In my previous blog post, we looked at how to prepare your pitch to a publisher. In particular, we were considering pitching directly to publishers, without using an agent. You may decide to do this if your book is in a niche genre where it is common not to have an agent, you are hoping to save time and money on the submissions process, or simply because you don’t want to risk the potential scams that exist when trying to find an agent.
Whatever you decide, it is up to you, but you will need to make sure your pitch is especially strong if you will not have an agent. It is also worth remembering that some publishers don’t accept submissions without an agent, so you may be limited in where you can apply. You will have presumably already weighed up the pros and cons of having an agent before you start, so you will be better placed to decide what is right for you and your book. You can always try to get an agent later on if you change your mind.
In this blog post, we will look at how to actually do your pitch for publishers. You will need to have already prepared by reading through your book again, deciding on genre (or topics covered, if it is a non-fiction book). You should also know who your target audience is and why your book would appeal to them. Finally, you will have researched different publishers to find one that is a good match for your book. If you are unsure of any of this, you can review it in my previous blog post about how to prepare your pitch.
Opening Pitch
Remember that a pitch is very different from a synopsis. A synopsis should tell the reader everything they need to know about your book, including all the twists and the ending, as well as whether there are any questions left for the reader at this point. It should be clear and easy to follow, with no need to build suspense or keep the reader guessing. This is because the aim of a synopsis is simply to inform, not to encourage people to keep reading.
On the other hand, a pitch is your chance to hook the reader in and persuade them to read your book. Therefore, a pitch is more similar to a blurb and you would expect to be leaving a lot more questions for the reader. It should make them eager to know what will happen next and encourage them to read the full book (or in this case, agree to publish it). This is your chance to show how you will attract and engage your readers.
The first part of your pitch should be very short – not much more than a few sentences. This will be what you use in your covering letter (combined with a longer one) and spoken pitch to present at writers’ conferences, for example. It is vital that you polish this initial, short pitch as much as possible, as this will be the hook that encourages the publisher to ask for more. Remember that you are trying to sell your manuscript, so it should make your book sound intriguing. If it is non-fiction, explain the exact area it will cover and why you think it is needed.
Longer Pitch
If a publisher expresses interest in your book, you can then try a longer pitch. Whereas your opening pitch should be very short, maybe only a few paragraphs or 15 to 30 seconds long, this second pitch should be longer. How much longer will depend on the circumstances and how much detail they ask for. Try to be ready to modify your pitch accordingly and answer any questions the publisher may have.
General Tips
So, what else will help to make your pitch a success? Firstly, the basics. Make sure that you identify the characters and setting at the start so that the rest of your pitch makes sense. This is also the time to include any relevant background information that will help them to understand your book, but don’t get bogged down in details. It still needs to be easy to understand and should be interesting for the listener, not tedious.
You could try having some sort of hook at the start of your pitch as well. This might be a rhetorical question or some kind of statement that sets the tone for the pitch and the book itself, such as trying to get the main, exciting plot points into a single sentence. This can make your book seem like it is overflowing with drama, or action, or whatever you want it to be.
Finally, once you have prepared your pitch, rehearse it! You don’t want to forget what you’re saying or trip over your words when you present it to publishers. Try rehearsing it in front of a mirror or to a friend until you gain confidence.
Wrapping Up
I hope that this has helped you with preparing and performing your pitch. Next time, we will be considering going global with your self-published book and some marketing tips for this, so do come back in two weeks for that. Good luck!
Want help proofreading your work? Contact Carmine Proofreading for a friendly, professional service from a qualified proofreader.
Email: CarmineProofreading@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarmineProofed
Carmine Proofreading 