new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Elevator Pitch, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 12 of 12
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: Elevator Pitch in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
I read a great email from Suzanne Lieurance’s The Morning Nudge. This particular ‘nudge’ was about having a clear vision and it gave me the inspiration for this article.
For a clear vision in regard to your business, you need to analyze three things:
1. Who you are
2. What you have to offer
3. Who your target market is
Interestingly, many, especially new smaller businesses, don’t really
Let's Meet! Here's where I'll be speaking this fall in AR.
- Arkansas Reading Association Leadership Institute, July 26, Little Rock
- Arkansas Association of School Librarians Conference, July 28-29, Little Rock
- Interview on ArkansasAuthors.com on August 4-6
- Fayetteville Literary Festival, October 4, Fayetteville, AR
- Arkansas Library Association Conference, October 5-6, Hot Springs, AR
- Arkansas Reading Association Conference, November 20-21, Little Rock, AR
Invite
Darcy Pattison to speak at your event.
A couple years ago, Google produced a promotional video, Parisian Love, which advertised its search capabilities in a very simple way. There are merely twelve phrases entered into a Google Search box. And yet–it tells a story and tugs at the heart strings. It evokes emotion. How good is this copy? The video has received over 7 million views!
The sound here is minimal, but effective. But it’s really the words that shine.
When I think about blurbs for books, this stands as a stellar example of what you can do with very tight text. If you could craft your synopsis–or blurb, flap copy, elevator pitch, tweet, or whatever promotional copy you’re working on–to get this strong an emotional tug, you’ll have a winner.
Here’s the Copy
Parisian Love
Study abroad Paris France
Cafes near the louve
Translate tu es tres mignon (You’re very cute)
Impress a French girl
Chocolate shops paris france
What are truffles
Who is truffaut
Long distance relationship advice
Jobs in paris
AA120
Churches in Paris
How to assemble a crib
Search on.
Watch the Video
If you can’t see this video, click here.
Try writing up some promotional copy for your story in just twelve phrases.
Does it evoke emotion?
Does it show a narrative arc?
Can you use this to craft a better marketing message?
Yes, Darcy! I want to share the story
of the Oldest Wild Bird in the World
with a special child(ren).
"On Dec. 10, 1956, early in my first visit to Midway, I banded 99 incubating Laysan Albatrosses in the downtown area of Sand Island, Midway. Wisdom (band number 587-51945) is still alive, healthy, and incubating again in December 2011 (and in 2012 and in 2013). While I have grown old and gray and get around only with the use of a cane, Wisdom still looks and acts just the same as on the day I banded her. . .remarkable true story. . . beautifully illustrated in color." -- Chandler S. Robbins, Sc.D., Senior Scientist (Retired), USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.
CLICK BELOW to view
the story of the 63-year-old bird
in your favorite store.
When you transition from writing to marketing, it’s important to be able to talk about your book in a succinct way. You spend three months or three years writing the thing; but you’re lucky to get 30 seconds to pitch it to an editor, agent, or even to a reader. An elevator pitch is a short description–you only have as long as it takes an elevator to go from one floor to another, maybe 30 seconds–that summarizes and entices as the same time. Folks want to know immediately if this is the sort of thing they want to read.
What Do Editors, Agents and Readers Want to Know About Your Book
Genre. When I hear something about World War II and army men, I know it’s not for me, but for my husband. I don’t enjoy military history. When he hears something about space travel and alien civilizations, he knows that I love science fiction and it might be a great book for me. Research says that somewhere around eighth grade, people fall in love with certain genres and pretty much read that genre for life. A good elevator pitch establishes genre.
Hook. Bait a hook with something interesting or something smelly or something tasty. Elevator pitches really do fish for readers. Given your genre and other particulars of your audience, what interests them? Now, normally, I am not interested in military history, World War II history, etc. But one of my favorite books is THE BOOK THIEF, which is firmly a World War II story. But I wouldn’t rise to that bait. If instead, you tell me that Death is the narrator of the book, I would pause and want a bit more information. That’s a really unusual, but appropriate, twist on a narrator. It’s not enough by itself to get me to pick up the book, but it’s a good start.
