rileymagnus
February 14th, 2011, 04:46 AM
(NOTE: I will begin a new thread for each lesson. There is separate thread per lesson for posting your lesson assignment. There is also a separate thread for comments and questions. Anyone having a question they’d like to personally ask me regarding their particular project is welcome to email me at writerchef@sbcglobal.net )
LESSON ONE – THE RIGHT 25 WORDS!
You’ve heard it a thousand times. If you can’t tell someone what your book is about in 25 words, you simply don’t know what the power of it really is. Finding the perfect 25 words to explain your book with all the passion you have for it, is the most difficult thing an author must do. If you can’t do this, you are not ready for the next step. You’re not ready to pitch or query or even consider where the future of you book can take you. THAT’S how important this is.
These 25 words represent the seed for everything. It will determine how far you’re willing to go with creative promotions and platform building, how hard you’ll push to create demand for future books … and how succinct and clear you’re going to be with not only your writing, but your overall strategy for author success. In essence, those 25 words will without a doubt, be the cornerstone for your success.
Your first assignment is to write your 25 -30 word pitch. In those few words, you need to convey the following:
Who will relate to your book, buy it and want to read it
Where they might buy the book
Why an agent must represent you and your book – or publisher must publish the book
What the book is about (including genre and/or target reader demographic)
Yes, that’s A LOT to pack into 25-30 words, but this is an important task. It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect yet. Chances are, as we work on this over this week, your 25 word pitch will evolve, become tighter, clearer and more powerful. Right now it may take on one form … as we go along, it will shift.
This tiny collection of the perfect 25-30 words will serve for everything from:
Pitching your book to agents and/or publishers
Pitching it to the media when seeking interviews
Explaining your book to venues for Book Events
The core of your press release campaigns
The perfect dust jacket blurb
The powerful sound bite
It is the polished answer to the question – So, what’s your book about? It will make your book stand apart and above all others, but only if done well. Never forget, it will also change slightly when necessary, the way we women alter our eye makeup from day to evening events. It will be versatile and solid.
Let us see your 25-30 word pitch as soon as it’s ready. Show me what you got!
LESSON ONE – THE RIGHT 25 WORDS!
You’ve heard it a thousand times. If you can’t tell someone what your book is about in 25 words, you simply don’t know what the power of it really is. Finding the perfect 25 words to explain your book with all the passion you have for it, is the most difficult thing an author must do. If you can’t do this, you are not ready for the next step. You’re not ready to pitch or query or even consider where the future of you book can take you. THAT’S how important this is.
These 25 words represent the seed for everything. It will determine how far you’re willing to go with creative promotions and platform building, how hard you’ll push to create demand for future books … and how succinct and clear you’re going to be with not only your writing, but your overall strategy for author success. In essence, those 25 words will without a doubt, be the cornerstone for your success.
Your first assignment is to write your 25 -30 word pitch. In those few words, you need to convey the following:
Who will relate to your book, buy it and want to read it
Where they might buy the book
Why an agent must represent you and your book – or publisher must publish the book
What the book is about (including genre and/or target reader demographic)
Yes, that’s A LOT to pack into 25-30 words, but this is an important task. It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect yet. Chances are, as we work on this over this week, your 25 word pitch will evolve, become tighter, clearer and more powerful. Right now it may take on one form … as we go along, it will shift.
This tiny collection of the perfect 25-30 words will serve for everything from:
Pitching your book to agents and/or publishers
Pitching it to the media when seeking interviews
Explaining your book to venues for Book Events
The core of your press release campaigns
The perfect dust jacket blurb
The powerful sound bite
It is the polished answer to the question – So, what’s your book about? It will make your book stand apart and above all others, but only if done well. Never forget, it will also change slightly when necessary, the way we women alter our eye makeup from day to evening events. It will be versatile and solid.
Let us see your 25-30 word pitch as soon as it’s ready. Show me what you got!