Pitch wars #Pitmad is on

[Nikky Lee]

Stumbled across #pitmad on Twitter this morning. Might be of interest Has anyone participated before?

About #PitMad

#PitMad is a pitch party on Twitter where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch.

Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed.

#PitMad occurs quarterly. Upcoming dates are:

• September 6, 2018 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
• December 6, 2018 (8AM – 8PM EST)
• March 7, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
• June 6, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
• September 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
• December 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EST)

#PitMad | Pitch Wars

 

[Laura Lee]

Thank you! I was wondering what this was. My fiction writer friends are doing this. I'm a poet. There are no pitches. I am retweeting for the fiction friends. It's wild over there!

 

[Nikky Lee]

Thank you! I was wondering what this was. My fiction writer friends are doing this. I'm a poet. There are no pitches. I am retweeting for the fiction friends. It's wild over there!

Yep, my Twitter feed is filled with it too. I'm not prepared to pitch for today's event, but I might aim for the December one. Looks like they also run a manuscript mentoring competition too, which could also be worth checking out.

 

[Kitty]

Spotted that in my twitter feed. Good luck to anyone who took part

 

[Nikky Lee]

For anyone interested, the next #PitMad pitching contest in on Dec 6.

 

[David Weller]

This is my pitch for the event. What do you think?

ORPHAN ISLAND x FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. Girl abducted at birth must learn she’s being held captive in order to save her own life. But the secrets of her past are locked inside the mind of a stranger who can’t even remember his own name. #Pitmad #YA #SPF

 

[Nikky Lee]

@David Weller - nice! The second part has me intrigued.

@Kirsten I like your first two the most. I believe the rules say you can post once per hour up to 8 times. But best to check I say. I'd also tag the genre and the age category (I think yours is #SF, possibly #BIZ as well, and #YA and #A) as I read somewhere that agents will search using the hashtags and if you haven't tagged your posts with them, they won't show up in the search.

FYI on Twitter, it now penalises you if you post the same content twice within 2 hours. So if you are posting every hour, make sure to change the copy.

Also, the writing community of Twitter is fantastic. It is the only reason I use it. Highly recommend joining in. #amwriting and #WritingCommunity are a couple of good hashtags to use for non-PitMad posts.

 

[Nikky Lee]

(I just read the link you posted and only three pitches per book are allowed)

Ah, yes, you're right. I must have got the 8 posts off another Twitter pitch contest.

 

[Nikky Lee]

I have a whole doc worth of pitches, but these are my top 5. Still undecided on what 3 I'll potentially use.

1)
“Thou shall not deal in foreign magic.” Maria knows the law. But knowing won’t undo the blood pact. Knowing won’t stop the rarkyn’s magic eating her mind. Knowing won’t save her. But a city in the heart of the empire might—if the rarkyn doesn’t kill her first.
#A #NA #FA #PitMad

2)
Haunted by the past, hunted by an empire. Maria must fight to survive in a world that would sooner see her dead. Her crime? She’d blood-bound to a rarkyn and the only hope for a cure lies in the heart of the empire that would rather see her hang.
#A #NA #FA #PitMad

3)
1 x protag out for revenge
1 x monster bent on survival
1 x forbidden pact

Add an Empire baying for their blood, a Conclave of augurs, and a suicide quest to break the pact before it destroys them, and you’ve got murder, magic and mayhem.

It’s eat or be eaten.

#NA #A #FA #PitMad

4)
FITZ X DRIZZT X DRUSS
All Skaar dreams about is freedom—and the day he can be rid of humans and their rotten magic forever. Turns out freedom is not an easy thing to grasp when you wind up in a blood pact with a woman wanted for murder.

#A #NA #FA #PitMad

5)
FITZ X DRIZZT X DRUSS
Death awaits any who wield foreign magic in Illredan. But when a blood pact binds Maria to an aetherling, she must journey into the heart of the empire, outrun the King’s men and break the pact before the aetherling’s magic consumes her.
#A #NA #FA #PitMad

 

[Nikky Lee]

@Kirsten I quite liked the blurb you posted in the Writing Group forums recently. Could you potentially use some of it as a pitch?

