LIVE Workshop: Perfecting the Elevator Pitch
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After receiving a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, Kaitlyn refused to leave the concept of nightly homework behind. As well as being a junior agent for Corvisiero Literary Agency, she is also a freelance editor at her own company, -
Thank you for being with us today. I’m interested in your perspective on the format of a query. Has the traditional approach become blase or is it still a good idea to query in a fairly standard format? By standard format, I mean something like the following, though I’m guessing there are all sorts of holes in this query format.
-indicate why working with this agent matters to you (after doing the requisite stalking/research). Does mentioning that you share with this agent a mutual love of microwaved tortillas with sliced strawberries really work?
-summary of the piece (tight and interesting)
-assessment of this piece in the current market-
Amy
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Hi Keely! This is Amy, the moderator for the event. I didn’t ask your question because Kaitlyn happened to speak in detail about query structure before we got to the Q&A session (which may have answered your question), but if there’s anything you want clarified, please respond to this comment and I will make sure to ask it. 🙂
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Jann
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I was wondering if you have a tip on how to approach it if you are interested in two different agents at the same agency?
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Also, do agents ever ask for submissions off of in person elevator pitches? Thanks!
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Is it ok to say in the query what the character DOES NOT want in place of the goal, if it is central to what the character needs? Thank you
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Ryan
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Can you fit worldbuilding in a pitch?
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If you’re writing a high/epic fantasy, and your world is crucial to the conflict, is it ok to start with a line that sets the world? I keep trying to start my pitch/query with my character because I know the character needs to be the focus but without the context of the world, it’s hard to fully appreciate/understand her conflict.
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Elza
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Do you look for character/author voice in an elevator pitch, or is concept the one and only?
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A question about genre and what sets the story apart. My story is written in the genre of the Fantastique, which fits in between Fantasy and Magical Realism.
The genre and the question it poses (What is Real?) is also central to the theme of the manuscript.
Shall my pitch include this precise genre description, or shall I go more generic, smth like low fantasy, or contemporary with elements of magical realism?
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I have a genre-bending MS, if an agent is confused after hearing a pitch, is that a bad sign?
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Does the age of the pitcher matter? Like if the writer is a minor, do you take that into account when considering?
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Can you recall one of your favorite pitches? Or can you share an example or two?
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Maria
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This will sound completely naive and paranoid, but in case anyone else wonders the same thing….. does nobody worry about putting out a pitch on a public forum like Twitter, or like here this weekend, and then someone else runs off with their concept and copies it? Thanks!
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Cynthia
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How does the elevator pitch differ (if it does!) from the hook?
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Janine
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Is it required to do the “X meets Y” in your pitch? What if your comparisons are not from books, but instead other mediums?
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Is it okay to have any pages with you to give as a sample when doing an in-person pitch session?
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Joni Nemeth
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How much “voice” should you show in your query? Is it better to use a straight forward description, rather than come across as “gimmicky”?
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JayKay
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What are your thoughts on using comps in a pitch and where does that go? Before or after the quick description of the book.
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Hi JayKay! This is Amy, the moderator for the event. I didn’t ask your question because Kaitlyn happened to speak in detail about it while answering a previous question (which may have answered your question), but if there’s anything you want clarified, please respond to this comment and I will make sure to ask it. ?
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Yep! She answered it. Thank you!
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Hannah
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What is the most important aspect to get across in a pitch?
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Is it okay to use media(Books,TV shows, video games) that are old(I mean stuff from the 2000s or 1990s) or arthouse or experimental media in pitches. Is it okay to explain what the media is if the agent is confused or wants to hear more?
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Can you tell us how to spell your client’s name A.R. Alore???
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Maria Arthur
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Oftentimes my writing tends to come off more middle grade though I write YA. What should the voice be like in a YA query? What kind of language identifies a query as a YA query as opposed to a MG query?
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Do you have any tips about pitching a dual POV novel?
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If your character is part of the LGBT+ community and/or non-white, is it highly recommended to mention this on the pitch?
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Can you be a little more specific about what you want to see in each paragraph of a query? Thank you!
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Can your genre be your hook (eg., reimagined myth of a well known mythological character)?
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Keely
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Would most of these elements you are discussing be involved with PB pitches too?
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Do you put your twitter handle, Instagram, other social media in your bio in the query? Thank you!
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Mahmoud
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How many queries should an author submit before giving up on a manuscript?
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If you’ve had past writing success in one particular field/area for a couple of years (e.g. journalism, blogging) but you’ve pivoted to something else, is it still advisable to refer to the past writing experience? Thanks!
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Do you want to pursue an editor or an agent first?
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Can you suggest the best steps for developing your elevator pitch?
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AJ
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Could you clarify: pitches for Twitter are 1 line, but can pitches for events such as this conference be 1-3 sentences? Or do all pitches need to be one line?
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I’ve written a pitch that worked and led to my debut publication with a small publisher and I have gone back to try to decipher what, if anything, worked. It truly confounds me what it was that gave it that USP. I would love to know a few of your ‘Gotcha’ pitch examples if you can share or a resource to read successful pitches that you would recommend to peruse. I am extremely experiential and it would really help me to see actual examples of what worked.
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