I've just returned from the magical Galapagos Islands, where animals and birds like no others on Earth have no fear of humans.
Sea Lions on a Beach
I had trained for the experience by walking fifteen miles every week, working out with my trainer for balance, and some swimming. Still, it was the most physically taxing trip I've ever taken. Something happens to you when your body is stressed by unusual activity. You have to meet the challenge to gain your objective, even though you've pushed your muscles—and your mind-—to the limit. I realized this is true for writers, too. Here are the writing lessons that I learned in Darwin's Laboratory.
1. If something is harder than you thought, re-evaluate how much you want it and decide what you're willing to do to get it.
Panga Ride: Returning from Deep Sea Snorkeling
I had to step into a Panga (aka Zodiac) to get to our eighty-three-foot boat. I looked at the little rubber thing bobbing in the water, saw the giant step from the dock down to the little box in the bow and then another giant step to the hull. No seats, we had to sit on the side pontoons. I seriously considered staying on the dock.
For the unpublished writer trying to sign with an agent and get a contract with a traditional publisher, every query, every pitch is like stepping into that bobbing Panga. No amount of experience saves you from an ungraceful fall in rough currents. No wonder so many writers never take the step or quit after many attempts.
But I'm not willing to stand on the dock—not when a writing adventure and wondrous publishing scenery abounds. I get to choose my experience, and now I understand that fully. I am willing to do what it takes to get my stories in front of readers. Our own Laura Drake sent out over four hundred queries before she signed with an agent. That's lot of Panga steps!
2. Train to get in the best shape you can.
For as much work as I did for six months before the trip, I have to admit I could have done more. My experience would probably have been easier if I'd made more effort in some areas.My mistake? I thought I was in "good enough" shape.
Newborn Sea Lion
As a writer, that means writing. And editing. And reading. And classes. And more writing.
Everyone's rate of development is different, so don't judge your timeline with anyone else's. (If you've ever gone on a diet with a friend, you already know this!) The important thing is to keep learning your craft. Keep expanding your skills. Finish your first book. Finish your second book—it will be better than your first.
Don't make the mistake of thinking your writing is "good enough" before you're really ready to publish. That heartache may disappoint you enough to give up your publishing dream. Get feedback from a critique group or a contest. Feel the joy of revising your words into something stronger, something better.
3. Observe the details in your life. Chronicle your own emotional challenges.
I took over a thousand pictures to help me remember details of birds, reptiles, sea creatures and plants. It was much more difficult to sit with my terror of the next "dry landing" of the Panga on a rocky shore or the feeling of failure at struggling to climb into the Zodiac after the first deep sea snorkel.
Details make a story. You can show the small changes in your characters with details. Instead of telling how your hero feels, you can show his
Blue-footed Boobies
emotional challenges by the way he observes his surroundings and his reaction to the details you put in your descriptions.
Believe me, the exhilaration I experienced when I hopped out of the Panga onto slippery rocks from a rough sea without a misstep will appear in a book. My character probably won't be getting out of a small rubber boat onto a deserted island, but that doesn't mean I won't be able to convey the feeling of successfully meeting a physical challenge despite almost crying when I saw what I was going to have to do.
4. Your life fuels your stories.
You don't have to go to the end of the Earth to fill your tank. But you do need to fill your tank. New experiences or closer looks at your "regular" world provide the material necessary to craft your tales. Of course, putting yourself in an unusual setting or some place that stretches your current skills may provide ideas you never would have found otherwise.
Hiking across lava rocks
During the first half of the trip, when I was dealing with my terror of falling into the Panga or out of the Panga, slipping going up or down the steep stairs on the boat, or losing my balance on the lava rock hikes. By the end of the trip the crewmen were complimenting me—"You really did a good job getting out of the panga today" and "You aren't having any trouble with the rocks on the hikes anymore."
I began to think about two characters in a "normal" setting that brought out feelings of terror and fear of not surviving. I write science fiction, so the severe environment of the volcano-born Galapagos Islands spurred my imagination. I have the major plot, solid starts on both protagonists and the villain, the character arcs, the beginning and several scenes of the new book worked out in my head. I felt the exhaustion of my new characters when I fell into bed at night. In the morning I had more of their story.