 

[David Weller]

Checklist of the four essential elements to include in a pitch:

Who is main character?
What is his/her goal?
What are the stakes?
What is stopping him/her achieving that goal?

@Kirsten

I'd ditch the word count. Not essential info for the pitch and has the potential to put a lot of agents off.
Not sure about including the title either. Use the words for adding substance to the pitch.
Nmlee is right. Hashtags are essential.

@Nmlee

I particularly like No 2 and No 4.

 

[Nikky Lee]

Science Wonderland is no fun for our young protagonist. Her big, bad, brave new world teaches her about estrangement, exploitation, feminism, love, and how technology affects mental health.

I like this version personally. It could also be worth adding: ALICE IN WONDERLAND X [insert another comparable title or source of inspiration].

 

[David Weller]

@Kirsten How about something like:

ALICE IN WONDERLAND x TITLE. When a mad machine sends NAME on an adventure to Science Wonderland she discovers it isn’t a whole heap of fun. A headless ex-boyfriend is the least of her worries and she’ll need to hang on to her sanity to get back home. #Pitmad #YA

 

[Eva Ulian]

@Kirsten How about something like:

ALICE IN WONDERLAND x TITLE. When a mad machine sends NAME on an adventure to Science Wonderland she discovers it isn’t a whole heap of fun. A headless ex-boyfriend is the least of her worries and she’ll need to hang on to her sanity to get back home. #Pitmad #YA

@David Weller - I'd go for this

 

[Eva Ulian]

I've come up with two pitches for each of my three novels. Any feedback will be much appreciated.

1. STILETTO HEELS AND ANKLE SOCKS

To rise above her working background an eager student trains for teaching but the Principal claims she has a vocation & expels her. Having no option, Irene decides to enter the cloister and be a nun, but on her own terms #Pitmad #A #WF

2. STILETTO HEELS AND ANKLE SOCKS

In the sizzling 60s the Principal of a college tells Irene, an eager student teacher, she has a vocation to become a nun & expels her. Irene is trapped to remain in the cloister until the now infirm Principal is found dead. #Pitmad #A #WF

3.THE ROSE OF JERICHO

Thanks to the dedicated headmaster, a priest, inhibited English teacher in the Italy of the 70s, blooms into an amazing painter. Their bond is jeopardised when his jealous secretary drowns and he has reason to blame himself for her death #Pitmad #A #WF

4. THE ROSE OF JERICHO

Create meaningful paintings? Check

Become a world famous artist? Check

Tie a bond with her mentor Fr Lawrence? Check

Overcome the spite of Fr Lawrence’s jealous secretary? Not so much #Pitmad #A #WF

5. GOD’S APPAREL

Trapped in a Villa on the hills of the Venice of the 80s, inconspicuous English teacher must find the real murderer so as to release elusive fashion designer from the Mafia & an arranged marriage. But if she then marries him the Mafia will always be in pursuit #Pitmad #A #WF

6. GOD’S APPAREL

When the Mistress of Villa Carlucci is murdered, the evidence points to her stepson the elusive fashion designer. Inconspicuous English teacher knows she can save him from prison but not prevent God taking him away from her while still on earth #Pitmad #A #WF

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Blimey, it might be time to get myself a smart phone and join the twitterati

 

[Eva Ulian]

Blimey, it might be time to get myself a smart phone and join the twitterati

Humm... also join the #WritingCommunity and #amquerying #amwriting they're a great bunch as @Nmlee suggested

 

[Eva Ulian]

I've come up with two pitches for each of my three novels. Any feedback will be much appreciated.

