Have you written a book that you think is ready to “pitch”?
Maybe you’re thinking of heading to the Winter SCBWI Conference in person in New York. Or any regional or national writing conference where you’ll have the chance to meet agents and editors in person. And maybe you’ll even participate in a “pitch” session – aka, writers’ speed dating – or you’ll sit next to someone at dinner.
You’ll need a logline and an elevator pitch.
This is not only something you can memorize for those crucial moments. It’s also the answer to the question from your third cousin or former high school bully: “So, what’s your book about?”
What Are Loglines and Elevator Pitches?
A “logline” is a one-sentence summary of your story. Think about a movie poster, with its brief but compelling summary, or the cover grab of your favorite best-seller. Those are loglines.
Winning means fame and fortune; losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun.
The logline is shorter than the “elevator pitch”. An elevator pitch” is something you need to have memorized, because you pitch your entire story in the time it takes to get from the lobby to the agent’s floor.
When teen girl Katniss Everdeen chooses to enter the Hunger Games in order to save her family and represent her District, she must fight other teens to the death in a ritual invented by the cruel Capitol to keep its citizens in line.
How To Generate Loglines and Elevator Pitches
You need certain elements in each. It’s easier to start with the elevator pitch, and then whittle it down to a logline by removing the specifics.
If the pitch is: A spirited farm boy living on a remote planet joins the Rebellion to save a captive princess from a sinister Imperial enforcer, and the galaxy from the Empire’s planet-destroying weapon.
Then the logline would be: A spirited farm boy joins rebel forces to save the galaxy from an evil Empire.
If the pitch is: Four young teens meet during summer vacation at a run-down possibly haunted dude ranch, and team up to uncover the mystery surrounding an outlaw’s missing treasure, in a Hardy Boys-meet-Holes-meets-Indiana Jones-style adventure.
Then the logline could be: Four kids at haunted Far Away Ranch follow clues to a lost treasure.
Here are the elements you need, with examples from the second pitch:
Character(s) & ages of main character(s): “four young teens”
Time & place: “summer vacation”; “run-down dude ranch”
Genre: “mystery”; “adventure”; comp titles
Hooky hook: “possibly haunted”; “team up”; “outlaw’s missing treasure”
Use strong nouns and active verbs.
Create Stakes and Intrigue
Loglines and elevator pitches are great tests for your story concept. Because they distill your book down to the basics, if you struggle with writing a logline or an elevator pitch it means you still have work to do on your story, so it’s an excellent check.
Fix before you pitch.
Remember that you are creating intrigue and displaying that you know the stakes of your concept.
Since the basic premise of all world behavior is “be nice” it follows that you will not, no never, confront an agent or editor with an unsolicited pitch. However, at a conference you may find yourself in a friendly conversation, in a hallway, over breakfast, or even in an actual elevator, when, after getting to know you at your nicest (ahem) an editor or agent may say, “What’s your story about?”
Be ready with that exciting memorized pitch!
Help For Writers
Finding a critique partner is at the top of my list of things I wish every writer would do BEFORE reaching out to an agent, editor, or book coach for help with their story.
Getting those fresh eyes on your early drafts can help you fill the gap between your vision for the story and what you’ve actually got on the page. And the friendship/support a critique partner can provide is invaluable on what can be a long and lonely journey toward publication.
But how do you find critique partners? It can be tough, especially with words as tender and personal as our stories. Now you don’t have to go it alone—my friend and colleague Julie Artz helps writers find critique partners with her free service, CP Meet Cute. It’s a simple, speed-dating inspired format to help you quickly identify if you’re a match!
This month, she’s running the seventh round of CP Meet Cute. This is a free event, but registration is required: https://pages.julieartz.com/cp-meet-cute
And More Help!
Once again, if you’re looking for community, content, and support, I’m building a membership and course-rich program that opens in February 2024. Nine modules, hours and hours of writing craft content, and regular meetings to keep you going. You can find details here. It’s limited enrollment, and there’s an early-bird reduced-rate deadline of February 29, so please let me know if you’re interested and I’ll send you an application.
I would also love to know what else you’re looking for so contact me! Ask me a question, or two or more.