10 Steps to a Great Pitch!
Is your literary conference having a Pitchapalooza or similar pitching event? Do you have an opportunity to pitch yourself to a literary agent in a one-on one-interview? Do you want to learn how to pitch yourself right into an introduction to a literary agent or a request for a submission? Follow these 10 steps to blow your audience away with your pitch!
Step 1: Participate!
Seriously, you can’t win unless you drag your butt up there on that podium or to that chair across the desk from that agent. Give it a whirl. I know you’re nervous and that’s all right. Here is a little secret: everyone else is as well. Afraid to be embarrassed or humiliated? Don’t be! Take control of your fears and insecurities. What do you have to lose?
Step 2: Don’t wait until the night before to write your pitch.
Actually the morning of the event isn’t a good idea either. Write it out a week before. Re-read it, reflect on it, and have some of your peers read it for you. You wouldn’t submit the first draft of your novel for publication, would you?
Step 3: Rehearse your Pitch.
You don’t have to memorize your pitch but be comfortable with it. I rehearsed my Pitchapalooza pitch hundreds of times. I rehearsed several days prior, the day before and that morning. I even rehearsed in the hallways during the conference breaks the day of the event. Did I have the pitch memorized? Yes. Did I have my pitch in my hand when I delivered it? Yes. Did I look down from time to time for reassurance? Yes.
Step 4: Don’t start out “My name is Jane Smith and I’ve written an 85,000 word Young Adult novel.
Everyone does this. Be different, standout, but not in a bad way. Don’t give your pitch while doing a handstand! If your characters and plot are compelling enough then the panel will figure out the genre and won’t care about the page length.
Step 5. Be a Tease!
You don’t have the time to explain your character’s journey. Get to the heart of your story immediately. Take them to the ledge of the cliff, let them peer down, and then pull them back. Tease your audience and the panel with the characters and conflict. Give them enough to be intrigued and then be gone.
Step 6: Um is not a transitional word!
Wiktionary says that using the word “um” means to express confusion or hesitancy. Yes, they said confusion and hesitancy. Is this how you want to be portrayed? Practice your pitch, have someone listen, and focus on not saying “um.” If you need to pause or transition, it’s all right to do this silently!
Step 7: Stop speaking AT people!
You don’t need to wink at them, but connecting to your audience, judging panel, or agent is important. Smile and make eye contact with them. When you see them smiling back at you, focusing on your words and nodding their heads as you speak then, you know that you have them!
Step 8: Follow the Rules!
Don’t go over the allotted time if you are in a timed contest. You will be stopped in mid- sentence and you will not win. If you followed Step 4 then you should know how long it will take for you to deliver your winning pitch. If you are over in your rehearsal then you will go over during the competition or your agent one-on-one session. My winning pitch was 154 words and I delivered in 46-48 seconds during rehearsal. During the competition I delivered it in 59 seconds. When I pitched to Dave Sterry during my one-on-one pitch it lasted under two of the seven minutes I had allotted with him.
Step 9: Remember, the only failure is the failure NOT to try!
Life is short. Don’t spend the next year regretting that you didn’t follow Step 1.
The Final Tip: Don’t look like a bum or bag lady! Perception is reality. How you look matters.
Here is my pitch that won Pitchapalooza:
Boots on the ground – Paws on the Ground. This novel is about US soldiers and the dogs who protect them.
Caleb, Megan and Ramon are young Americans who are fighting for the US in Afghanistan — and Brady, Sammy, and Chica are the dogs who stand between them and death or terrible injury.
(I removed 38 words here. It details the climax of the book. Sorry I’m afraid it would give to much away and those in the publishing world wouldn’t like this) I did step 6 here though.
Dogs are outperforming million dollar pieces of equipment on the battlefield, finding improvised explosives with their noses and instinct. I’m Major Kevin Hanrahan and I’ve witnessed this first hand in the treacherous and alien terrain of Afghanistan.
I’ve written a novel about the true and ancient bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty as they are tested in the world of modern warfare
Notes:
-Read this piece by David who provides his own list of tips for pitching on his Book Doctor Site. (Follow Them)
-These tips can be used for any elevator pitch or oral presentation.
United States Army Major, Kevin Hanrahan is the winner of the 2011 James River Writing Conference Pitchapalooza contest. He has received outstanding ratings in oral communication in every military school that he has attended.
32 comments on “10 Steps to a Great Pitch!”
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Karen says: I want to read your novel as soon as it’s published 
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Kevin Hanrahan says:
Thanks Karen. I can’t wait to get it out there!
Steve Shaffer says: Okay Kevin, you skipped step 3. 
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Good looking out Steve. I went to public school….I forgot to use my fingers to count!
Spot on, Kevin! One thing I would add is to record yourself giving the speech to some friends and family. We all have these weird quirks when we get nervous. You mentioned the verbal pauses, and those can get excruciatingly bad under pressure. Some people constantly shift back and forth from one foot to the other, and it looks like they’re doing a little dance. I remember I used to go the other direction and get really stiff, and the last thing you want to do while you’re up there is look like a robot. All of these things are super distracting to your audience. Recording yourself will help you key in your own quirks, and give you more confidence when it’s finally time to deliver. Great advice all around!
