Elevator Pitch

[pmmg]

Well...today I was asked for my elevator pitch...and... I did not have one.

Note to self, get an elevator pitch

 

[FifthView]

Going up or going down? An important consideration.

 

[pmmg]

Well, at a lunch table actually. I've barely got a back of book blurb written. Not sure how to describe it only a few sentences. Caught me flat footed.

 

[skip.knox]

Yes! The best advice is to write that first, even before you write the story. This is of course impossible save for the Select Few who actually know what they're doing. But it's still worth taking a few minutes, er hours, er days, to write one. And to memorize it, because the only thing worse than not having one is knowing that you *do* but you can't remember it!

The Tower of Guard is a historical fantasy story that involves mystery and murder and a big fight scene at the end. It has ogres and elves and gnomes, a few humans just for fun, and a creepy monster that the tower is supposed to guard against. But doesn't.

That's pretty much all that's needed. Two sentences, maybe three.

I prefer to call it a thirty-second pitch (the above falls well short). Is it still an elevator pitch if the elevator only goes one floor? The phrase doesn't give time parameters and the time parameter is one of two crucial variables here. The other is the fact that the person asking is probably only casually interested, so it's not like they're going to click the Buy Now button five seconds after you finish. But they *might* remember, and act later.

 

[ThinkerX]

I have been using variations of this for my blurbs:

The Solarian Empire won the war against demon ridden Traag. That was the easy part.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Elevator pitches can be brutal. It took me years to find one I'm happy with.

Found families, urban fantasy, polyamory, and a city on the edge of disaster being held together by an addicted wizard physician who was never meant to lead. Welcome to Seahaven.

 

[Devor]

It's not formal, but when asked to sum up the story, I do have an answer.

It's about two sprites - HE is trying to turn people's pride into magic in an effort to bring back their home, while SHE is a constable, who has to stop him before he turns the kingdom against what's left of their people. Smughitter is a fantasy action romance with hints of parody and a rich fantasy setting.

This is what I tell people, when asked online or in person. I don't copy and paste it. I don't quote it verbatim. I just tell people about the story I'm writing.

 

[CrystalD]

I don't have a rehersed pitch, but I can tell someone about what I'm writing in a straight to the point manner and I think that's the most important thing. If you can't summarize your book in a few sentences period, then you're in troubl

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I don't have a rehersed pitch, but I can tell someone about what I'm writing in a straight to the point manner and I think that's the most important thing. If you can't summarize your book in a few sentences period, then you're in troubl

There is nothing wrong with not having a rehearsed pitch. It gives you the ability to tailor your talk to the interests of whoever you're talking to. But, as someone who does a lot of cons - and as such meets hundreds of readers every year - I can't emphasis enough how having that pitch in your back pocket can save your cookies. Crowded convention hall, people picking up your books to admire the covers, it's chaos. Fun chaos, but chaos nonetheless. A rehearsed pitch can give you a moment to think and get back into your stride. Good luck!

 

[pmmg]

I did write one out, but I have not memorized it.

Truth is, most people who ask me about my story are really just trying to be nice, but have no true interest, and since we dont share the interest in common, I feel kind of stupid talking about it with them. I'd be much more open at a table at a con with people asking cause I know they would have a truer interest.

But....I do have one.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Truth is, most people who ask me about my story are really just trying to be nice, but have no true interest, and since we dont share the interest in common, I feel kind of stupid talking about it with them. I'd be much more open at a table at a con with people asking cause I know they would have a truer interest.

This is my feeling as well. Don't do cons. So the only people asking about them have either read them or are just being polite.

Which explains why I don't have a pitch I guess... There's always something more important to do than make one up.

 

[Jason]

When asked what my book was about I said - people wake up on a drifting ship without knowing why they are there. The response was - Oh, why are they there?
So, I used the premise as a blurb instead of a summary.
And now I'm adrift on the KDP ocean with that tiny bait...

 

[Malik]

I write mine first. Pitch -> Final scene -> Backwards-planned flowchart -> Back cover copy -> Synopsis -> Outline -> Sh*tty first draft -> Successive 3-4 full drafts. I revise the pitch, back cover copy, and synopsis as I write, and save any cool lines that pop up in a scratchpad for possible front-cover or advertising hooks.

It is a hell of a lot easier to write a book from a two-sentence idea than it is to distill a novel down to two sentences.

Of course, if you're a pantser, I don't know what to tell you . . .

 

[A. E. Lowan]

 

[pmmg]

Wait....do I see a hole in your plot?

 

[Malik]

I plotted a whole new series to plug a plot hole in my last one.

 

[ThinkerX]

I plotted a whole new series to plug a plot hole in my last one.

I introduced a new character to cover a plot hole. Said character was deemed intriguing in one of my few reviews...and prompted significant world building changes and a major subplot addition.

 

[skip.knox]

It's not a plot hole ... it's a plot opportunity.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

We wrote an over 600 page book to fill a plot hole. It wasn't even that big a plot hole... until I got to it.

 

[Devor]

I've seen bigger plot holes in my life story.