A pitch is an email (or, in some cases, a letter) sent by you or your publicist to contacts on your media list requesting reviews, coverage, or exposure. This email will serve as a contact’s initial impression of your book( and you). It is essential to ensure that your book pitch is professional, well-written, and reflective of both you and your book when you write it.
Tailor Your Pitch
Bear in mind that you will most probably be contacting a variety of sources while crafting a pitch. While it would be simpler to send a bulk pitch to everyone at once, this approach often does not result in the desired amount of exposure. Rather than that, tailor your pitch to the specific media with whom you communicate. Address each contact by name ( if desired, provide a link to or remark on an article or blog post your contact published), and make a clear connection between the outlet and the topic of your book.
Make It Simple
Avoid exaggerations while composing a pitch. Be confident and truthful about your book, but avoid making unsubstantiated claims. How does your book occupy a distinct but essential niche? How is it different in comparison to other books of the same genre? How would the outlet benefit from featuring your book?
Proofreading and Editing
Additionally, review your pitch and make any necessary changes regarding spelling or punctuation. Consider tone, as well. Since you are pitching to an unknown individual, you should be polite and semi-formal.
Grab the Reader’s Attention
When crafting a pitch, begin with a “hook” that will immediately grab the reader’s attention and concentration. The hook may be a statistic (mainly if your book is nonfiction), intriguing information about your protagonist, a phrase about your novel plot or method, and anything else that grabs and holds their attention.
Character’s and Storyline Presentation
After the hook:
- Present your primary character and storyline concisely for fiction books.
- Discuss the book’s core conflict or issue without giving anything away to make reading the book unnecessary.
- Avoid delving into the plot’s details, or you risk losing readers.
- After you have introduced your book, conclude with a cliffhanger that will pique their interest.
Discuss the informational gap that your book fills for nonfiction literature. How and why are your readers going to profit from reading your book? Additionally, it is essential to specify your audience while making a pitch (for both fiction and nonfiction books, especially nonfiction). When pitching nonfiction, it’s a good idea to provide some facts about your subject and audience.
Introduce Yourself
Introduce yourself after your introduction to the book. Who are you, and how do your background and qualifications influence your capacity to communicate your story? Bear in mind that the emphasis should always be on the book, even while discussing your personal history.
You can offer to provide digital copies of your book (eBook) to your outlets in your pitch but wait for their response before sending them; as eBook files are big and often rejected by other users’ email systems, it is advisable to wait for confirmation. You may, however, send a few sample chapters first to give the media contact something to read and determine if they want to get a copy of the complete book.
Follow-up after a few days if you do not get a response. It is an excellent idea to send your follow-up pitches in the same email thread as your first pitch, so your contact is aware of your previous efforts. When you follow up the first time (which would be your second pitch), provide a brief synopsis of your book and yourself as a reminder. For the second follow-up (or third pitch), inquire if the outlet intends to cover your book. If you do not get a response to your third pitch, refrain from following up. If you approach your contact beyond this point, you risk irritating them and losing future opportunities for coverage.
Remember that just because you do not hear back from contacts immediately does not imply you will never hear from them. When our publicists pitch an author’s work, they often get notification months later that the book is being evaluated. In general, pitching requires time, commitment, and a thick skin. Be prepared for rejection, but also be prepared for coverage offers!
Finding the right company that offers quality and affordable book marketing and publishing services is easy with Blueprint Press Internationale. Pick up your phone and dial (888) 617-8289 to know more. You can also go to blueprintinternationale.com for more details.