Creating the Pitch for Your Book
By Jerry D. Simmons | April 24th, 2007 | No Comments » (Click to add yours!)
The PITCH– Designed to hook the reader in the first couple of sentences, create curiosity, intrigue, the need for more information. The PITCH is selling the sizzle. Here are the relevant points:
- Writers must have what is described as an elevator pitch
- Should be provocative, you want the audience to get a positive feeling about your book
- Try and align your book with one that is wildly successful
- The PITCH is your sales handle, it has to be short and to the point
- Reminiscent and similar characteristics of a successful book is good, just make sure it’s not overdone
- How well did the first book do? What was unique about it? – need to answer these questions
- Look for the hole in the market – your niche for your book and describe how it fills that hole
- Create your pitch now – NOT WHEN YOU FINISH THE BOOK
- What is your platform? Background, expertise, experience for writing this book
- Make sure your passion for your subject is on display
- Get a blurb from a well known author and use it for credibility
- Why are you the authority on this topic? Ties into your platform
- How will your book improve the quality of my life?
- Who is the hero of the story?
- Research flap copy of allot of other authors in your area/genre/category
- Why would anyone need to buy your book?
- Write a list of all the reasons why your book will be rejected and be able to answer the objections
- No clichés anywhere in your pitch
- Express the voice for the book, your voice – loud and clear
- Work on the title and sub-title to make them standout
- Start the pitch with an event of impact
- Have a beginning and a middle and an end – just like the book
- Why is this book different?
- Why will it sell?
- Who is writing what you are writing?
- Use metaphors to compare and then ramp up
Read competitive titles in your area. Thank you to Patricia L. Brooks for these notes. She is the President and Founder NAWW Scottsdale, Arizona Chapter. She is also an Author, Speaker, Business Coach, and Arizona State University Faculty member. Email: patricia@plbrooks.com Web: www.plbrooks.com
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