The Elusive Pitch Writing Process

Ah pitch writing. It's a necessary evil. For some, it's the last thing they do when they decide to write; they'd rather be immersed in the story, knee deep in a fantasy of their own creation. For others, like me, it's the first thing they do when they get an idea. I absolutely need to write the pitch because that's my touchstone, my point of direction.

Over the years, I've tried really honing those skills and I like to think I've gone from incoherent chaos to something more streamlined. Anyway, it was a while ago I was asked by someone for pitch writing advice, and I detailed for her the steps I follow to write out a pitch. Today, with the new year nearly upon us and lots of new ideas that will need writing, I figured I'd share.

Note: These tips won't work for everyone but at the very least it's going to get you thinking which is always the goal.

Note Two: The idea I use for an example is a very old idea of mine, one that sadly never really did come to fruition. Still had a nice pitch though. Right, back to the actual post...

1. Start with a firm idea in your head.

2. Get a first sentence. This first sentence does not need to be part of the pitch. For my example, I had the sentence "Mina becomes a servant of Saint Rowan dealing in bones and spirits but longs to be free." This is a simple summary, a directional sentence for me to refer to.

3. Aim for around 3-4 short paragraphs for your pitch.

4. The first paragraph I write must do a few things.

• Introduce the main character
• Introduce who they are/background on their character/plot depending.
• Get them to the present day of the story

For example, the first paragraph (which is separated into two lines ) is this "In the nation of Os Ari, darkness and demons feast on the souls of humans, destroying the nation and creating war within it. In a village on the outskirts of the darkness, a girl makes a deal to save her own life." 

And the second paragraph "Mina is something much more than human but much less than otherworldly. She is a girl that deals in shadows and spirits, that curses and heals. She may be a solider for Os Ari, but she serves only the Saints."

As you can see I introduce the MC and the background.

5. The second (or third paragraph if you've split up the first paragraph into two parts, which is what I did) must introduce the conflict of the novel. But be sure not to just give it all away. This is a delicate balance that can take time to figure out. There's a line between mysterious and being too vague and giving information and not info dumping. I wish I had magical advice on how to achieve this, but really it's all trial and error. Again using the same example:

"It is a deadly secret she harbours. Magic, Saint serving, is outlawed in the nation and when Mina is found out she is sure she'll be put to death and finally meet her maker. What she doesn't expect is the Prince of Os Ari saving her life and then striking his own deal with her."

The conflict has been introduced as you can see. Mina's magic has been found out but instead of being killed, she's suddenly got a deal on the table by none other than the Prince of the nation. This also gives the reader insight into where the real meat of the book is going to be.

6. Lastly the last paragraph (third or fourth) must wrap everything up in a tight little bow. Like an essay it needs to summarize the pitch and ask the questions that are cropping up based on your character's conflict and who you have made them out to be in that first paragraph.

"He thinks she can help save the nation. She thinks it's a longshot. But she owes him her freedom and for Mina, no debt is left unpaid. Even if that means becoming a monster herself."

I wouldn't use more than a max of five sentences for that final paragraph. Make it short and snappy. And absolutely make sure that last line grips readers in and makes them want to know what is going to happen.

My last line asks the question, will Mina truly give in to that darkness in her heart? Is there any hope of stopping her? You want the reader to ask those questions at the end of your pitch so they'll read it in search of those answers.

So that's really it. Hopefully this is a helpful guide and gets you in that pitch writing mood!

Happy Holidays,

Jen