’t enter.
  1. Always be ready to pitch. I wasn’t expecting to have one-on-one time with acquisitions editor Rachel Lamonica Pellegrino from Little Lamb Books. But guess what? I got it. And when she asked what I was working on, friends, it wasn’t pretty. I messed up in every possible way.

After I stopped chewing on my feet, Ms. Pellegrino gracefully gave me constructive, actionable feedback. Even though it was ultimately a positive experience, I fumbled into an important life lesson. So let me serve as a cautionary tale: Do your prep work. Create a concise, thoughtful pitch. Rehearse it. Because you never know what kind of opportunities you’ll have. You want to put your best foot forward instead of shoving it firmly into your mouth.

BONUS ITEM:

  1. Get out of your comfort zone. If you’ve read along and thought “This is all well and good, but I could never go to anything like this. I’m ______,” allow me to gently and kindly take you by the shoulder and say “Yes you can.”  Not only can you, if you’re serious about writing, you should invest time and energy in learning new things about your craft.

At a writing workshop or conference, you’ll meet other writers. Confession: this intimidates me sometimes. But I remind myself that writers are my people. For every writer in the room, there’s a unique path that led them there. I don’t have to worry whether or not my path is like theirs. There’s room at the table for all of us.

What do you think? Are you planning to attend any conferences or workshops this year? Which ones?

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Dear Young Scribes

How to Prepare For Pitch Sessions at a Writing Conference

I attended my first writing conference when I was sixteen-years-old. This is what lead to the publication of my first novel, PURPLE MOON.

Since then, I’ve attended conferences yearly and have grown in my craft, established connections that were beneficial to my career, and made lasting friendships and memories.

But these conferences can be intimidating for newbies — especially if you’re a teen like I was.

A young writer recently asked me,

“I was wondering if you have any advice for pitch appointments? I’ll be attending a conference this fall and it will be my first conference where I’ll be pitching my novel in a formal setting.”

For those of you who don’t know, at a writer’s conference, you have the opportunity to meet with agents and publishers and pitch your book. At most conferences, these appointments last about 15 minutes.

Which means that, as a writer, you must make a great first impression in this short amount of time in hopes that they will request your full manuscript (or proposal).

As a writer, Associate Agent, and Acquisitions Editor, I’ve experienced what it’s like to be on both sides of the table. I’ve learned — through trial and error, and through witnessing the pitches of others — what to do and what not to do.

Here is what you do want to do during these pitch sessions:

  1. Prepare beforehand. Write a concise tagline of your book that you can deliver during the pitch. Make a list of potential questions the agent or editor might ask. Do your research on who it is that you’re pitching to. You might also want to make a list of questions that you’d like to ask them as well.
  2. During the pitch, give a brief introduction, then tell the agent/editor your title and genre. Then dive into the concise pitch. If you have a one sheet or sample chapters, ask if the agent/editor would like to see it.
  3. Remember: passion makes an impression when it’s contained within the boundaries of a professional approach. You want to be passionate about your project, but not so passionate that you begin to ramble.
  4. Project confidence, not arrogance. Believe in your book and don’t be afraid to tell the agent/editor about your publishing history and writing qualifications. (They will want to know this!)
  5. Refrain from over-delivering — give them just enough of a hook to wet their appetite for more.You’ll also want to leave time for them to ask questions to you and vice versa.

The most important thing to remember? Relax. Have fun with this! Don’t put pressure on yourself to leave with contract interest, but to share your passion for your book and receive feedback and direction.

The agent/editor isn’t meeting with you to criticize you; in fact, they’re hoping to find projects that they can pursue. Many times they’re happy just to offer their input, even if they may not be interested in the project at the time.

Is anyone else planning to attend a conference soon? Let me know in the comments!

(PS … Are you a young writer? Receive a free PDF just for you when you sign up for my young/beginning-writers only mailing list!)

[bctt tweet=”How to Prepare For Pitch Sessions at a Writing Conference @tessaemilyhall #writerslife” username=””]