New Subscriber? Read This First
My Pitch For Pitch Your Novel
If pitching a novel was Mount Everest, I’d be your trusty Sherpa.
Honestly, sometimes the task of getting people (agents or readers) to pay attention to your work can seem as daunting as scaling a mile-high mountain, and I genuinely want to help.
First, the pitch is extremely important, and it can reveal weaknesses in your novel. Also, many agents tell me that the one sentence pitch is the thing they read first and if it doesn’t work, they pass.
Here’s more info you might find of interest:
Why you need to learn pitching
How to write a structural pitch.
Also, I provide a GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT challenge, where I teach you how to use your structural pitch to pre-plan important elements of your novel.
Here’s an FAQ that will help you get the most out of your subscription.
1. What’s the inspiration behind your Substack?
As I mentioned earlier, many agents or potential readers rely heavily on the pitch to decide whether or not to read any further. In fact, many agents who use Query Manager read the pitch first. If it’s lacking, they won’t even bother with your query letter. You can be a fabulous writer, but if your one-sentence pitch doesn’t shine, you won’t get read.
2. What qualifies you to write this newsletter?
I’ve been writing novels since 2004 and have experienced several publishing models: Big 5, small publisher and indie. Over the years, I’ve studied and evaluated pitches in Publishers Marketplace. I love pitching so much I wrote a novel about it called “The Pitch Queen.” I’m also a former book reviewer who still gets thousands of pitches from publishers a year. I also have an MFA in Creative writing and have taught college writing for ten years and have headed dozens of fiction workshops. I also attend regular webinars and workshops with publishing professionals so as to offer the latest advice.
3. How do you help your newsletter readers with the pitch?
Anything that helps sell your book falls under the pitch umbrella, so my content looks at book blurbs, taglines, query letters, titles, first pages and more. Also, I share timely links and news that authors need to best manage their careers.
Need more help?
WRITING SERVICES:
One-sentence pitch evaluation: $15
Agents who use Query Manager ask for this as do pitch events. It’s also a great way to evaluate if something vital is missing from your novel. Includes a look at your revisions.
Query Letter Critique $70
Submission Packet Critique. $100
Includes synopsis, query letter and first ten pages. (If you want more pages evaluated, ask me for a quote.)
Beta Read (Limited availability) $350 for novels under 80,000 words. Includes line edit of the first ten pages. Addresses large developmental issues in an editorial letter. No sci-fi or fantasy please.
First ten pages: Line edit and marco edit for $25.
Consultations. $25 an hour
Sometimes you need to talk your issue through. I have knowledge in self-publishing, traditional publishing, MFA programs and literary agent issues. I’ll be happy to walk you through the solutions.
ENDORSEMENTS:
“Wow. Just wow. In a day, you have gotten to the heart of what I want my query to say so succinctly - something I have been struggling with for years.” ~Katherine Caldwell, women’s fiction novelist
“Karin’s query critique while I was in the early stages of writing my manuscript was immensely helpful for getting the stakes right. Her very specific query feedback helped me avoid structural issues later! When I completed the draft, her beta read notes were also amazing and specific as another reviewer noted. I have no doubt that her notes will strengthen the work, and the specificity makes planning the revision feel achievable.
~L.D. Hawke
"Thank you for your help! Since tweaking my Query with your advice- An agent asked me for a phone call and full pick-up!!!!!~Angelique Fawns
"This is so helpful!I struggle so much to articulate the stakes, the desire, the antagonist, and my protagonist's arc. Your notes are really amazing and specific. I actually feel like I have all of these in my book, so now I can re-write the query letter to reflect what is happening in the book. " Carley Moore, author of four books; a LAMBDA and Firecracker Finalist.
For more info, message me below, or email me at Karin.gillespie (at) gmail.com