Read on Twitter
With another twitter pitch contest around the corner, I figured now's a good time for a mini-lesson on how to craft that perfect pitch.
Twitter pitches can be tough, but they're formulaic. And that formula can be cracked! Read on if you're #amquerying:
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Twitter pitches can be tough, but they're formulaic. And that formula can be cracked! Read on if you're #amquerying:
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STEP 1: Pitch contest comps =/= query letter comps
Twitter pitch comps should grab attention, so they can be big and splashy. They don't have to be books, either.
Do it like this:
6 OF CROWS x GAME OF THRONES
SONG OF WRAITHS&RUIN x ACOTR
You get the gist.
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Twitter pitch comps should grab attention, so they can be big and splashy. They don't have to be books, either.
Do it like this:
6 OF CROWS x GAME OF THRONES
SONG OF WRAITHS&RUIN x ACOTR
You get the gist.
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To clarify: this is NOT what you want to do for your query letter. I see a lot of confusion about this. Those comps are different. (For how to pick query letter comps, see: https://www.query101.blog/blog/5-things-to-know-in-the-search-for-comps)
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STEP 2: The best pitches focus on the MC and highlight the book’s conflict and (most important) *stakes*
If you don't have stakes, your tweet is going to be boring. It's not going to have tension. The tweet is a teaser for your query letter, which in turn is a teaser...
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If you don't have stakes, your tweet is going to be boring. It's not going to have tension. The tweet is a teaser for your query letter, which in turn is a teaser...
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...for your pages. So leave the agent wanting to know what happens next.
What are stakes? "Character must DO X or SUFFER Y."
Ex: MC must bring down the gods or suffer a deadly curse. MC must defeat the emperor or her village will be burned to the ground. Etc.
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What are stakes? "Character must DO X or SUFFER Y."
Ex: MC must bring down the gods or suffer a deadly curse. MC must defeat the emperor or her village will be burned to the ground. Etc.
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Stakes don't have to be world-ending, but they have to be meaningful to the character.
Ex. MC must find the courage to face the playground bully or she won't ever get the chance to use the slide.
Quiet stakes are stakes too.
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Ex. MC must find the courage to face the playground bully or she won't ever get the chance to use the slide.
Quiet stakes are stakes too.
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STEP 3: use the right hashtags
Agents search through pitch contests using the contest hashtags. Make sure you look up the contest you're participating in and use the right hashtags for your age range/genre
These go at the bottom of your tweet. Don't overload w/ too many
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Agents search through pitch contests using the contest hashtags. Make sure you look up the contest you're participating in and use the right hashtags for your age range/genre
These go at the bottom of your tweet. Don't overload w/ too many
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And along with this - make sure you look up the contest's rules. There's almost always a limit to how many times you can tweet per day. Some contests ask you to vary your pitches each time.
Also, don't retweet your own pitches to get "extra" entries. No.
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Also, don't retweet your own pitches to get "extra" entries. No.
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STEP 4: Schedule your tweets
Make sure you tweet at the right time. I like off-times, so not :00, :15, :30, :45 on the clock.
Schedule those tweets so you don't forget to post them!
I would post right at the beginning of the contest, right at the end, and around lunch
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Make sure you tweet at the right time. I like off-times, so not :00, :15, :30, :45 on the clock.
Schedule those tweets so you don't forget to post them!
I would post right at the beginning of the contest, right at the end, and around lunch
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STEP 4: Do your homework
Agents aren't vetted by pitch contests. Don't query blindly. Make sure you check out agents before you query them.
Accounts to follow for schmagent news: @victoriastrauss @YaWhispers @beth_phelan
+I have a post here: https://www.query101.blog/blog/agent-or-schmagent
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Agents aren't vetted by pitch contests. Don't query blindly. Make sure you check out agents before you query them.
Accounts to follow for schmagent news: @victoriastrauss @YaWhispers @beth_phelan
+I have a post here: https://www.query101.blog/blog/agent-or-schmagent
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STEP 5: Have fun! 
Pitch contests are a great way to meet other writers. Don't like pitches, but RT and comment away!
Also: contests aren't the way most writers get signed. The slush pile is still the most common way.
That's it! MY DMs are open for questions!
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Pitch contests are a great way to meet other writers. Don't like pitches, but RT and comment away!
Also: contests aren't the way most writers get signed. The slush pile is still the most common way.
That's it! MY DMs are open for questions!
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