Thanks very much to Janet Goldstein for recording this video at the San Miguel Writer’s conference wherein I talk about the importance of the pitch and knowing the essence of your book:
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Tracy says
The sad thing is, if I was talking to Oprah I'm likely to be thinking "Oh my God, I'm on Oprah!". So, I still wouldn't know what my pitch was about. But you're definitely right about taking the time to figure out what you're book is about first.
I like this! You should do video posts more often.
A Paperback Writer says
Hey, it's fun to hear you and watch you communicate after a couple of years of reading your blog.
Fun.
Thanks for including it.
Emily White says
Side note: NOT what I thought you your voice would sound like. You look a lot like Luke Wilson, so I always hear his voice in my head whenever I read your posts. Yes, I do hear different voices in my head.
Anyway… this is something I've been really thinking about lately. After writing and rewriting my query about a thousand times, I think I've finally gotten it down to what the gist of my story is. And now that I have, I'm surprised at how obvious it should have been to me.
Thanks for sharing this!
Francis says
Can't stop laughing at what Emilie White said in her first paragraph. I thought the EXACT…same…thing!
Great vid.
Anonymous says
I agree. You don't sound anything like I would've imagined. I like your video. It was straight to the point like you expressed a pitch should be.
Josin L. McQuein says
Make that three of us who thought the same thing. (You should have held up a map and smart phone :-P)
Sadly, I think I would also have Tracy's reaction to Oprah. Followed by nervous laughter and maybe an uncomfortable silence that would break somewhere after the cameras stopped rolling and they turned the lights off.
T. Anne says
You are awesome! What a treat.
I'm pretty sure Oprah would love to discuss the ins and outs of my book for a half hour straight. 😉 Other than that I thought you were spot on!
Thanx Nathan that was fun.
Candyland says
SO TRUE! You have to be able to pitch your book quickly sometimes. Know what you're selling.
Bane of Anubis says
I was hoping you'd give your pitch at the end, NB… Thanks for summarizing and for dealing w/ the camera, though I'll have to take away a point for the Oprah reference.
tswelti says
Maybe it has to do with being a California native myself, but you sound exactly like I imagined. Is this a segway into a new vlog series? Hope so.
traceybaptiste says
Must redeem myself after yesterday's e-gaffe…
First: love the video post.
Second: is 200 words the standard pitch/summary length?
Third: How do you craft a pitch without sounding like a used-car salesperson? I always feel like a fraud when I try to talk up my work.
Nathan Bransford says
tracey-
I'd say for the purposes of a query 200 is a good ballpark for a summary. I'd really recommend though that writers come up with and know one sentence, one paragraph, 200 word, synopsis-length summaries. You're going to need them.
Best way to not sound like a used car salesman is to draw upon the voice of the work when constructing the pitch.
Josin L. McQuein says
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Claire Dawn says
ENCHILADAS! (You have forever corrupted my image of Mexico!)
At first writing a query was hard because it's hard to find the essence of your book. But it can help to practice. Make different length pitches and synopses for movies and books you know well. Soon you'll be a pitch pro!
prettyfascination says
This was so timely for me! I just finished my "final" revision for my novel and need to start working on the plot synopsis and query letter.
Thanks for putting it all into perspective.
atsiko says
First, to echo the comment about you sounding way different than I imagined. I've always imagined you as sounding more like Owen Wilson, or Matthew Mcconaughey.
Great advice and fun to see a video of you.
Browneyegirl145 says
I liked the video…your right sometimes you have all of three seconds to let a reader know what it is about…for all those out there who don't know anything about marketing try writing a quick pitch for something you are drinking or eating…what would you say in 5 words? Just a little practice to help with pitching…
traceybaptiste says
Thanks Nathan
JTShea says
Admit it, Nathan! You PRACTICED saying JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW fast! And check out the 'text only' version on You-Tube. A Nathan made up entirely of letters looks oddly appropriate.
Nikki Hootman says
1) You are so cute. 🙂
2) I watched this with my 3 month old son on my lap and he talked to you the entire video. You have a fan!
Nathan Bransford says
jthsea-
Oh, I've said the title enough now that I could probably get it in under 0.5 seconds.
And yes, watching it in letter version plus turning on the (wildly inaccurate) closed captioning is an experience in psychedelia.
E. McD. says
You're really real! I like the video blogs – more please! With LOST ending, we're all going to need something to watch.
Lydia Sharp says
200 is a good target. I recently filled out my first query "form" for an agent, which only allows a max of 250 words for the actual pitch part of it. Mine came in at 220.
Nice video, Nathan. I've been considering doing some of my blog posts in video form via YouTube. I think it has a more personal feel to it, which is beneficial for certain topics. But then I couldn't post in my pj's which I may or may not do on a regular basis. May not be worth it to get dressed, do my hair, put on make-up…
Yeah. Never mind.
Elaine AM Smith says
I'd really recommend though that writers come up with and know one sentence, one paragraph, 200 word, synopsis-length summaries. You're going to need them.
This response was so useful Nathan, can you put it at the top of the post? I'd hate to have missed it.
Thanks
D. G. Hudson says
Thanks, Nathan, it's almost like a quick chat with you about pitching. Great idea!
It's tough but like you said, you have to make yourself do it. For one of the writing courses I took, the instructor required a synopsis of two pages. During the creating of the synopsis, I also created part of the query and somewhat of a pitch line (needs refining).
Thanks for all you do for your loyal readers/commenters.
Ann Marie Wraight says
Concise, succint and to the point.
Please do more video posts.
Hearing a voice and seeing body language make a HUGE difference.
Thanks.