1. STILETTO HEELS AND ANKLE SOCKS

To rise above her working background an eager student trains for teaching but the Principal claims she has a vocation & expels her. Having no option, Irene decides to enter the cloister and be a nun, but on her own terms #Pitmad #A #WF

2. STILETTO HEELS AND ANKLE SOCKS

In the sizzling 60s the Principal of a college tells Irene, an eager student teacher, she has a vocation to become a nun & expels her. Irene is trapped to remain in the cloister until the now infirm Principal is found dead. #Pitmad #A #WF

3.THE ROSE OF JERICHO

Thanks to the dedicated headmaster, a priest, inhibited English teacher in the Italy of the 70s, blooms into an amazing painter. Their bond is jeopardised when his jealous secretary drowns and he has reason to blame himself for her death #Pitmad #A #WF

4. THE ROSE OF JERICHO

Create meaningful paintings? Check

Become a world famous artist? Check

Tie a bond with her mentor Fr Lawrence? Check

Overcome the spite of Fr Lawrence’s jealous secretary? Not so much #Pitmad #A #WF

5. GOD’S APPAREL

Trapped in a Villa on the hills of the Venice of the 80s, inconspicuous English teacher must find the real murderer so as to release elusive fashion designer from the Mafia & an arranged marriage. But if she then marries him the Mafia will always be in pursuit #Pitmad #A #WF

6. GOD’S APPAREL

When the Mistress of Villa Carlucci is murdered, the evidence points to her stepson the elusive fashion designer. Inconspicuous English teacher knows she can save him from prison but not prevent God taking him away from her while still on earth #Pitmad #A #WF

I've just checked the rules you can tweet three novels three times, either the same tweet for each book or different tweets for each book. So here are three more different tweets for each of the above novels


a. THE ROSE OF JERICHO

Unassuming English teacher longs to keep the bond with the dedicated Fr Lawrence, her mentor, but to do so has to fight against the jealousy of his secretary, while he himself threatens to complicate things further #Pitmad #A #WF


b. STILETTO HEELS AND ANKLE SOCKS

If God calls and she says no, Irene realises nothing in the world distances happiness more than the attempt to find it. Discover the secret life behind convent doors. #Pitmad #A #WF

c. GOD’S APPAREL

Inconspicuous English teacher is determined to find the truth of who murdered the Mistress of Villa Carlucci in the Venice of the 80s, but is mortified when she discovers it could well be the man she cares about most #Pitmad #A #WF

 

[David Weller]

This isn't a personal issue - I'm just curious about how to play to an audience's expectations.

Prep what you think might work. Then watch the feed on the day for a while and see what others are doing and what is getting called in. Make any final adjustments to yours and then let 'em have it. Space out your tweets, say three hours apart, making adjustments if necessary. Finally, hope for the best.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

You don't need a smartphone for twitter.

 

[David Weller]

Checklist of the four essential elements to include in a pitch:

Who is main character?
What is his/her goal?
What are the stakes?
What is stopping him/her achieving that goal?

@Eva Ulian Try placing each part of your pitches against one of the essential elements. That way you'll be able to see what you can keep and what needs to be added or changed.

Here's mine as an example:

Main Character: Girl abducted at birth...
Goal: must learn that she is a captive...
Stakes: in order to save her life.
What is stopping her? But the secrets of her past are locked inside the mind of a stranger who can't even remember his own name.

 

[David Weller]

@Kirsten Thought you might be able to make something out of this suggestion.

When Alix Strange gets dumped in Science Wonderland she needs to figure out how to survive, and fast, or risk losing her mind and becoming someone else. But the mad machine has other plans for her and she'll need to outsmart it to win.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

You don't need a smartphone for twitter.

You see... I did not know that! I have an old phone that someone chucked out...that apparently can only make phone calls, but I never remember to charge it, take it with me or even turn it on.

 

[E G Logan]

You see... I did not know that! I have an old phone that someone chucked out...that apparently can only make phone calls, but I never remember to charge it, take it with me or even turn it on.

I'm with you on that. I have two phones, a UK one that's brighter than me and a basic Italian, and I rarely remember to charge either. Or, of course, to look at them. If they happen to ring when I'm standing by them, the caller usually wants to sell me something. I cut that off by answering the UK one in Italian and vice versa.