Teaser. Leave the reader wanting more! In 30-seconds, you cannot explain the origins of this character, summarize the plot or talk about subplots. Instead, you need to leave the reader wanting more. Editors and agents should ask to see the whole manuscript. Readers should flip to the opening chapter and dip a toe into the waters of this story. 30 seconds, a hundred words or so–you don’t have time for the whole kitchen sink. Instead, tease. What tidbit can you offer that will get a reader wondering about your story?
Creating the Perfect Elevator Hook
Well, you can’t create the absolute perfect elevator hook. Instead, create ten good ones. In tasks like this, it’s a good practice to ask yourself to write multiple iterations and variations. A dozen or so is great because you get past the cliches of the first couple and find yourself doing something unexpected.
Compare. One popular shortcut for a story is to compare it to something popular. Here is the movie trailer for Tom Cruise’s 2014 movie, “Edge of Tomorrow.” Watch the trailer and then try to compare it to a couple other movies.
If you can’t see this movie, click here.
When we saw this trailer recently, my son quipped, “It’s Starship Troopers plus GroundsHog Day.”
That’s apt, easy to remember and a great elevator pitch!
Theme. You may want to concentrate on the story’s theme.
For a forthcoming novel, THE GIRL, THE GYPSY AND THE GARGOYLE, here’s my elevator speech:
Michelangelo once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” But what if an unscrupulous sculptor could trap someone inside a block of stone, just so he could carve them?
Find out more about this book here. Coming March, 2014.
Did you click on the “Find Out More” above? Why or why not? This pitch won’t resonate with everyone; you only need the elevator pitch to resonate with the RIGHT readers!
Emotion. You DO want to put some sort of emotional spin on the hook. This is a “heartwarming” story. It’s an “unscrupulous” sculptor. The action-adventure story is a “thrilling” ride. Look for places to replace boring words with something laden with action. Readers go along on the ride a story offers so they can FEEL something. Hint at the overall tone or emotional content of the story by using the right emotional words.
Exaggerate. Finally, don’t be shy. This is the time to pull out the modest hyperboles, to cast your story as something unusual and interesting. Author Dean Wesley Smith recommends that all writers watch the following video, “Five Guys in a Limousine” as an example of how to take something tame and pump it up. It’s hilarious–but instructive. Watch it multiple times!
If you can’t see this video, click here.
In the comments below, leave a short (no more than 3 sentences) elevator pitch for your work-in-progress novel. If you add the words, FEEDBACK PLEASE, we’ll try to give you one person’s reaction to the pitch!
I’m at a
writer’s conference this weekend, and at first, I was disappointed that several of my good friends wouldn't be attending this year. But then I thought, that’s okay.
I won’t play it safe. You see, when I don’t know many people at an event, I’m sort of a different person.
It’s funny but true. I stand a little taller, I smile a bit more. I can’t be lazy, falling back on the old reliables. When I look around and don’t recognize anyone, I have to put my best foot forward. I want to make a favorable first impression, so walking into a room full of strangers definitely keeps me on my toes.
Now, maybe you’re wondering why I bother. After all, we go to writer’s conferences to learn writing stuff, right? Isn't it enough to find a chair and take copious notes at the workshops? Maybe pay extra-close attention if you've paid for a manuscript critique?
Well, yes, there’s that purpose to the conference. But a writer’s conference is also a wonderful opportunity to make a few connections. If you play it safe, you’ll never meet anyone. So you have to take the risk, and give yourself a push.
Of course, us writers are notoriously reserved. If we liked the whole social scene, we probably wouldn't be hunkered down in our cubbyholes, writing. So. How to pack a push?
