What do you need to pitch to an agent or publisher?

Ask the Author Podcast Transcript

Episode 45, 15th April 2024

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Ready for the best piece of writing advice ever? Jodi Gibson, author of REINVENTING EMILY BROWN shares what you need to know to pitch to an agent or publisher.

Show Notes

• Make sure you check the submission guidelines
• Your pitch needs three things
• Part one: The pitch
• Part two: The synopsis
• Part three: The manuscript

Episode Transcript

This week's question comes from a regular listener, avi. Hi Avi, thank you so much for your question.

Avi wants to know besides an award-winning manuscript, what else do you need to provide when pitching to an agent or publisher?

This is such a great question because I know so many listeners out there will want to know the answer to this, so let's dive in.

I'm going to offer advice based on what generally is required when pitching, either via a portal or a submission form or a direct email, or even face-to-face pitching, because they will, of course, ask you things face-to face, but you'll be required to email things as well.

Make sure you check the submission guidelines

My first piece of advice, though, is to make sure you check each agent or publisher's submission checklist or their submission requirements, because each one will want a variation on the norm, and it's super important that you make sure you follow their instructions. In a lot of cases, that's the first thing that will be checked when they review your submission. Did you follow the guidelines? Have you provided what they've asked for and how they wanted it? Is your synopsis the required one page or 300 words, or whatever it might be? Have you provided the first three chapters or the first five thousand words?

Again, whatever their guidelines say, and is your manuscript formatted how they want to see it formatted. So **in some cases, if you haven't followed the guidelines, it's a huge red flag **and I'd even hazard a guess that in some cases it will be an instant rejection based solely on the fact that you haven't followed the guidelines. So, number one, super important please check the guidelines of whoever you are submitting to, in this case, whether it's an agent, a publisher, whatever. Check them and make sure you follow them.

Your pitch needs three things

Okay, so, generally, your pitch will consist of three things. The first thing is the actual pitch, so this is where you are introducing yourself and your manuscript to the agent or the publisher. Secondly, you will be required to submit the synopsis for your story. And thirdly, your manuscript. So let's deal with these things one at a time. And I think it's also important to throw in here, first, that you have a completed manuscript. It's been edited, whether it's been self-edited and redrafted by yourself or you've had someone else. Look at it. It's polished to the point where you don't feel you can do anything more with it.

Do not submit if you've only written three chapters and think they're the best three chapters in the world. You're not ready. Finish the manuscript, please. Polish the manuscript and then think about submitting. Okay, so let's deal with these things one at a time.

Part one: The pitch

The pitch and this is often the most confusing and it is the most detailed part of the proposal. So the pitch is where you are selling your novel to the agent or the publisher. The aim is to pique their interest, so they want to read the chapters of your story that you've provided them. Your pitch, whether it's in an email form or face-to-face or through a submission platform, will be made up of the following the opening so this is who it's addressed to.

Where possible, include a name, make sure you spell it correctly, and if there isn't a name that you're able to find or you're not sure, something like “Dear Submissions Team” or something like that is acceptable, but preferable. If you can find a name, that's always good. After that, there'll be a sentence that starts somewhere along the lines of I'd like to pitch to you my...

So this is where you introduce your manuscript, the title, which, if you are submitting this via email, it should be capitalised your title, your genre, your word count, and this is also where you will reference your comparative titles. So comparative titles are titles of books that you feel are similar to yours in terms of genre, tone and feel. It lets the agent or the publisher know where you think the book should sit on a shelf of a bookstore and it gives them an idea what they're going to expect. The next paragraph of your pitch should then dive straight into what your book is about. This is where you need to sell your manuscript.

It's not about diving headfirst into every plot point of your story. Think of it more like a mini back cover blurb. You can be creative here. You can pose a question, a scenario, introduce your main character in a quirky, interesting way. Way, make sure you lead with a hook so that the first sentence will grab their attention and then lead into the gist of what the story is about who your main character is or are, and any relevant themes as well. Don't be afraid to use objectives and emotive language, but also don't go over the top. You want to entice and hook the reader, almost teasing them, so they want to know more after this.