Even though I've been writing for awhile, I never thought I'd get the gift of a new book idea on this trip. I just wanted to swim with sea lions.
Snorkel buddy
I did.
And I did so much more.
Have you ever received unexpected writing lessons on a vacation? Or in your daily life? Have you taken a trip to "fill your writing well"?
Fae Rowen
discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak. Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes that she can live anywhere but the present. As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.
Punished, oh-no, that’s published as a co-author of a math textbook, she yearns to hear personal stories about finding love from those who read her books, rather than horrors of algebra lessons gone wrong. She is grateful for good friends who remind her to do the practical things in life like grocery shop, show up at the airport for a flight and pay bills.
A “hard” scientist who avoided writing classes like the plague, she now enjoys sharing her brain with characters who demand that their stories be told. Amazing, gifted critique partners keep her on the straight and narrow. Feedback from readers keeps her fingers on the keyboard.
Many writers who’ve self-published a book for one reason or another get to a point where they want the book to be taken to the next level and see a widespread, traditional release. This is the point where they may contact a literary agent for representation. So with that in mind, I want to help explain some of the necessary basics about how to pitch a self-published book to an agent.
What Constitutes a Self-Published Book?
If you’re wondering what types of books fall under the umbrella of “self-publishing,” the answer is any book where the decision to publish the book was the author’s alone, the transaction involved the author paying any upfront costs for services, and the book is available for viewing/purchase now. This includes:
E-publishing—such as Smashwords and CreateSpace.
Vanity presses.
Print-on-Demand (P.O.D.) publishers.
Book printers.
Basically, if you think your book falls under the umbrella of “self-published” books, then it almost certainly does, and that means you must pitch it as one and disclose to the agent (or editor) that it is already available for purchase. If you self-pub the book, and it has virtually no sales, it is still considered self-published, even if the masses have not discovered it yet.
How to Pitch a Self-Published Book
If you want to pitch a self-published book to a literary agent, you have to immediately understand that you have a tougher submission road than others. That’s because when agents review a query for an unpublished novel, they’re looking for voice and story. When agents review a query for a self-published novel, they’re looking for voice and story—and they’re also looking for one or several good reasons as to why this book deserves a second life via traditional publishing. Agents look for factors that hint at money and success. You are trying to show that your book is head and shoulders above the other million items that are self-published each year, and thus it demands fresh attention. So here are 4 elements to include in a query letter for your self-published book that can impress an agent:
Sales numbers. How many copies has the book sold? And by sold, I don’t mean free downloads. I mean how many copies you’ve sold for money. How many print books? How many e-books? (And since it’s assumed e-books are usually downloaded at $0.99, have wording in your query if the price was higher—such as $2.99 or $6.99.) “Impressive” sales numbers will differ from agent to agent, but you shouldn’t query before you’ve sold at least 2,000-3,000 print books or 10,000-20,000 e-books.
Awards and any recognition. Did it make any online “best of” lists? Did it reach No. 1 in any category bestseller lists on Amazon? Has it collected any accolades that vouch for its content and quality? Such recognition could be a local honor, or a niche fiction award, or anything else.
High-profile endorsements or blurbs. Since your book’s release, has it attracted the attention of any notable authors, politicians, celebrities, organizations, or person of interest? If so, whom? What did they say about the book? A blurb from a recognizable name or large group is a great marketing tool, and agents know this.
Media attention or reviews. Has your book received a review in any mainstream publications or media outlets, such as morning TV shows (local or otherwise), newspapers, magazines, or notable blogs? If so, explain some of the greatest hits. Please keep in mind that Amazon reviews do not count.
Will an Agent Find Your Self-Published Book and Contact You?
A deep hope within authors is that, after a book is self-published and available for purchase, a literary agent will come across the work and come a-calling. Does this happen? Occasionally. Does this happen with any degree of regularity? No.