Come prepared to put yourself out there. Bring business cards to share. Sit at the table where no one seems to know anyone. Polish up your elevator pitch. You may not meet many agents to pitch, but every time you meet someone new, you have a chance to fine-tune that pitch, and that’s incredibly beneficial. Because if you’re having difficulty figuring out what your novel is really about, explaining it to strangers, and getting their reactions, can be very illuminating.
Don’t forget to ask people what
they’re writing. Writers may not always be the most social creatures, but I've never met one who didn't like talking about the work. And don’t be surprised if you meet a couple true kindred spirits.
Once, I overheard a writer discussing zombies. As it happens, zombies are one of my favorite topics. So we had a lively chat (Yes, I know. That was bad.). She’s a gifted novelist, and a generous writing friend—and I've bought several of her books since that conference.
The thing is, you may meet a couple editors or agents at a conference, and that’s swell. Maybe you’ll meet up in social media, and maybe some day, somehow, that connection will pay off. Meanwhile, the struggling writers you meet, the folks who live in your area and who are on that same publishing journey as you, might become your new best friends. Friends who’ll support you along the way, just like you’ll support them.
It all starts with that moment when you decide to take a risk—and say hello.
~
Cathy C. Hall
"What's your book about?"
Ever heard that line, only to resort to a spread-out, strung-together diatribe about the contents of your novel? Thirty minutes later, the friend who uttered the question has dozed off and you're still explaining the intricacies of chapter one.
When my new critique partner asked that very question, I knew I couldn't make that mistake.
So, I grabbed an idea from a college writing class from 30 years ago and narrowed my response. Short. Sweet. To the point.
I used a log line, a scriptwriting technique used to entice agents and producers to pursue your script.
Consider it an elevator speech for your book.
A log line is a spot on, short explanation that includes information about the protagonist, the protagonist's goal, and the antagonist. Keep these additional questions in mind while writing a log line for your book:
- What genre is your novel?
- What makes your main character stand out?
- What kick-starts the conflict?
- What happens to the protagonist if she fails?
A log line can be particularly helpful when attending a writing conference or pitch session, when time is of the essence and a you need to give the agent or editor a clear vision.
So, I'll ask the question once again.
What's your book about?by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of her work at her website.
By: Andrew Gauthier,
on 4/26/2012
Blog:
Galley Cat (Mediabistro)
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
iPhone,
Kindle,
Storyville,
iTunes,
Steve Jobs,
Startups,
Elevator Pitch,
iPad,
Paul Vidich,
mbTV,
Alan Meckler,
Add a tag
In the latest episode of mediabistroTV’s “Elevator Pitch,” host Alan Meckler meets with Storyville co-founder Paul Vidich. Storyville is a mobile app for short stories that connects readers and authors. A former music executive, Vidich helped Steve Jobs bring music singles to iTunes. He hopes Storyville will do for the short story what iTunes did for the single.
For more videos, check out our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter: @mediabistroTV
Also, find out who’s hiring on the Mediabistro job board.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
Today's guest post is courtesy of
"The Book Marketing Expert newsletter."
Craft an Exceptional Elevator Pitch Penny SanseviereWhat is an elevator pitch and why do you need one? An elevator pitch is a short one- to two-sentence description about the book. It's the briefest of the briefest descriptions you can develop. The reason elevator pitches are important is that we have an ever-shrinking attention span, so you need to capture someone's attention in a very short, succinct pitch.
How do you begin crafting an elevator pitch? The first step is to look at the core of your book. What is your book about, really? Looking at the core of your book will help you determine the primary message. The next step is to look at the real benefits to the reader. Not what you think the reader wants to know but what they actually need: What's in it for the reader?
When I worked with people on elevator pitches, I found that they often kept the best sentence for last. This comes from being an author and saving the crescendo of the story until the final chapter. You don't want to do that in an elevator pitch. You want to lead with the tease that will pull the reader in.
When would you use an elevator pitch? You might use it to promote yourself to the media, to book a speaking event, or to pitch a blogger. Elevator pitches can be used for a number of reasons and in a variety of ways. Once you create a great elevator pitch, you may find yourself using it over and over again. That's a good thing!
