How to write a killer book pitch is one of those questions all of us writers have grappled with at one point or another in our writing journeys.
We’re told it’s integral for our query letters and manuscript submissions, and that all the hard work we’ve put into our manuscripts will be for nothing if we can’t form a perfectly pithy elevator pitch to catch the eyes of those busy literary agents and publishers.
What is a book pitch?
Any writer who has breathed the same air as anyone working in the publishing industry will have been bored to death by the word ‘pitch.’ Across the industry from fiction to non-fiction, commercial to literary, we talk constantly about a book’s pitch and how important it is. It matters to agents, editors, marketers, publicists, reviewers, cover designers, booksellers, and more. On a subconscious level, it even matters to readers.
Put simply, the book pitch for publishers is the shortest, pithiest, catchiest, most enticing, meaningful, and appealing summary of a book possible.
There’s a real knack to coming up with a good pitch for a manuscript or book proposal; it takes time, practice, and, crucially, perspective.
This is why, like titles, the writer’s first pitch might not be the same as an agent’s pitch to publishers, and the publisher’s pitch might be different still.
Why is a great pitch important for literary agents?
When a writer queries a literary agent, the pitch in their query letter can be the simplest way to let the agent know what the manuscript or proposal is about. It can help them assess whether they’re the right agent for a project like this and, therefore, apportion their time appropriately across the hundreds of book submissions they get each week.
As a clear indicator of what a submission is, it helps the agent to prioritise their (already scant) time. No literary agent expects a book pitch to be polished and perfect at this stage; it is a useful signpost to help them do their job, which is, hopefully, to sign you.
At Nu Voice Press, the pitch is our introduction to the world of your words. Our editorial team reads and analyses the pitch according to the publishing standards and marketing trends, before we move ahead with the manuscript.
Why does a publisher require a great pitch?
The commissioning editor will receive the agent’s publisher pitch for a project as part of the submission. Bear in mind this book pitch might be an evolved version of the writer’s pitch, playing more accurately to the current book market, or it might be totally different.
As an editor, the pitch helps me to situate the submission. It is the first moment for me to consider whether I have the appropriate space on my list or whether I am the right editor for any manuscript or proposal that lands in my inbox. On occasion, an editor will read a submission and disagree with the agent’s pitch, in order to take the project forward at work, in that situation, I might pitch it to my colleagues in a different way.
This happens when there are a few different routes into a project, when an editor sees a different way to engage a different market, or when an editor responds to something specific about the submission.
At this point, the way that an editor pitches a book internally forms a part of the publishing vision, i.e., a strategy to say what the book is, who it is for, and how we talk about the book with its intended audience. This is then taken up by marketing, publicity, sales, and other publishing departments, and developed into a publication plan.
The pitch is a vital part of the discussions that will result in internal decisions on cover design, target audience, book marketing, routes to market, retailers, etc., all the moving parts of a book’s publication. Nu Voice Press, on receiving a great pitch positions it for the literary fests, book fairs and awards – not only beneficial for the publishing house, but largely beneficial for the author branding and book positioning.
What should a book pitch communicate?
But for writers looking to submit to a literary agent or publisher, the pitch needs to clearly communicate only a few things:
1. What is the book?
(Is it crime fiction, a memoir, a self-help book?)
2. What is special or different?
(Nail down its USP or unique selling point!)
3. Who is it for?
(Who is the target market or audience? What are the comp titles? Is it for fans of X, or romance readers, or home cooks?)
4. What is intriguing/exciting?
(What will make me want to read it? Bonus points here!)
- ✓ DO mention other books/authors/movies/TV shows to help identify your readership.
- ✗ DON’T only mention the mega bestsellers; mention those that actually feel similar. Be accurate, not showy.
- ✓ DO make the most of any relevant author credentials you have.
- ✗ DON’T write a pitch of more than 40 words (better yet, see if you can do it in 20).
- ✓ DO read up on your area of the book market or genre to pinpoint accurately what makes your book special.
And remember, your pitch is just the beginning. Your future status as a bestseller does not hinge solely on your ability to write that hook. It’s a concise, memorable sentence or two used to sell your book. It succinctly conveys what the book is trying to be, giving the potential reader a flavour of what they’re about to invest their time and (hopefully) money in.
Your pitch therefore needs to mention: your book’s title, its genre, the setting/time, introduce the central character, and hint at the journey they’re going to go on and/or the problem they’re facing. After reading your pitch, without having read the manuscript, an agent should be able to ‘place’ what you’ve written and be captivated enough to want to open your first chapter to see how it unfolds. A good pitch can therefore have a significant impact on the success of a book and its publishing journey.
By making your book memorable, understandable and intriguing in one fell swoop, it can be used many times beyond attracting the attention of an agent. Whether you are pitching to a literary agent or a publisher, they are only looking for an answer to one question - “will this book sell?”
In your pitch, answer this question quickly. What makes your work unique? What audience does it resonate with? Why is it a book whose time has come? What makes you the best person to write this story? And how will you contribute to the success of this book? These are some questions you should try to answer.
Make every pitch unique to the person/company you are sending it to. Establish a connection if you’ve been referred, have exchanged numbers earlier, or name-drop their previous gems (authors/titles) that made you approach them. Research well before you hit send!