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Thanks Jeff. You are right…giving the brief to family and friends is important. The day before my pitch my wife listened several times. The morning of my dog Stella “took” the brief……it was very early when I was practicing and she paced around with me and never left my side while I practiced. Apparently she knew the stakes were high!
You are so right about body movements and gestures. I like to anchor myself at a podium if possible and place my hands on the side of the stand if possible. I find a comfy postion and stick with it.
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I agree and would add a caveat – tell your friends and family to be brutal in their critique. They’ll want to be nice and tell you it’s awesome, but I’m not trying to sell to them(I know they’ll probably buy one of my books even if it’s written on the back of a napkin). I want to sell it to an agent or publisher and need to know the flaws in the pitch and how to make it better.
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I agree Russ. My wife enjoys pointing out my flaws….:-) wasn’t probably the right person to practice on….. I should have found someone more neutral.
You bring up a great point about selling to an agent or publisher. When they buy into your book they buy into you as well. If you bring more to the table than well written books then I personally feel you are more likely to land a deal. Hopefully I’ll be testing that theory soon as my agent begins to loop at selling my first novel.
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Great list, Kevin. Most of the same things apply with a nonfiction pitch, though with nonfiction, particularly how-to/self-help books, I would add that audience and platform become crucial bits of information to share in a pitch and–if there’s time–also share how your book compares to what’s already out there on the market.
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Thanks Lisa. Funny you mention that because I started using the whole comparison thing when I started querying agents again. My book is The Hurt Locker meets Rin Tin Tin! I am also sure to talk about successful books that compliment mine.
Steve Shaffer says: Oh yeah, the New Math model? My wife *still* has to use her fingers. In my case too many years writing computer programs, you really get OCD about the details.
Bob says: So, did you actually get an agent?
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Hi Bob. Yes I have an agent.
Great advice, Kevin! I heard your pitch last year and it was terrific. There were several good pitches, but yours really stood out. I’m looking forward to reading your book someday. Will you be at the JRW conference this year?
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Thank you Lana. I have every intention of attending the conference providing my work schedule corporates. I learned a great deal last year so I think it was very beneficial. Hope to see you there!
I’m still leaning heavily towards indie publishing, but I’m going to do the pitchapalooza at the writing conference here in HI in September. Maybe knowing that I plan to fall back on indie will eliminate any nervousness.
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I say you gotta have options. When I started this quest I knew I could go Indie if I decided that was my best option. Course I wanted to play out the querying thing first. I really think you will kick yourself for not trying. I mean…who cares right….. win or don’t but at least you had a chance to win.
[...] you’re going to RWA and pitching to an editor or agent, here’s a simple 10 step guide to great pitching by Kevin Hanrahan [@Kevin_Hanrahan2]. “5. Be a tease!You don’t have the time to explain [...]
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I understand Vanessa! LOL. That is lots of folks that have to get up and speak publicly…..you aren’t alone! Practise makes you more confident though.
Hi Kevin! I saw your pitch at the JRWC Pitchapalooza last year and it’s great to see these tips from you! Thank you for sharing them! I’ve still got a little ways to go before I’m ready to pitch, but I’ve got your tips posted on my wall for help. BTW, I just ordered The Book Doctors’ book! So looking forward to reading it. Thanks again!
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Hi Tonya. Thank you very much. I do hope they help…. I think the biggest thing is preparation and actually getting up there! I do believe you should have a relatively finished product as well.
All this makes me want to get down on my knees and thank the powers that be that I already have mu dream agent. Why she took me on I’ll never fully understand, but I’m eternally grateful. Hate pitching. Hate “selling” myself. So many of us writers are introverts at heart. I just want to write. I don’t want to pitch, unless it’s a fit I’m pitching…
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You are certainly a luck one Barb. I know so many people that would love…love to be in your shoes!
I’m definitely NOT an introvert. So for me speaking in in front of crowd is part of my job. Something like this though…when you are pitching to a unfamiliar crowds can be very daunting. I was definitely nervous and had my doubts. So will everyone else that gets up there. My biggest advice to folks is to get up there and give it a whirl!
Hi Kevin,
I’m looking forward to reading your book. Great subject matter and great pitch.
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Hi Nancy. Thank you very much. I am of course anxious to get my book out there! Though this publishing world is teaching me patience!
Great tips! I’ll be speaking to middle-schoolers next week, and this was just what I needed to hear to boost my confidence. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Will..glad I could help!
Amie Grayson says: I also saw you at last year’s JRW conference. Such a great pitch – not surprising they picked you. Best wishes for success on your book release!
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Hi Amie. Thank you very much.
[...] for the one-on-one pitch session. I hadn’t spent hours writing and practicing a pitch for Pitchapalooza. I hadn’t even looked at the conference agenda to see which workshops I wished to [...]
[...] Oldies: 10 Steps to a Great Pitch! from Kevin Hanrahan at his [...]