Components of a great elevator pitch
All elevator pitches have particular relevance to them, but for the most part, every elevator pitch must:
• Have emotional appeal
• Be helpful
• Be insightful
• Be timely
• Matter to your reader!
Essential Elements of a Powerful Elevator Pitch
1. Concise: Your pitch needs to be short, sweet, and to the point.
2. Clear: Save your five-dollar words for another time. For your elevator pitch to be effective, you must use simple language any layperson can understand. If you make someone think about a word, you'll lose them and the effectiveness of your elevator pitch will go right out the window as well.
3. Passion: If you're not passionate about your topic, how can you expect anyone else to be?
4. Visual: Use words that bring visual elements to your reader's mind. It helps to make your message more memorable and brings the reader into your story.
5. Stories: People love stories. It's the biggest element of the elevator pitch: tell the story. I also find that when the pitch is woven into the story, it often helps to create a smoother presentation.
How to Craft Your Killer Elevator Pitch
• Write it down: Start by writing a very short story so you can tell the story of your book in two paragraphs. This will get the juices flowing. As you start to edit your story down from 200,000 words to two paragraphs, you'll start to see why it's important to pull only the most essential elements from your story to craft your elevator pitch.
• Make a list: Write down 10 to 20 things that your book does for the reader. These can be action statements, benefits, or book objectives.
• Record yourself: Next, record yourself and see how you sound. I can almost guarantee that you will not like the first few drafts you try. That actually is a really good thing. If you like the first thing that you write, it probab
Today, I recived the local Chamber of Commerce's monthly newsletter and perused the calendar. It's only November, but this month alone, four meals, three meetings, two coffees, and one open house are scheduled.
Wonder how jam-packed the December calendar will be?
But as I perused these offerings to get together with business leaders, chamber personnel, and the public, it made me pause and consider how much networking can be accomplished at events like these.
If your holiday season is fastly filling up, consider using some of these tips to make the most of the thankful and merry season.
- Be prepared. Business cards, a writing utensil and a notebook are staples in my purse. Use them!
- Prepare your elevator pitch. Describe what services you offer in a few sentences.
- Determine your goals for the event. Do you want to cover the event for an article? Simply interested in learning new information? Hope you meet a certain individual or group of people?
- Be the hostess, even if you are a guest. Introduce others and help them feel at ease.
- Follow up with people you meet and any contacts they may introduce.
- Thank new sources and keep them updated about your work.
- Don't overindulge. A plate in one hand and a drink in the other makes it difficult to greet others.
- Have fun!
Networking builds business, and if writing is YOUR business, use these opportunities to expand your potential customer base and deck the seasonal halls with your writing savvy.
by LuAnn SchindlerRead more of LuAnn's work at her website.
As promised, we bring you the official contest thread for our first ever agent-judged contest!
Meet the awesome agent who's agreed to be our first judge!
Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary Agency!
Sara is the Associate Literary Agent at Nelson Literary Agency. She's actively and enthusiastically acquiring new clients!
Nelson Literary Agency specializes in representing young adult and middle grade, science fiction and fantasy, romance (all genres except category or inspirational), commercial fiction, women's fiction (including chick lit) and high concept literary fiction.
Sara is particularly interested in "contemporary YA and MG novels - stories set in the real world, preferably with a multicultural or historical aspect." And would also "love to work on more science fiction and fantasy books." She loves "fantastical stories - especially when they are unique and beautifully written," and says "My favorite young adult reads in 2010 were ASH by Malinda Lo and THE DUFF by Kody Keplinger."
For those of you that don't write YA, Sara also likes romance books that are "super sexy and intelligent" and commercial fiction that has "a unique story and superior writing."
Some of Sara's clients and their upcoming books include:
Miranda Kenneally - SCORE (Sourcebooks, December 2011)
Allison Rushby - SHOOTING STARS
Jennifer Shaw Wolf - BREAKING BEAUTIFUL
And now for the best part, THE PRIZE. Sara has offered to review the first 30 pages of the manuscript whose pitch she liked the most!
