BrainPick Pitching a YA novel with a short word count

[Kitty]

In this case the word count would be short because the novel is written in an unusual format such as in poetry.

To what extent would the short word count be a deal breaker and how would you best pitch the novel in order to mitigate this?

Many thanks

 

[Amber]

Umm .... maybe compare it to that poetry book people were all excited about last year ... and still are ... all kinds of young people were reading it ... and I can't remember the name of it .. Milk and Honey.

Milk and Honey meets ... [whatever]


... if it applies of course.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I simply wouldn't sweat the word count, but play up the fact it's a story in verse--that's your unique point, so trumpet it.

 

[Sea-shore]

I agree with @Robinne Weiss. Good advice.

 

[Emily]

Have you seen/read any of Sarah Crossan's books? Mostly YA, all verse, certainly don't meet the "expected word count"

 

[Kitty]

Yes I have. I’ve no idea how she pitched them though or whether she secured her agent with something else