Some agents make an effort to scan through Amazon’s e-book bestseller lists and find hidden gems that are blowing up the charts. In fact, this happened to Couleen Houck, author of Tiger’s Curse. After she e-published her book and spread the word to friends, it remarkably made its way to the No. 1 spot on the Kindle children’s bestseller lists for seven straight weeks.
Getting to that spot for just one week would have been impressive, but seven straight weeks is quite amazing. Says Houck: “Costco contacted me about selling my series in some of their stores. I was contacted by China, Thailand, and Korea to see if the translation rights had been sold. A film producer e-mailed me. My world was spinning when a literary agent contacted me. He said he’d found me on Amazon and was impressed with my reviews. Two days later I had representation. Within a few weeks, I had a [traditional] book deal.”
So, as Houck’s success story shows, this possible path to publication can indeed happen, but it’s a rarity in a marketplace glutted with self-published works. And don’t forget Houck’s book was huge—and your book is likely not selling at the stratospheric levels hers was. So don’t just e-mail an agent and say, “Check out my book! [Amazon hyperlink] IT’S THE BOMB!” Understand that you’re not yet at a level where it’s that easy. Entice the agent by mentioning sales figures, pricing details, media attention, endorsements, awards and more for your book. These items don’t come quickly or easily, but including them in your query letter will immediately make your work stand out among other self-published books.
(Hi, everyone. Chuck here chiming in for a second. I wanted to say I am now taking clients as a freelance editor. So if your query or manuscript needs some love, please check out my editing services. Thanks!)
Literary Agents Sound Off on Reading Pitches for Self-Published Books
“Oftentimes a self-published author will just send a link for me to look at, which I never click, or they don’t send the book in a Word doc or PDF for me to evaluate. In addition, authors aren’t immediately transparent on sales or download info. I find self-published authors make me work too hard for the information I need. For self-published authors to get my attention, I need transparency around sales and download figures, and want a straightforward and professional query without buy links or embedded images. Don’t make me work to get the information.”
“My thoughts for self-pub are similar to any type of query as far as the pitch itself. It should be clear, concise, compelling (we’ll call it the 3 c’s!) and well written. As far as the self-pub background, I need to know the realities of the publication history, even if that means it’s only sold 300 copies in 4 months. Frankly, if the sales are low, I’d prefer to see a pitch for a new book—and not one that’s part of a series from the first one.”
“The good news: The stigma of vanity publishing and self-published books not being good enough has been proven false by the ‘Kindle Millionaires’ and other self-published authors who are making a comfortable living going it alone. The bad news: The expectations of a self-published author are higher than they’ve ever been, both in sales numbers and in social media marketing muscle. When I receive a query from someone who has self-published a book, I want to know how many books you’ve sold yourself, how extensive is your social media presence (I will Google you!), and what your future plans are. If you’ve published the first book in a series, don’t pitch me the second because zero publishers will be interested in publishing your sequel if they don’t have the first book. And don’t tell me that you’re looking for an agent because you haven’t sold very many self-published books and you want a publisher to help you accomplish that. They are going to run into the same obstacles you are. Self-published authors need to self-write, self-produce, self-market and self-sell. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
Leave a comment below and be entered to win a copy of the 2015 GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS. Winner will be picked by random drawing on Friday, September 19.
In the past year Twitter pitch contests are everywhere. There’s #PitchMas and #PitMad (which is next Tuesday: Sept 9th!) and many others for specific genres. I’ve done one with the Women’s Fiction Writing Association with the hashtag #WFpitch. Some writers are seasoned at it and it comes naturally. Others think: “140 characters? How could I possibly pitch my book in that little space?”
The good news is you can do it with a little help.
Here’s a guide to answer your burning questions about Twitter pitch contests.
Should you enter?
This is the big question! Ask yourself these questions below:
Is your novel complete?
Are you done with revisions?
Are you querying it anyway?
If you answered yes to these questions, you’re in!
But…
Do you have an exclusive with a specific agent?
Do you already have an agent?
Are you feeling rushed?
If you answer yes to these questions, you’re out.
My big advice is that if your book isn’t done, don’t jump in. There are many Twitter Pitch Contests every year so don’t feel like you have to be involved in every one. Wait until your book is ready. You only have one chance to impress an agent.