And I have sworn a Terrible Oath never to indulge in social media -- though I can see this pitch might be attractive to someone more tech savvy. If I waver, I might turn into a small green lizard... or worse.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I'm with you on that. I have two phones, a UK one that's brighter than me and a basic Italian, and I rarely remember to charge either. Or, of course, to look at them. If they happen to ring when I'm standing by them, the caller usually wants to sell me something. I cut that off by answering the UK one in Italian and vice versa.

And I have sworn a Terrible Oath never to indulge in social media -- though I can see this pitch might be attractive to someone more tech savvy. If I waver, I might turn into a small green lizard... or worse.

Where are you in Italy? I lived in Rome on and off for about 10 years and I miss it terribly. Now in the South of France (15 years and counting), but in my opinion Italy wins hands down. Spent a short time in Verona & Torino as an interpreter for enviromental exchange progammes and a bit more time in Assisi helping to organise the WWF's 25th anniversary celebrations. Also many happy visits to a small town near Salerno... wonderful memories of listening to Pino Daniele on my walkman (showing my age), while on the train between Napoli and Salerno..... Agh happy times

 

[E G Logan]

Liguria, where it's been raining on and off -- with our typical electric storms -- since mid-October. Fortunately, I grew up in a small town in Scotland, so that doesn't bother me. It keeps the tourists away, too.

I have a love-hate relationship with Rome. I hate the people who immediately, from one look, even though I'm standing there in head-to-foot Italian, including the earrings, insist on addressing me in horrible broken English. But once we've got over that hurdle, or I've gone round the corner, I love it. I considered moving there to work -- I tried to get myself set up as our Rome correspondent, so I could unload all the paperwork on someone else! -- and I spent a hilarious week looking at property... but that is a long story, better told in a pub.

 

[Eva Ulian]

You see... I did not know that! I have an old phone that someone chucked out...that apparently can only make phone calls, but I never remember to charge it, take it with me or even turn it on.

I think what @Katie-Ellen Hazeldine meant was that you can use twitter on a pc... and you're right I don't think you can get twitter on an old phone. I only got my smart phone two years ago, a present from my Evening English Class students who insisted they wanted to be kept in contact through a group in WhatsApp. I battled furiously not to be parted with my little old phone that only made calls... and I battled even more furiously to get to grips with the new phone- now if I can do it, so can you. BTW you looked great on the PopUp show last Sunday- a floating head, very ghostly, it was.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Hee hee.... a floating head!

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Liguria, where it's been raining on and off -- with our typical electric storms -- since mid-October. Fortunately, I grew up in a small town in Scotland, so that doesn't bother me. It keeps the tourists away, too.

I have a love-hate relationship with Rome. I hate the people who immediately, from one look, even though I'm standing there in head-to-foot Italian, including the earrings, insist on addressing me in horrible broken English. But once we've got over that hurdle, or I've gone round the corner, I love it. I considered moving there to work -- I tried to get myself set up as our Rome correspondent, so I could unload all the paperwork on someone else! -- and I spent a hilarious week looking at property... but that is a long story, better told in a pub.

I got tired of Romans asking me what my name was and then waxing lyrical about it... "Rachele, que bello, comme la moglia di Mussolini!"

 

[Eva Ulian]

Liguria, where it's been raining on and off -- with our typical electric storms -- since mid-October. Fortunately, I grew up in a small town in Scotland, so that doesn't bother me. It keeps the tourists away, too.

I have a love-hate relationship with Rome. I hate the people who immediately, from one look, even though I'm standing there in head-to-foot Italian, including the earrings, insist on addressing me in horrible broken English. But once we've got over that hurdle, or I've gone round the corner, I love it. I considered moving there to work -- I tried to get myself set up as our Rome correspondent, so I could unload all the paperwork on someone else! -- and I spent a hilarious week looking at property... but that is a long story, better told in a pub.

Or you can tell it in a novel, @E G Logan BTW I live on the opposite side to you, in the East, north of Venice.