tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post7920794150375114814..comments2023-11-07T21:12:19.852-06:00Comments on Wyrdsmiths: Pitchingtate hallawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631759014508937940noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-2656988170910606042007-01-30T20:19:00.000-06:002007-01-30T20:19:00.000-06:00I realized this when an editor I had a personal co...I realized this when an editor I had a personal connection to said, "So, tell me about your book," and I turned into a babbling idiot.<br /><br />I went home, came up with a one-sentence description of the book, and then rehearsed it.<br /><br />"It's about a student violinist who leads a peasant rebellion against the magical ruling cabal."Naomihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235581646855322094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-18532596961515884132007-01-30T09:34:00.000-06:002007-01-30T09:34:00.000-06:00Romance writers are expected to be able to do the ...Romance writers are expected to be able to do the classic "elevator pitch."<br /><br />Science fiction authors, IMHO, have much more choice in this matter. In fact, it is kind of expected that you DON'T bring up your writing at a conference. <br /><br />I agree, though, that being ready to pitch when asked is a massively useful skill.tate hallawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06631759014508937940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-85349138011445277562007-01-29T21:40:00.000-06:002007-01-29T21:40:00.000-06:00I have friends in the film industry, and the pitch...I have friends in the film industry, and the pitch is hideously important.<br /><br />I think the same is true for novelists, though I'm just beginning the marketing process. If someone says to you, "You have a book out? What's it about?" you need to have a good answer, because you're the first selling point for your work. Same for whatever you're writing at the moment. Got to be able to pitch it to the BIE, as Kelly Swails said.<br /><br />So with that in mind, here's my shot at a one sentence synopsis of my book. Critiques welcomed:<br /><br />"Small Magics is about a young man who discovers magic in a world where no one believes in it except for the one who would kill to possess it."Erik Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11117613593580899672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-67209867149497564612007-01-29T18:52:00.000-06:002007-01-29T18:52:00.000-06:00I am so not, either. I can write it, though, watc...I am so not, either. I can write it, though, watch! <br />Big Important Editor" "So, Kelly, what are you currently writing?" <br />Me: "Funny you should ask, BIE. I'm about thirty-thousand words into a contemporary YA novel about a magical family that's hiding from the magical mob."<br /><br />Now, could I do this in real life? No. I'd feel the need to explain myself right away--let me tell you why the family's hiding, what Max-the-protagonist can do, and oh, yeah, did I mention he has boy/girl anxiety about Zoey?--instead of letting the editor ask these questions if she's interested. <br /><br />I'm interested in your next post, Kelly Y, because I <i>really</i> suck as synopses.Kelly Swailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08712523963592799928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-2862410453694774702007-01-29T15:30:00.000-06:002007-01-29T15:30:00.000-06:00Octavia Butler insisted that writers should be rea...Octavia Butler insisted that writers should be ready to pitch their writing anywhere, anytime, at any length. Her basic tool for this was the carefully crafted one-sentence pitch: the ultimate suave answer to that impossible question, "So, what's your novel about?"<br /><br />She was good at it.<br /><br />I'm not.Bill Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17999845280783373614noreply@blogger.com