How do I craft my Tweets?
In advance! Don't stress yourself out on the day of the contest. Make sure you’re practicing and even show a friend to see if they get the gist without the context like an agent would.
Use the hashtag or else the agents or editors won’t see it
Use a qualifier: i.e. #WF = women’s fiction, #YA = Young Adult, #A = Adult, #MG = Middle Grade, #SFF = Sci Fi and Fantasy
Make sure you tell us enough, vague tweets are seldom helpful
Don’t use character or place names, they take up too much space
Every word counts, you can omit articles (the, a, an) to make your point and get in under 140 characters
A trick that works wonders is varying your tweets about the same book. Have 3 different pitch options and vary them throughout the day. Don’t repeat the same pitch 8x—we’ve read it already.
Here’s a top tip: A Twitter Pitch is just the hook so be sure to include the motivation, crisis and the secret.
Samples: How to pitchin 140 characters
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
When escaping WWII 4 children go to magical, tyrannical land through wardrobe to fulfill prophecy & save both worlds. #PitMad #SFF
The Three Little Pigs
Brothers devoured by a killer known as Big Bad Wolf, third pig fights for his life with a pile of bricks between him & death #PitMad #A
Alice in Wonderland
Girl abducted by rabbit from family picnic to fight war in magical dimension. When put on trial for her life, will she wake up? #PitMad #YA
How do I send my material to those who requested?
Agents will be looking at these Twitter feeds all day. Some early in the day and some later in the day. Patience is key. Once they star your tweet here’s what to do.
Agents will use their Twitter feed to explain how they want their material (which email address to send to and what format)
If an agent forgets to state this in their feed (and please look first) then you can tweet them to ask how they would like it sent
Use the subject heading to explain the contest and your book title: #PitMad Request: MY BOOK TITLE
Follow the agent’s guidelines
If you have submitted to them in the past still send your material, but let them know in the body of the new email
Twitter Pitch Contest Etiquette
Leave the starring of the Tweets to the agents and editors—don't get someone’s hopes up or confuse them
It’s okay to Retweet your friends (but not star!)
Only post once per hour or 6 times per day. Agents trolling the feed all day will get annoyed if it’s more than that.
You can be sneaky and see when your favorite agents are going on via their Twitter feed and plan your tweets accordingly.
How do agents feel about Twitter Pitch Contests?
Rest assured, some agents definitely make time for these contests. But not all agents. And remember, we end up seeing a lot of the books that were pitched to us in the slush pile too. Twitter pitch contests are a great way to get your project in front of people’s eyes who you’re not aware of. But if you have a specific agent you want to target make sure you query them.
Personally, I haven’t signed a client from a #PitMad or #PitchMas, but I have signed clients from #MSWL and Brenda Drake’s Pitch Madness.
That said, I still keep an eye out and star Tweets whenever there is a Twitter pitch contest. I’m always looking for great new talent.
It’s not a deal breaker if you can’t write a 140 character pitch, but it sure does impress agents that you can boil your hook down like that.
Remember: A Twitter Pitch Contest is not a substitute for a query.
Now, are you ready for a contest?What’s your experience been with twitter pitch parties? What advice can you share with those jumping in for the first time?
Here are the dates for our upcoming #PitMad events:
September 9, 2014
December 4, 2014
March 11, 2015
June 4, 2015
September 10, 2015
December 4, 2015
#PitMad starts at 8AM and ends at 8PM EST
About Carly
Carly Watters began her publishing career in London, England at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency and Bloomsbury. She completed her MA in Publishing Studies at City University London with a thesis on the social, political and economic impact of literary prizes on trade publishing. Now a VP and Senior Literary Agent at the P.S. Literary Agency she is actively building her list and looking for new writers. Never without a book on hand, she reads across categories which is reflected in the genres she represents: women’s fiction, upmarket fiction, YA, literary thrillers and select non fiction. She has placed books at Penguin Group, Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Adams Media and more for her growing list of authors. Find her online at www.carlywatters.com and on Twitter @carlywatters.
