Learn how to pitch your novel to publishers and write a book pitch that truly stands out! A perfect pitch can make all the difference in getting your novel noticed by publishers. With our expert tips, you can create an exceptional pitch that will excite you and the publishers about your project. In this blog, we will guide you on pitching your book to publishers and writing an outstanding book pitch. It is key to remember that you aren’t just selling a book. This is your entire imagination and creativity carefully stored in several pages waiting to be read by thousands! And, of course, when you are ready to sell your book, you would want the publishers to know that!

Pitching is usually referred to as being verbal and presenting your ideas, novel plot, and cliffhangers in the novel. This means you would mostly have a one-on-one with the publisher or an agent. After that, your book will be pursued for the reading process and then considered for publication. These are usually the standard procedures when your book is accepted.

Whether you are a beginner or experienced and need new and trending tips that work for pitching your book, we’ve got you! Here, we will share the best tips and tricks and guide you step by step through the whole process of pitching a book. Staying enthusiastic about your project is standard and should be present throughout your pitching journey. Your dedication, tone, and passion toward this big step greatly impact your desired outcome! If you wish to learn more about book pitching or need extra guidance, you can contact us immediately!

So, let’s get you boosted for this empowering journey of yours! Get hold of these tips and tricks, and you will be ready to focus on your presentation skills and confidently shine!

What is Book Pitching?

While there may be several definitions out there, we prefer to narrow this down to a simple yet self-explanatory definition. Book pitching is simply referred to as a proposal. For instance, when you come up with an idea or have something to present professionally, you would have to offer a proposal to your higher-ups or those who will allow you to have the signal. In this case, you would bring forth your book proposal to the publishers or the agents of a book publishing company.

To add, pitching a book in person is definitely preferred over sending a proposal through an email. This way, you are showing your enthusiasm and energy through visuals with the power of speech, hand movement, and eye contact with the publishers. By pitching a book through presenting, you are giving a strong representation that your book will sell and that it has scope.

The first perk of pitching your book by showing up is that the publisher will remember your face and the importance you are giving it rather than just sending in the entire proposal in their inbox. To be honest, to some, this is seen as a low form of effort. So it is best to avoid this option unless it is asked.

Presenting your book to a publisher can help you grab their attention as you will be in the spotlight. Additionally, you will have a chance to have a personal discussion with the publisher. If you are fortunate, you may even receive constructive feedback to improve your novel. Any positive or negative feedback can be helpful in its own way.

Another reason why physically going to pitch your book is better is because, in most cases, publishers are being sent several proposals through email, and yours could be a part of that and be missed by the agency. So it is better to go in person and get your scheduled meeting accepted! By pitching your novel, you can sell yourself and your novel directly to the publisher or agency. The plus side to this is that you can put more emphasis on the thrilling or attention-grabbing scenes of your novel. They will surely remember that! We guarantee that in this way, you will be remembered. A bonus is that the publisher will see this as extra effort and dedication since most individuals avoid the part when it comes to presenting.

What Is A Pitch?

When we talk about pitch, we often think of volume, but in this case, it refers to a different concept. Pitch can also be applied to how you present your book in terms of quality and quantity to make it attractive to potential readers. To put it simply, a pitch is a brief, engaging, and meaningful summary of your book that captures its essence. It is a bonus if you are asked questions regarding your book. That means that you have done the job!

How Long Does Pitching Session Last?

Normally, most pitching sessions would be around 5 minutes long; however, if you make it through without extending the time and not ending the pitching session too early, you’ve finished just on time. You are good to go as long as your pitching session includes engaging and pithy content that initiates further discussion with the publisher.

Popular speakers usually suggest that you always plan your pitching session to be 1 to 3 minutes long, leaving the rest of the 2 minutes for questions or further discussions. This way, in the beginning, you will know that you have already said what you needed to say.

What Should You Include in Your Pitching Session?

First, you should know your novel really well. This way, you can summarize it properly without omitting the exciting parts from your short summary. Here is what your pitch should include:

• Title
• Length
• Genre
• Call to action
• Conflict
• Targeted audience
• Where it fits in the market
• Lastly, your bio.

This may seem like a lot to put into such a precisely timed pitch session, right? Well, we are here to guide you into making it the best version of a pitch that could ever be! But before we dive into that, let’s look at some crucial factors before you start writing your pitch.

• Your book should be finished: prolonging your pitching session and taking more time than required could cause a negative impact and show a lack of time management.
• Who is your publisher, and who are you pitching to? Does your publisher or the agency you are pitching to have books similar to yours? Regardless, you should go through them, know a little about their taste, do research, and try to impress them with better and more captivating ideas in your novel. This way, you won’t be oblivious to what genre of books their agency is affiliated with.
• Who is your targeted audience?
• How can you quickly describe what your book is about
• Have an answer to why the publisher/agency should give your book a read.
• What inspired you to write such a novel in the first place?

You can easily move on to the next step as these pointers are answered. Time to start writing your pitch! The above points will guide you to better understand what your pitch should be about.

It’s Time to Write Your Pitch!

As mentioned previously in this blog, you would want your pitch to be compelling, captivating, and exciting to the publisher or the book publishing agency.

• Begin with a cliffhanger! Yes really! It may seem odd, but that is the best way to engage your audience. In this case, your publishers. It is important that you are extra quirky with your ideas when you are presenting them to them. Since they have gone through this in several ways and have heard several stories, novels, plots, and pitches, it is important to make yours unique and something to make the publisher ponder over.
• Know your protagonist of the story. And by that, we mean that you should know them very well.
• Include just enough of all the exciting points from your novel, but not all the way. This might make the publisher hesitate since you have given away the entire plot!
• Always remember that the title of your book can be changed later, even if it is a work in progress.
• It is important to look at how you present. Your tone, eye contact, hand movement, emphasis on certain parts of your summary, and speed of speaking. Try making your tone connect to the tone of the book.
• How are you qualified to write this book? The publishers could ask about this as well, so it is best to come up with an answer to this. You can further add about your expertise and how long you have been working on this project of yours.
• Try to be specific and clear-cut with your answers. For example, if they ask about your book’s genre, you just mention one word describing it. It shouldn’t need any backup words.
• Use as many adjectives as you can.

Towards the end of your pitching session, it is only a probability that you will gain any feedback from the publishers. If you do it in time, that is great; however, it could only be a chance. But don’t get disheartened by that! At this stage, hiring professional proofreaders or writers who can further improve your overall pitch is also advisable!

A pro tip we can add is to try your best not to make out or assume what they may be thinking, especially during your pitching session. Since that could cloud your mind, we wouldn’t want that! Remembering that publishers are human and go through this stuff almost daily is healthy and good. So remember to wait once you are done. If there is no feedback, you can always try again. That is the spirit!

Ready to Start With Your Pitch?

Let’s wrap this up by emphasizing that confidence is crucial when presenting your project to a publisher. You should be confident and knowledgeable about your storyline and be prepared to go the extra mile. For instance, consider what could have happened in the story if a particular event didn’t take place. Some readers enjoy exploring these “what if” scenarios.” So, good luck with writing your book pitch!