IdeaJones

Tag: #PitMad

Into the Twitter(pitch)verse: The Basics

There are opportunities to get your project in front of agents and editors, and, I’m learning, ways to do it (and not do it).

An intro to Twitter pitch events for writers.

Twitter pitch contests — I’m no expert. I’m experimenting and figuring it out. But it’s a chance to get your work in front of agents and editors, so it’s worth exploring. Here’s what I’ve learned so far (my opinion. If you disagree, fine, do what makes sense to you):

1) How to find them — I searched “Twitter pitch contest” and then did the legwork, reading up on the various pitch contests, who runs them, who participates, articles by writers and agents who’ve participated to find the ones I wanted to participate in. There are contests for novels, scripts, etc. There are contests by genre.

2) Crafting your pitch… You’re pitching your project in 140-280 characters. It has to be a complete pitch in itself as the agent/editor might not see your other pitches.

You’ll find articles by agents on what they want to see, and by writers on their experiences pitching, but basically, you include your protagonist, maybe antagonist, and the stakes. I’m still experimenting. Our novel is contemporary fiction (mainstream/women’s fiction), with humor, so the pitches have a humorous tone.

If you had to boil down your project for its essence, like distilling vanilla beans for extract, what is the essential heart of your story?

3) Space out your pitches. you’re usually allowed 3-6 pitches across the day. Remember they’re usually EST (not always, so check), so don’t post your last pitch after 3 pm PST.

4) There are no guarantees. Getting a request depends on the right agent seeing the right tweet at the right time. It’s just an increased chance you’ll be seen. You get between 3-6 tweets across one day.

I’ve done a couple of them so far. First one? Three chances, zero requests. Second? Six chances, six requests. Don’t think that getting no requests means your project isn’t good — it can just mean the right person didn’t happen to see your pitch.

5) If you get a request, do your homework on the requester — just like cold querying an agent. There are hoaxsters and even some legit pitch events don’t vet participants. It’s on you to find out if this person seems legit.

6 If you do get a request? Check out the requester. If s/he seems legit and a good fit, check submission guidelines. Go for it.

7) If you get no requests? Look over your pitches. Look at other pitches. Which stand out? Which are interesting? Learn from the competition. If your pitches are sound, then maybe your person didn’t see them (there can be a LOT of pitches). Get back to querying and be prepared for the next event. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hope something here is helpful to you. Any legit chance to get your work out there is worth pursuing, in my book. Show the industry you’re trying to get into that you have what it takes!

#writing #writingcommunity #writingtips

April 27, 2019
Into The Twitter(pitch)verse

More on Twitter pitch events… Da Etiquette

Navigating the world of Twitter pitching.

I’m not an expert, just another writer trying to navigate the jungle of getting and agent and getting published. In that quest, I’ve been finding my way through Twitter Pitch Valley, and in the interests of #WritingCommunity, I’m offering what I’m figuring out in the hopes it might be helpful to someone else. First, because it’s that important, Da Etiquette.

As mom used to say, “Manners matter.” There is etiquette to Twitter pitch events. If you don’t follow it, you will probably get chastised, and may find yourself banned, so it’s worth noting.

1) Be thou not a jerk. Criticize not the pitches of other participants.

2) Follow thou the rules. If allowed three pitches, confine yourself to three. If allowed six, whoopee! Do six. Not seven. Read Da Rules and follow same.

3) Seriously, be thou not a jerk. Don’t criticize the worthiness of other participants, or their right to participate.

For example, one pitchfest for books is #DVpit. For writers from marginalized groups, such as the disabled. It’s on the honor system and if someone cheats they will be found out, but it’s not for you to make that call. If you personally know this participant and have concerns you can politely DM, I suppose, but otherwise? Leave ya nose outta it.

4) Only “like” a pitch if you are a legit agent or editor and wish to see the manuscript. That’s how this works. If not, some allow you to retweet pitches you like. Some ask you not to. Read and follow Da Rules.

If allowed to RT pitches you like, it’s a nice way to show support.

So it follows that you do NOT “like” your own pitches, as you are not an agent looking to see your own manuscript.

