I noticed the other day that a few agents ask for a pitch, as well as a synopsis and first few chapters. Can anyone explain to me exactly what is meant by this?

I have a bad feeling that it is something like a snappy, attention-grabbing few lines as to why your book is THE one for them. But I'm hoping you'll prove me wrong!

No, I'm afraid I think you're quite right...

A pitch is usually what agents write for publishers when they are attempting to sell them the novel, so, personally, I think it's a bit of a cheek to ask the writer to do this.
Pub Rants blog has a useful section called a Pitch Workshop - look down the list on the right hand side:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

You are basically targetting the covering letter to that particular agent, so it's a matter of showing them why you think your novel fits their list of authors. It is more common for US agents to expect this, and it basically means picking a couple of published novels to compare yours with -preferable mid-list ones, not bestsellers, because with bestsellers you are oversellig yourself and they will assume your expectations of fortune and fame will be too high - you are going for prose style in the first count and plot in the second count.
For UK agents it's a bit more specific since one of those novels/authors needs to be on that agent's list, so you have to do a bit of homework. Also,you need ot pick a different book for the next agent, and so on, hence it beig called 'a targetted submission'. If you can't find any of their novels/authors to compare yours to then you're basically telling them that your novel won't fit their list. By picking two you're saying 'this will fit your list because it's similar to this author whom you already handle, but, comparing it to this other book/author it's different enough to be worth looking at.


- NaomiM

I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Naomi - the last part about comparing your books to an author on an agent's lists. Mainly because they are already trying to sell that author, so having a similar writer in the same vein is competing against themself. Publishers will also knock back a writer that they think is good if they are very close in style to someone already on their list. (I know this first hand - my agent got a wonderful "rave" rejection from one publisher who felt I was going for an audience she already had covered. Wonderful or not, a rejection is still a big fat NO)

So the alternative tactic would be to compare yourself to an author not on your agent's list (or publisher if you are applying direct), but one who sells bloody well. By pitching in this way you're offering them a slice of pie they don't have access to, but would certainly like on their plate.

Colin

Thanks for your comments and the link, Naomi - very interesting and helpful reading.

It's good to have a contrasting point of view Colin. Lots to think about here. How bloomin' frustrating that rejection must have been. So near...

Oh dear Jess - short and snappy it is then!

If you can't find any of their novels/authors to compare yours to then you're basically telling them that your novel won't fit their list.

No, you're really not! This attitude assumes agents have a set list, a set idea of what they want, a rigid list, etc etc etc. I've said it loads of times before, but while a few may, many really, really don't.

Also, agents won't necesarily write a formal pitch for publishers - it might just be a line, or they might tell them about it at a drinks party, it happens in all sorts of ways. So I don't think it's a cheek particularly to ask for a pitch - why is it?

A pitch doesn't have to just be about comparing your novel to other works either, sometimes it's appropriate but I wouldn't say it's always the be all and end all.

I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Naomi - the last part about comparing your books to an author on an agent's lists.

This isn't off the top of my head, folks. All I can say is that's what several agents want - at least, according to ones interviewed for The Book Show, and Peter Cox's Pitch Room on Litopia. They also want flattery, but they can't have everything.


- NaomiM

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There are VERY long treads on this subject on Litopia, if anyone really wants to go through the hassel of going through their assessment proceedure to access them.

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colin, you compare it to two books. As I said earlier, if it's for a US agent they don't mind which two books you pick, just don't make them bestsellers or written by Nobel -prize winning authors - if you want to know why, read the blogs.
If it's for UK agents they just want you to do your homework and not waste their time by submitting the types of genre mss that they don't handle; don't like.

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They may also want a hook-line - summing up your novel in a couple of sentences that end in a hook.

The most important part of a pitch is the voice. Write it in the voice and style of the novel. Then make it exciting and entertaining. Every word counts. Take risks. Think about the person who's going to read it: they want to be thrilled, made to react; laugh, go 'ooh, that's good!' not think, 'that's all right; not bad but what's the point?'

For all these reasons, don't rely on your agent to do your pitches. Do them yourself. You're the writer; it's your voice, and you need to show that you can form it in such a way it's irresistible. You have to practice pitches lots and get someone to smash them to pieces until you come up with something that can't be smashed.

Terry

Thanks for that Terry. Quite some challenge!

It is a challenge. I attended a 15 day workshop in Oregon late last year, during which, in amongst tons of other stuff, we each wrote around 40-50 pitches. We all sucked at it to begin with, but by being pushed to take risks, cut the crap and just go for it, we all improved tremendously by the end. When you do a lot of them, what happens I think is that something turns around in you: where before you dreaded having to pin down the essence of what you're writing (how can I be expected to condense my genius into a couple of pithy paragraphs?), you actually begin to relish the challenge of just getting at it. Of banging down a short, powerful summary of the intent of your story, with character and charisma. It's a way of showing real pride in your work, in fact.

Terry

When I did the pitch for DP to go out to publishers, I wrote a version, my agent changed a few things, I changed a few of her things, back and forward about six or eight times until we were both happy. An agent pitching to publishers is different from a writer pitching to an agency - I wonder if we're getting wires crossed.

The angle I'm looking at is writer to agent. I know sending a pitch isn't usual, but one particular agent has requested this and I really wanted to get it right. Especially having read quite a bit about how you should submit exactly in the manner each agency request.

So time for me to grab some quiet time and give this 'pitch' business a go.

Thanks to everyone for your brilliant advice.

I *think* I included a pitch in my query anyway. It got me several requests for fulls and an agent just 3-4 weeks into querying.

By 'pitch', I mean a hook - that one paragraph description of your book that's supposed to 'wow' them - plus a brief line or two about target market and genre which might include reference to similar books (there's debate about this one but I don't mean comparing your work to them but saying something like 'will appeal to fans of xxx and xxx'.

As for mentioning the agents' other clients, this is fine but I did it more along the lines of 'I'm approaching you after hearing the great things your client, xxxx, had to say about you on her blog.

All of this while keeping the whole query to no more than, say, 4-5 paragraphs (this is for fiction, mind. Non-fiction, I think, requires a lengthier pitch).

I agree that voice is important too but don't detract from the writing sample with an OTT query letter (again, people might disagree with me on this, just from my experience of querying and various things agents have said on blogs / at events).

Definitely worth you checking out some agent blogs for advice and good luck!!! This is an exciting but also terrifying time. :-)

Trixie, thanks for this - very helpful indeed. You're so right about it being a terrifying time. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm brave enough for this submission business!!

Fortune favours the brave!!!!!! GO FOR IT!