Writing Bloody–Pitching Your Story

So, you’re writing a horror story? Can you tell me about it in a sentence or two? That is a question that freaks out even the most seasoned writer.

So, how do you pitch a horror story? The same way you’d pitch any other story, except you need to make sure you represent the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist. Here are my top 5 pieces of advice when pitching:

Prepare

This is a test. Not really, treat it as though you’re studying for a test. Even though this sounds obvious, without preparation you may become too nervous to really take advantage of the opportunity you have. If you have your pitch already thought out and practiced, at the very least you’ll be able to feel good about the beginning of your interaction.

Practice

You know the saying, practice makes perfect? Well, I don’t believe that at all. Instead, I believe that the more you practice, the better you become. Let’s be real, no one is perfect. How can you practice? Say your pitch to everyone you know–your parents, spouse, coworkers, etc. The more you talk about your story and pitch, the smoother it will become.

Be Concise

Listen, you can’t possibly tell a person every single thing about your book in just a minute. The goal of a pitch is to intrigue the agent/editor enough that they ask for more. Giving details about each and every character in a pitch is a waste of time. Your focus should be on your WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, and WHY. This means your protagonist/antagonist, problem, setting, and goal of your story.

Match Your Tone to the Genre

This is horror, people! If you’re pitching a horror novel, make sure that the horror part is CLEAR! If your pitch doesn’t include that tension…just forget it.

Be Proud of Your Writing

There’s nothing like having an opportunity to do what you love, only to end up sabotaging yourself. Hold your head up high and show the agent/editor just how horror authors rock it. Be proud and stand tall.

If any of you has had the chance to pitch multiple agents/editors, please share your experience. We would love to hear from you in the comments below!!

Until next time,

xoxo

A