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Unpacking the elevator ptich: Editor's Notes #272 October 17, 2018 |
| Hello, some need customers. ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana In this issue: 1. Unpacking the elevator pitch 2. Tickled my funny bone 3. Interesting Web site 4. Writing prompt 1. Unpacking the elevator pitch If you sell something (and if you are a writer, you sell your words), you need an elevator pitch. That’s the engaging and dense explanation you give to those who need to know what you have, so named because it fits into a short ride in an elevator. Here are situations where you can use a writer’s elevator pitch (besides in an elevator): standing in a line-up, when meeting a publisher or acquisitions editor, in any networking session, when telling your local bookstore or library to buy your book, when being interviewed about your book, when introducing your book to an audience. The pitch has three parts: the concept, the logline, and the body. The concept must grab attention quickly. One sentence is enough. Give the listener something familiar but with a twist. "The Step-sister’s Revenge flips the Cinderella story on its head." "Wolf Hall, with apologies to Hilary Mantel, is a mash-up of The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. Next comes the logline, which gives the characters and the conflict in one or two sentences. Nothing I can say here will top what you read in the Interesting Web site link below, so check out that page for a great treatment of loglines. Finally, the body of your elevator pitch (2 or 3 paragraphs) gives a brief who (protagonist and antagonist) what (a bit more on the conflict than the logline gives) where-and-when (the setting), and why (the goal of the protagonist) of your book). An elevator pitch is meant to be spoken, so keep yours sounding like you. The concept and the logline are worth memorizing. If you know the points of the body for your book, you should be able to talk about them without sounding like a robot. Practice giving your elevator pitch until you are comfortable enough to share it with strangers. =========== 2.Tickled my funny bone Sign on a blinds and curtain truck: blind man driving =========== 3. Interesting Web site Filmmaker Noam Kroll takes you through how to write an excellent logline here: https://www.indiewire.com/2014/01/how-to-write-the-perfect-logline-and-why-its-as-important-as-your-screenplay-31710/ =========== 4. Writing prompt Divide a paper in half. On one half, list the advantages of having a job. On the other half, list the advantages of having customers. Write an argument for having either a job or customers. =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor Link on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/audreyowen (Email me first so I know how you know me.) =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
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