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My Tweets
I want to read your novel as soon as it’s published
Thanks Karen. I can’t wait to get it out there!
Okay Kevin, you skipped step 3.
Good looking out Steve. I went to public school….I forgot to use my fingers to count!
Spot on, Kevin! One thing I would add is to record yourself giving the speech to some friends and family. We all have these weird quirks when we get nervous. You mentioned the verbal pauses, and those can get excruciatingly bad under pressure. Some people constantly shift back and forth from one foot to the other, and it looks like they’re doing a little dance. I remember I used to go the other direction and get really stiff, and the last thing you want to do while you’re up there is look like a robot. All of these things are super distracting to your audience. Recording yourself will help you key in your own quirks, and give you more confidence when it’s finally time to deliver. Great advice all around!
Thanks Jeff. You are right…giving the brief to family and friends is important. The day before my pitch my wife listened several times. The morning of my dog Stella “took” the brief……it was very early when I was practicing and she paced around with me and never left my side while I practiced. Apparently she knew the stakes were high!
You are so right about body movements and gestures. I like to anchor myself at a podium if possible and place my hands on the side of the stand if possible. I find a comfy postion and stick with it.
I agree and would add a caveat – tell your friends and family to be brutal in their critique. They’ll want to be nice and tell you it’s awesome, but I’m not trying to sell to them(I know they’ll probably buy one of my books even if it’s written on the back of a napkin). I want to sell it to an agent or publisher and need to know the flaws in the pitch and how to make it better.
I agree Russ. My wife enjoys pointing out my flaws….:-) wasn’t probably the right person to practice on….. I should have found someone more neutral.
You bring up a great point about selling to an agent or publisher. When they buy into your book they buy into you as well. If you bring more to the table than well written books then I personally feel you are more likely to land a deal. Hopefully I’ll be testing that theory soon as my agent begins to loop at selling my first novel.
Great list, Kevin. Most of the same things apply with a nonfiction pitch, though with nonfiction, particularly how-to/self-help books, I would add that audience and platform become crucial bits of information to share in a pitch and–if there’s time–also share how your book compares to what’s already out there on the market.
Thanks Lisa. Funny you mention that because I started using the whole comparison thing when I started querying agents again. My book is The Hurt Locker meets Rin Tin Tin! I am also sure to talk about successful books that compliment mine.
Oh yeah, the New Math model? My wife *still* has to use her fingers. In my case too many years writing computer programs, you really get OCD about the details.
So, did you actually get an agent?
Hi Bob. Yes I have an agent.
Great advice, Kevin! I heard your pitch last year and it was terrific. There were several good pitches, but yours really stood out. I’m looking forward to reading your book someday. Will you be at the JRW conference this year?
Thank you Lana. I have every intention of attending the conference providing my work schedule corporates. I learned a great deal last year so I think it was very beneficial. Hope to see you there!
I’m still leaning heavily towards indie publishing, but I’m going to do the pitchapalooza at the writing conference here in HI in September. Maybe knowing that I plan to fall back on indie will eliminate any nervousness.
I say you gotta have options. When I started this quest I knew I could go Indie if I decided that was my best option. Course I wanted to play out the querying thing first. I really think you will kick yourself for not trying. I mean…who cares right….. win or don’t but at least you had a chance to win.
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The guy… just below Charlie Brown… yeah, that’s me.
I understand Vanessa! LOL. That is lots of folks that have to get up and speak publicly…..you aren’t alone! Practise makes you more confident though.
Hi Kevin! I saw your pitch at the JRWC Pitchapalooza last year and it’s great to see these tips from you! Thank you for sharing them! I’ve still got a little ways to go before I’m ready to pitch, but I’ve got your tips posted on my wall for help. BTW, I just ordered The Book Doctors’ book! So looking forward to reading it. Thanks again!
Hi Tonya. Thank you very much. I do hope they help…. I think the biggest thing is preparation and actually getting up there! I do believe you should have a relatively finished product as well.
All this makes me want to get down on my knees and thank the powers that be that I already have mu dream agent. Why she took me on I’ll never fully understand, but I’m eternally grateful. Hate pitching. Hate “selling” myself. So many of us writers are introverts at heart. I just want to write. I don’t want to pitch, unless it’s a fit I’m pitching…
You are certainly a luck one Barb. I know so many people that would love…love to be in your shoes!
I’m definitely NOT an introvert. So for me speaking in in front of crowd is part of my job. Something like this though…when you are pitching to a unfamiliar crowds can be very daunting. I was definitely nervous and had my doubts. So will everyone else that gets up there. My biggest advice to folks is to get up there and give it a whirl!
Hi Kevin,
I’m looking forward to reading your book. Great subject matter and great pitch.
Hi Nancy. Thank you very much. I am of course anxious to get my book out there! Though this publishing world is teaching me patience!
Great tips! I’ll be speaking to middle-schoolers next week, and this was just what I needed to hear to boost my confidence. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Will..glad I could help!
I also saw you at last year’s JRW conference. Such a great pitch – not surprising they picked you. Best wishes for success on your book release!
Hi Amie. Thank you very much.
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