5) Be not a daft twit. Check Da Rules. If it’s a genre thing, be sure you legit fit somewhere in that genre before you participate. If you don’t know what the genres are and where you fit, for crying out loud, do some research.

If it’s for left-handed writers and you can’t even brush your hair left-handed, stay out of it. If it’s for Women’s Fiction and your book is about a guy who hates women and kills people with a dinner fork, stay out of it.

6) Time marches on — and you need to know which way. Most of those I’ve seen are Eastern Standard Time. If you live otherwhere than the east coast of the United States, plan accordingly. If it ends at 8 pm EST and you post your pitch at 8 pm PST, It’s 11 pm where the organizers are and nobody will see your post.

7) Don’t take any of this too seriously. Just seriously enough. Do your homework. Follow the rules. Set up your pitch event calendar so you don’t forget when the next one is coming. Get your pitches ready and polished. Be ready to tweet when the time comes… then relax. You may or may not get requests. The requests may or may not pan out. It’s a chance, not a guarantee. You can still query agents traditionally whether they request you through the event or not. Enjoy life. Don’t let your happiness hang on this. Take the chance because it’s a chance, then take the next one, until one pans out.

Good luck!

#writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #writerlife

April 25, 2019
Our Semifinal Year
Got the word this week that a script of ours made the semifinals in SoCreate’s first competition, “Get Writing.” This is our second semifinals so far this year (a novel in the Screencraft “Cinematic Books” competition and now this script contest).

Some people ask if it’s “worth it” to enter writing contests. Some yes, some no. If it’s from a reputable organization and the entry fee isn’t too high, and you can afford it, probably “yes.” Here’s why:
1. If your ms is polished and ready, you get it in front of people you want to see it (look to see who the judges are).
2. If you think it’s polished, but you’re not sure and you want feedback, some contests offer feedback, and it can really be helpful (again, look into the contest, who’s running it, who sponsors it, who the judges are, etc.)
3. If you do place in the competition, you get to put that on your query letters, and like anything else in the arts, people do like to see confirmation that you’re good. Just human nature — they’re getting so many queries, so trying to weed through them must be like trying to shovel a mountain with a teaspoon. Any hint that this rock might be better than that rock must be helpful.
4. Some offer prizes. Not just money. Revise & Resub offers help from a professional editor. PNWA offers feedback, similar to the report a script reader issues for a studio when reading a script. PitWars offers mentoring. See if the prize is something you would like to win.
5. If you get anywhere in the competition, it’s validation. Sure, sure, you should be confident in your work and all, but who couldn’t use a bit of encouragement? I’ve had that award notification arrive on the exact day I thought I was hopeless and should give up writing to herd goats.
Do your due diligence. Look into who is running the contest, how long it’s been around, who sponsors it, who the judges are. Check Writer Beware and other sites for potential problems. Then, if the signs are favorable, get your act together and submit! Here are a few I’ve entered:
1. Pacific Northwest Writers Association (https://www.pnwa.org/default.aspx). Annual competitions for unpublished and published works. Offers feedback. I can say that I have gotten feedback twice, once very useful (thoughtful, comprehensive, easily applicable to the work) and once not much (too vague). The useful feedback was useful enough so that I entered again.
2. Revise & Resubmit (https://www.reviseresub.com/ ). Offers 5 weeks of help from a professional editor. Entered for the first time this year. I’ll let you know what happens.
3. #PitMad and #PitWars (https://pitchwars.org/ ). Offers mentoring. I may enter Pitch Wars this year. If I do, I’ll let you know what happens.
4. Screencraft Cinematic Books competition (https://screencraft.org/screenwriting-contests/ ). Offers a cash prize, mentoring, and introduction to film industry people.
There are others, such as the Writer’s Digest competition, that have been around for years, offer prizes, and publish your short story.

It can be a good experience as you ready yourself to send out queries. If nothing else, it gets you used to sending your work out to people who will judge it, which is what is going to happen at every stage of publication from agent hunting to getting reviews. Are you ready to become a “contested” writer?
April 6, 2019