Next, in your pitch you will offer a short bio, unless this is asked for separately. So again, check the guidelines. Some places do like you to provide a bio outside of this pitch. So a separate document with your bio. So check that out, but if you are including it in your pitch. This only needs to be about two to three short sentences. In your bio you can mention if this is your first manuscript or your fourth manuscript, any long or short listings that you might have in competitions or awards, anything significant to the story. For example, if you're a cardiac nurse and that's relevant to your story, include it.

It shows why you're the best person to write this story. And don't worry if you don't have anything like this to mention, it's okay, everyone starts somewhere. Your bio can simply be something like I've been writing for five years and this is my first manuscript. That's totally fine as well. Finally, you'll finish your pitch by letting them know what you've attached or supplied in your submission, so your synopsis and your manuscript and anything else they've requested, and then you'll sign off with a thank you for your consideration, etc.

So that's the pitch part of your submission, which is really the main part that you'll supply, as it's what will get the agent or the publisher's attention. It's what they'll read first, so it really has to do all the hard yards. So they want to do the next thing, and that is open and read your manuscript. Next up, you'll supply your synopsis.

Part two: The synopsis

Most authors will tell you that writing the synopsis is one of the hardest things you will ever do. Condensing a 90,000 word story into 300 words is not an easy feat, but it's just something you have to do. Personally, I actually like writing synopsis. I know I'm crazy. Everyone tells me I'm crazy but I really enjoy the challenge, and over the years, I have developed a format that helps me overcome the challenge and put together quite a concise synopsis, but I can go through all that in another episode.

We're not going to discuss the ins and outs of synopses here. The main thing to note with your synopsis, though, is to make sure it adheres to the word or page count wherever you're submitting to, so, generally, you'll find that they ask for 300 to 500 words, and usually only one page. So if you can work your synopsis around these requirements so if you can work your synopsis around these requirements you should be able to adapt them as needed. And just on a side note, many of you listeners will know that I'm indie published, so you're thinking why on earth am I writing synopsis? But I actually find them quite helpful before I start writing. I'm a bit of a plotter now, so when I write my synopsis, it gives me a guideline to what the story will be about, but again, we'll go into synopsis in more detail in another episode.

Part three: The manuscript

The next thing you'll need to submit to the agent or publisher is, of course, your manuscript. Now, most places will generally ask for the first three chapters, but again, check the guidelines for each agent or publisher. Generally, though, three chapters is standard, and then, if they like what they see, you'll get a request for the full manuscript and then you can get really excited. So you really need to make sure that your first three chapters, or whatever it is they're asking for, are very polished, especially the first chapter and, even more importantly, that first sentence and first paragraph.

Like any novel, you want to start with a punch, something memorable, something that makes the reader keep reading and turning the page without even realising they're doing it. So once you've fully edited your manuscript before you submit, get those first three chapters shining like gems, even though they might be edited and reshaped in the future process of your manuscript. For now they need to be the best you can get them.

Other things you might be asked to submit when pitching is a bio, so keep it short, sweet. Mention anything relevant. Also, if you can make it reflect your personality and the genre that you're writing in. If you're writing a comedic novel, make sure your bio reflects this style. If you're writing crime, you'd probably stick to something with a little bit more of a serious tone, but it can still reflect who you are as a person, too tone, but it can still reflect who you are as a person too. My advice is to check out author websites and socials and the inside bios on the inside of the books. They're great places to check out for ideas on how to write a memorable and catchy bio.

Another thing you could be asked for is a chapter breakdown, so breakdown of each chapter. What happens now? It's not often asked for in fiction, but for nonfiction, where you're doing more of a proposal about what you're going to write. Often in nonfiction, you are proposing an idea before you've written it, so there is a difference there. You will be asked for that type of information. Sometimes, when you're submitting to fiction competitions or prizes, you might be asked for a chapter breakdown. But look, I generally say it's not very common, but just keep that in mind. So there we have it.

In Summary

They are the main things that your submission will need to consist of the actual pitch, your synopsis and your manuscript or chapters. It can be tempting to whip up something really quickly and send it out, because once you get to that point, you just want to get it out there. But believe me, it is worth taking the time and effort to get it right, and every time you pitch, you will get better at it. And remember yes, I'll say it again always check the submission guidelines. Remember yes, I'll say it again always check the submission guidelines!