Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.
Don’t forget to click the purple button to see what everyone else has to say on this week’s subject. It’s at the end of my post.
Do you have an ‘elevator pitch’ for your books? (A brief 30-second or so introduction)
All my novels, or at least the stand-alone ones and the first in each series have an elevator pitch, that succinct description that tries to grab a potential reader’s attention and convey the whole idea behind the novel in one or two lines.
I’ve found that the more you have to condense what you’ve written, the harder it becomes.
I think that getting this reduction in wordage right is more difficult than writing the story in the first place.
The novel (70000 words or more) is the easy bit, followed by a synopsis (generally up to 700 words), then a blurb (150 words) and finally the elevator pitch (a couple of sentences or 50-60 words).
You need to include a hook, suggest a conflict and offer a possible resolution. Maybe provide a bit of emotion or humour if it’s appropriate.
Which is a pretty tall order.
I’m constantly thinking of ways to refine or amend these snippets. I’ll test them out on people I know and trust to give me an honest opinion.
Very often I’ll use them as the first line of my book description on the Amazon product page.
Things like these.
For my cozy crime series.
Andorra Pett shouldn’t have been on a space station. It was all Trevor’s fault. It was supposed to be a new start, a quieter life. Then the bodies started turning up. She had to find out what was going on, or she might be next.
For A Sci-fi conspiracy thriller.
“Review a hotel for me,” she said. “It’ll be easy,” she said. I haven’t even got started and there’s a body in my bathroom. Given my history, I’m bound to be a suspect.
Or, Steampunk.
In a world of Steam and Clockwork, evil forces are at work. All that stands between civilisation and anarchy are The Orphan Detectives. Jackson is their latest recruit, little does he know what awaits him in their ranks.
What do you think?
Do they make you want to read the story, or leave you unimpressed?
Let me know below.
Then, please check out what my fellow writers have to say about this week’s topic.
Until next time.
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Stevie Turner
I like the middle one. For an elevator pitch I think the shorter the better.
Richard Dee
Someone (and I can’t remember who) suggested that 15-20 words were plenty. All you need are a hook, a problem and a possible solution.
Steven Smitg
really like these, nice and to the point. They give you a flavour of the series as a whole without giving too much away. Now I’ve got two books in my series I might take a look into this sort of series type of elevator pitch.
Richard Dee
These are the result of many revisions, I dare say they will change again, as I strive for perfection.
Darlene Foster
Your elevator pitches are great! Well done. It’s never easy.
Richard Dee
Thank you, they’re a constant work in progress.
P.J. MacLayne
We put so much work into our stories that condensing them down to a few words is rough!
Richard Dee
So true, if I’m anxious I talk really fast. Being in an elevator would make me anxious.
Samantha J Bryant
Good curiosity builders there. I agree that the shorter you go, the more difficult it becomes! @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Richard Dee
We spend all that time writing, then have to erase half of it.
Daryl Devore
They are fabulous. I don’t know which one I like best.
Richard Dee
Thanks, they’re time consuming to write and refine.