Being able to succinctly summarise and pitch your book in a short amount of time is an incredibly useful skill. You never know when you’ll meet someone in the industry or an interested reader, so it’s good to know how to explain your book in a way that is concise, fast, and exciting. Not sure where to begin with your pitch? Read on to learn how to create a gripping elevator pitch for your book in five simple steps!
What is an elevator pitch?
First thing’s first, what exactly is an elevator pitch? The elevator pitch comes after you’ve completed multiple rounds of edits on your fiction or non-fiction book. (Seriously, you’ll have a much easier time of it if you wait to write your elevator pitch after you’ve finished the manuscript.)
The basic concept of the “elevator pitch” is that you should be able to describe and sell your book to potential agents or publishers in the time it takes to ride a lift (roughly 30 seconds).
The key takeaway is that when you meet someone important, you may not have a lot of time to leave an impression. You need to make each second (and word) count!
Keep in mind though that, despite what the term suggests, an elevator pitch isn’t always something you’ll say. More often than not, it will be something agents and editors read as part of your cover letter or query package.
Your book’s elevator pitch isn’t just a way to attract the attention of agents and publishers. It’s also useful when you want to entice readers to pick up your book. This is because an elevator pitch can be helpful when it comes to writing your book’s blurb. A blurb goes on the back of a book and communicates the genre, general plot, and theme of the story. It’s longer than an elevator pitch, but shorter than a synopsis.
An elevator pitch should be:
- a short summary—50 words or fewer
- original—highlight what makes your book stand out
- titillating—give enough details while leaving your audience wanting more
Here are five simple steps to help you write a memorable elevator pitch for your book:
1. Identify the hook
Look at how Hollywood markets films on posters. Usually, it’s done with a few effective words or a single sentence that sells the story. This hooks viewers’ attention.
While a movie poster will have the added benefit of an intriguing image, you can still use the same hook concept to get the attention of literary agents and book publishers. Your hook will be followed by a brief summary of your book to round out your pitch. A great hook ensures that industry professionals will want to read the rest of the elevator pitch for your book.
Here are a few examples of effective hooks:
Moby-Dick: A crazed sea captain seeks revenge against an enormous white whale.
Jaws: A tourist island is terrorized by a great white shark no one can catch.
Wild: A woman hikes the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail on a journey of self-discovery.
Once you’re able to pare your story down to a single, gripping sentence, you’ve already completed one of the hardest parts of writing your book’s elevator pitch.
2. Make your reader care
Readers are attracted to books that they care about. Why else would someone spend hours reading a book if they don’t find it interesting or feel invested in the story?
Do you want to educate, thrill, or scare your reader? Without distinctly mentioning them, make sure the genre of your book and your target reader are clear in the elevator pitch.
For example, if you’re pitching a thriller about a man accused of his wife’s murder (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn), don’t get bogged down in details about their relationship. Reveal why your listener should be intrigued to know more (e.g. the wife is not who she seems and harbours dark secrets).
Don’t give away your twist but include enough to leave your reader wanting more.
3. Jot down the bare bones
Make a list of the main themes in your book. Don’t get descriptive or flowery; keep it simple and focus on the facts. An outline or synopsis of your book comes in handy here as you can pull the main beats and themes from there.
If you’re struggling to hit the 50-word mark, don’t worry. Use as many words as you need, then go over it again and again, deleting anything that seems superfluous, redundant, or repetitive. Keep working to make each sentence more concise until you whittle it down to just 50 words.
Additional tip: If you’re really struggling, put the elevator pitch aside for now and start working on the synopsis (approximately 300 words). Use the synopsis to develop the book blurb (approx. 100-200 words). Finally, come back to the elevator pitch (50 words).
Here are a few examples of bare bones descriptions of different types of books:
Fiction: Write down the plot, main beats, and what happens.
Example
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling: On his eleventh birthday, orphaned Harry Potter learns he is the son of two powerful wizards. He is summoned to Hogwarts, a boarding school of magic, to learn how to become a wizard. In the process, Harry begins to uncover the truth behind his parents’ mysterious deaths.
Biography, autobiography, or memoir: What is the story about?
Example
Wild by Cheryl Strayed: Reeling from her mother’s death, Cheryl Strayed decides to hike the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Without any training or experience, she sets out alone on a journey of healing and self-discovery.
Self-help: What will the reader learn? What is your main point?
Example
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: Using decades of experience as a best-selling author, Elizabeth Gilbert reveals the secrets to a fulfilling and creative life. She teaches people from all walks to live their lives with more mindfulness and passion, no matter what they pursue.
4. Tighten up your elevator pitch
Now that you have the bare bones of your story in 50 words or fewer, it’s time to tighten up your pitch. Here are a few musts when writing your book’s elevator pitch:
- Incorporate your writing style into your pitch and make sure your voice shines through.
- Read it aloud to gauge the rhythm of the language. Rhythm is important when you’re limited to so few words.
- Leave out any unnecessary phrases such as: “this book is about…” or “Ben Sherman has magical powers.” This will help you to keep it concise.
This is probably the most time-consuming part of writing your book’s elevator pitch. Don’t get discouraged if you need to do many rounds of editing and rewriting to slim it down. And don’t rush the process. Sometimes you only have one chance to make an impression and you want to get it right!
5. Test your elevator pitch
The best way to see if your elevator pitch works is to test it on real people! Look at it as market research for your book.
First, try it out on people you know. Do they want to know more? Has it piqued their interest? If your book were a movie, would they be lining up to buy tickets to see it?
You may feel you can’t always trust the opinions of your friends and family. After all, they’re probably already fans of you and your work. While their opinion is important, never just rely on the opinions of people you know. For a more objective opinion, source beta readers to test your pitch on. You can find beta readers through writing communities like r/writing on Reddit, or by searching the #WritingCommunity hashtag on social media.
If you see that your pitch doesn’t land or if you find you need to explain your book further, this means your elevator pitch isn’t ready yet. Listening to criticism and learning from it is a big part of the writer’s life. Of course, this doesn’t make it any easier to hear after you’ve worked so hard on the elevator pitch for your book. However, it’s important that you don’t shy away from the tough questions and are willing to go back to the drawing board if something isn’t quite right.
What do people think works for your pitch? What doesn’t? Why? Listening, learning, and being up to making changes will only make your book’s elevator pitch stronger.
I’ve written my elevator pitch, what’s next?
You’ve written a killer elevator pitch for your book, but what comes next? Perhaps it’s time to pitch to actual agents and publishers!
Writing the elevator pitch for your book is a huge step in the querying process, but you’re not done. If you haven’t yet, put together the rest of your query package. This often includes a solid cover letter, a brief synopsis, and the first 10 pages of your book, all which should be properly formatted. (In fact, format your entire manuscript so it’s ready to go if an agent or editor asks to see it in full.)
However, be aware that each agent is different, and not everyone will ask for the same things. Check each agent’s and/or agency’s submission requirements before submitting your book.
If you’re not sure about your query package—whether it be formatting the manuscript, polishing the elevator pitch, or shortlisting the right agents for your book—contact us for help. Our author coaching services provide support for every step of the writing and publishing process. Having a knowledgeable coach by your side will make this daunting experience feel that much more manageable and achievable!