How it works:
This contest is for COMPLETED POLISHED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. If you wouldn't want an agent to read it yet, don't enter.
You have 140 characters to pitch your novel. NO ABBREVIATIONS--if the word is "When" please do not give us "whn". You may use numbers (16 instead of sixteen) but no abbreviated words. We have a great post with examples of elevator pitches in the archives, but remember, 140 characters ONLY. This includes punctuation and spaces. If you can not fit it in a tweet (hence the term "twitter pitch"), your entry will be disqualified. It's tough, but you can do it.
We will only accept entries in the genres that Sara Megibow represents. (See her bio above.)
While following our blog and spreading the word about the contest is not required, and won't get you any extra points, we would greatly appreciate it. The more the merrier!
Please put your entries in the comments of this post as follows:
Name:
Email:
Title:
Genre:
140 character pitch.
Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm ET Saturday, May 7th 2011. Any entries submitted after that time will be disqualified.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS about the contest, please ask them in the announcement thread from Monday. We would like to keep this post for entries only.
Only one entry per person.
I haven't done this for a while, so here goes.
It's elevator pitch time. In case you don't know what that is, it's a very short description of your book, including a great hook to grab our attention and a tease to pique our interest. Don't make it too long, or we'll get bored. Leave a buy link and website or blogspot, if you wish. Only one pitch, please.
Here's mine:
Julie's decision to give up her partnership and become a full-time writer angers and hurts her bestfriend and law partner, Dade. Her attraction to bestselling author, Tyler, who harbors a dangerous secret, leads to further alienation from Dade, along with surprising and disturbing discoveries. Does Tyler merely write about murders? Is Dade only a bestfriend, or something more?
Now 99 cents on kindle .
Your turn. Leave your elevator pitch in the comment section.
By:
tara,
on 11/30/2010
Blog:
Tara Lazar
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
PiBoIdMo 2010,
Anna May Wong,
Shining Star,
Children's Books,
Picture Books,
Children's Writing,
Writing for Children,
Good Enough,
Paula Yoo,
Sammy Lee,
NaPiBoWriWee,
Elevator Pitch,
Add a tag
by Paula Yoo
Welcome to the final day of PiBoldMo! Congratulations! You made it! By now, hopefully you have come up with 29 fantastically fun and totally awesome ideas for future picture books. 
So for Day 30, you need one more idea. Come on, you can do it!
But in case you are burned out, here’s one last idea sparker to help you make it through Day 30.
Have you ever heard of the “elevator pitch”? It’s a famous phrase used all the time in the writing industry, as well as in the business world. In a nutshell, the “elevator pitch” is how long it should take for you to tell someone what your book is about. By the time your elevator reaches your floor, you should have been able to “pitch” your book idea in that brief amount of time.
In other words, an elevator pitch should last about 30 seconds.
So look over your 29 ideas so far. Can you pitch each idea in 30 seconds?
Pretend you waiting for the elevator at the Society of Children Book Writers &Illustrators national conference. To your left stands a famous children’s book editor. The two of you engage in some small talk as you wait for the elevator. The editor learns you are a writer at the conference. Eager, he/she asks if you have written anything.
And then the elevator doors open.
Oh no! You probably have 30 seconds to pitch your amazing picture book to this editor before the elevator reaches his/her floor.
So how to craft your elevator pitch? Some tips to get you started:
1. Start with a cliffhanger “hook.”
This can be in the form of a question or a one-sentence “logline” that conveys your book’s main conflict. “What if a child loses her beloved stuffed toy animal at a laundromat and can’t tell her dad because she hasn’t learned to talk yet?” Or think of your hook in terms of theme or even a personal anecdote that relates to your book. For example: “I have the most stubborn cat who is convinced the full moon is a bowl of milk. She will do anything to reach that moon.” (Note:
Obviously I’m using “Knuffle Bunny” and “Kitten’s First Full Moon” as examples.)
