When my daughters were toddlers, my mother would remind me

“No one thinks a precocious baby is cute except her parents.”

Nothing could be further away from the truth because my baby girls were adorable!

Ok, her point was that others wouldn’t be as fascinated with my children as I am, and she was correct.

We can say the same for authors and their books and manuscripts.

Very few people outside of a circle of loved ones (and when it comes to manuscripts, maybe not even them) want to read and review an unsolicited manuscript.

In fact, undergoing a root canal would rank higher in an unscientific poll, but you can turn the odds in your favor.

I’m going to let you in on a secret: The story pitch is the freelance journalist’s key to steady work. Writing one good pitch to an editor can lead to a lot of work, and if done right, it will open doors for you, too.

Done right means, in 400 words or less, tell the proposed reviewer, book club acquisition manager, or even an undercover literary agent why s/he should read your book.

Without further ado, here’s the format:

Title: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Word Count: 863

Genre: Black comedy

Age Group:  New Adult (18-24)

Logline:  (1-2 sentences – Who is the protagonist. What challenge is she facing/who is the antagonist? How does she hope to overcome the challenge?)   “A fair hair femme fatale squatting in an empty home must vacate the premises before the owners, Three bears just up after a long winter’s nap, return.”

Open with a compelling lede. Show through your words how well you know your genre.  Discuss how the reader benefits from reading the story.

“Learn the 7 warning signs you’re about enter a bear’s lair. How to survive a bear encounter while sleeping.”

Who are the main characters? What is their motivation? Where is the story set? When is the time of the story? How is the story structured, including story style, voice, and tone; what are the major themes, and what does the writer hope to communicate to the audience?

I felt out answering the why so they’d want to read it.

Let the world know if a famous social influencer has reviewed your book or written the foreword!

Bio –  Include a short bio towards the end of your pitch that illustrates credibility and, most importantly, your social landscape (blogs, social and professional networking accounts, especially if you have a large following.  Tell the prospective reviewer why you’re uniquely qualified to write this story.  What’s your familiarity with the subject matter? Are you a bear expert? Veterinarian?  Include your vocation and find an angle to make it relevant to your writing.  Include your publishing history, major brand trade publishing, and self-publishing.  If you’ve sold many units (verifiable), let the reviewer know. Include your book and writing awards.

Conclude by letting the prospect know your manuscript/book is complete.   

Tell the reader whether the manuscript is available in digital, print, or audio format, which you will send upon request.

Do one more rewrite. Remember that you’re a storyteller, so make your pitch conversational so it will sing!

Now, everyone will want to cuddle your “baby.”