Kristi says
Nathan, you have amazing timing. I'm doing my first live pitch to an agent in a few weeks — because I somehow reasoned that a one-on-one pitch would be less intimidating than starting the query process. I must have been on crack at the time, because now I'm thinking that after surviving the pitch, the query process won't seem so bad! Thanks for doing this. 🙂
M Clement Hall says
One more addition to Nathan's blog and a very good teaching tool.
Is a pitch the same as a summary?
I like the expression, "elevator pitch." If you can't say in that short period of time what your book is about — then possibly you don't know.
Mira says
How fun is that! Love the video. You're such a cool person, Nathan.
Josin – How did you do that??
Yes, they've been talking lately in school about getting your elevator pitch down. In other words, what can you say as the elevator moves from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor to grab and keep their attention?
You might wonder why it's called an elevator pitch? Well, I figured it out.
It's because people who want to hire you, or people who want to publish your books, spend all day riding up and down elevators hoping someone will ambush and give them a sales talk while they are held captive in a small moving box.
It's only logical.
Thanks for the video, Nathan. Totally fun.
Mira says
Oh, and who is this Janet Goldstein person? People go into business to develop authors? I'd like to be developed.
In fact, I need alot of development. Boy, someone could really develop me, what a satisfying project that would be.
If anyone wants to develop me, let me know. I'm totally up for that.
Donna Hole says
A lot of blogs right now are focusing on pitch in 25 words or less and honing the story concept to a one liner. You reinforced what others are saying. It's always nice to hear and agent's opinion.
I've been working on mine as diligently as I worked on the query. I think the query was easier.
Thanks for sharing this.
…….dhole
JTShea says
I watched the closed captioned version of the letter version several times. Talk about literary subtext! What is it that 'Cochrane does quintessential to the book'? Zefram Cochrane maybe? The guy who invented the Star Trek warp drive? You also mention 'Data'. The Trek android? But I thought you preferred Star Wars?
I agree with you 'on issues beating as well as an opera'. I think… And about 'time forces'. But what exactly is 'the most hopeful thing to think about women'? And what has a bucket got to do with it? But I will 'keep fighting'!
Matt Ryan says
Yo, Yo, Check it. Yo. Nathan, you know I'm a fan, right Dawg?
Listen, your pitch on pitching was a little pitchy. Not your best performance. I would've loved to see some more movement on stage.
But on the bright side, Yo that jacket is HOT!
Happy first of April everyone.
Nathan Bransford says
lol, thanks, Randy.
Kimberly Kincaid says
Okay, first of all, you're a Real Guy!
Now that my idiocy is totally out of the way…
This is very timely for me, so thank you x10. I am already thinking ahead to RWA's national conference over the summer, and don't want to just spout what's in my query. At first I thought it was a bit weird to talk about my characters as if they're actual people, but honestly, part of that is the essence of the book. I have to *know* them in order to pitch them. So, yeah. Gotta take a tiny side trip to crazyville for that, I guess!
Oh, and you can be rest assured that if I ever end up on Oprah, my idiocy *will* rear its ugly head 🙂 You've been forewarned!
Terry Stonecrop says
Thanks. I particularly liked this quote:
"Best way to not sound like a used car salesman is to draw upon the voice of the work when constructing the pitch."
And the idea of telling it at cocktail parties. Yes, you need to be succinct there or you'll lose them real fast.
Grimmster24 says
Thank you, Nathan! I'm a LITTLE closer to being done with my WIP, having done Editing Round #1, so this is going to help keep my focus when it comes time to pitch my novel.
I gotta agree with Emily White, too, lol. You DO look like Luke Wilson. Who is a handsome man and someone I think is really cool. So, you know, you're in good company. 🙂
Stephanie says
Hey Nathan-
Janet is my editor! I love her and now I love you 🙂
The most helpful part of this is when you suggested we think about a pitch as what we would say if asked at a cocktail party.
I really liked the video. It felt really warm and personal.
Love your blog. Thanks for taking the time to write it (or shoot it in this case)!
ryan field says
This one simple video can apply to other areas, too. Like writing blurbs for other authors, or writing back cover copy.
Anonymous says
I've always read your posts with an English accent in my head. After viewing the clip, I re-read today's post. And that wonderful accent was gone. Can't get it back.
Amanda Borenstadt says
Great advice. It helps to tell people about your book. I'd rather hide behind my keyboard, but forcing myself to tell somebody about my book has taught me how to get to the essence of the plot.
nicole antoinette says
Wonderfully to the point advice, as always. So fun to get it in video form too!
Josin L. McQuein says
LoL, Mira.
I used a "reverse text" generator. You type or paste in what you want to say and it spits out code for blogs, web pages, etc. The only thing it won't do is capital letters.
Christi Goddard says
I'm sure you get this all the time, but OMG… you look so young. I always thought that side picture of you was a few years old. In fact, you look younger than you do in your picture. Your aging backwards, Nathan!
It's the curious case of Nathan Bradsford!
sex scenes at starbucks says
I guess I wonder why people don't know what their book's about even before they start. That's kind of where I start.
I've learned it's mostly about being in touch with SELF first…
And aww, you seem as sweet and friendly in person as you do here.
Karen says
That was really helpful! Thanks.
Oh, and that bright pink name tag goes great with your outfit.
Anonymous says
This is not professional at all, but I think you're super cute. Can't hurt your blog stats, is all I'm sayin'.
It IS April Fool's Day, though, so I'll leave it up to you to figure out the seriousness of this message.
Kate Evangelista says
Video posts are always good for the visual and auditory learners out there.
jongibbs says
Another great post!
Thanks, Nathan. I've added this link to my favorites 🙂
Mira says
Josin, that's awesome. !EMOSEWA s'ti yas I dluohs ro. How did I live without this??
Anon, creative does not equal unprofessional.