2. Set up the main character and conflict.
Then launch into the heart of your story—who’s your main character? Why should we love him/her? What obstacle must they overcome in their quest? (“Trixie and Knuffle Bunny have never been separated… until now.”)
3. Leave ‘em hanging. Don’t spoil the actual ending.
Conclude with an open ending—will Trixie learn how to speak before Knuffle Bunny is lost forever?
For Day 30, to get your brain ready for that final idea, why not take an hour or two to review your previous 29 ideas? See if you can “pitch” them to a friend. Sometimes I will take a friend out for coffee and pitch them some ideas I am working on to get their feedback on how clear and concise my ideas sound to them. I even have them “time” me with a stop watch!
When you are working on your elevator pitch, it will help you focus on what the heart of each book is truly about… you’ll learn quickly as to what the most important point of the book is.
Once you practice your elevator pitches for some of the 29 ideas you’ve already come up with, then try the same approach for your 30th idea. See if you can just brainstorm a fun 30th picture book idea in 30 seconds or under. You can even record yourself as you talk out loud. Or you can write them down
Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend an SCBWI talk hosted by talented author Hilari Bell and author/illustrator Anna-Maria Crum. The topic: how to give a brief pitch to agents/editors. As I'm doing my first live pitch to an agent in a few weeks *gulps*, I wanted to make sure I had my pitch down. Even if you're not doing a scheduled appointment, a pitch is something you should have ready at a conference in case an editor or agent happens to ask, "What's your book about?" That's assuming you'd rather have a more coherent response than "Um, well, there's this guy and he goes to this museum, and there's this um, secret society..."
Wouldn't you rather say (well, if you were Dan Brown):
"A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ." (I found this summary of The DaVinci Code online -- doesn't it have more 'flow' than the first one.)
What is an elevator pitch?
It's one or two sentences (three max) giving an overall summary of your book -- sentences that are compelling enough to make the editor/agent ask more questions. I know, right? Anyway, Hilari and Anna Maria were masters at it. They listened to attendees read part of their query letter or give a description of their book, and within minutes, they'd distilled it into a few succinct sentences. It was amazing to watch. I listened and learned, and here are a few tidbits I picked up along the way. NOTE: All examples below are fabricated by moi, so blame me if they suck.
Be Specific/Don't Be Cliche
Bad Example: When the space monkey arrived, her whole world turned upside down.
Better Example: When the six-foot space monkey landed in her bedroom, ten-year-old Sarah Connor knew she finally found the topic for her science fair project.
Use Strong Verbs/Active Voice
Bad Example: When six-year-old Ben was given a black eye by the school bully, he looked for a way to get back at him.
Better Example: When the school bully pops six-year-old Ben in the eye, Ben exacts revenge the only way he knows how -- with peanut butter and a Nerf gun.
Other tip: the main character (MC) should be identified in the pitch -- though the MC may be more than one person, or not a person at all. There are exceptions to this but wait until you're famous to break the rules.
So there you have it. Any questions? Now get out there and pitch.
.jpeg?picon=893)
And Cathy, maybe you will have one of those editors or agents at "hello."
Have a blast working outside of your box.
Great advice Cathy. Thanks.
We should talk zombies one day! It's one of my favorite topics, too. :)
Hope you're having a blast, Cathy! Work that room. Whoop! And if you meet any editors and agents, remember we're always looking for interviews for the e-zine. Maybe you can use that as an icebreaker? ;)
Well said, Cathy. I actually think writers are some of the easiest "strangers" to talk to. Everyone loves to answer the question, "Well, what do you write?" The only easier people to talk to are the other parents at a playground or McDonald's playland or something when your child is throwing a tantrum, and the parent looks over at you and smiles, knowingly. That's always a conversation starter, too. :) Have a great conference. I'm sure you'll have many more NEW friends when you are done. :)
So true that it's not always easy talking to a stranger, but the rewards of making new friends outweigh the risks of taking the first step to say Hello. Hope you have fun at your conference. It's fun to meet new people, especially writers.