Twitter Pitch Parties
Cold queries are not the only way for your manuscript to attract interest. Many agents, acquisitions editors, and publishers participate in pitch parties and contests.
What are Twitter Pitch Parties?
During these events, authors tweet a 140 character pitch for their book that includes the event's hashtag. Some contests focus on a specific genre (#SFFPit for Science Fiction and Fantasy novels) while others are open to all genres (#PitMad, #Pit2Pub).
How does it Work?
If an agent "favorites" your pitch, you've just earned a requested query. This is better than a cold query because you know that agent is interested in your book and you get special priority in their submission inbox.
Some Advice
1. Plan Your Pitches. Don't wait until the party starts to get your pitches ready. Have at least 10 different pitches ready to go.
2. Read the guidelines. Rules for each contest vary. Some let you pitch once per hour, while others only allow one pitch per manuscript. Don't be a party pooper, follow the rules. Trust me, people pay attention.
3. Don't favorite other pitches. This action is reserved for agents, editors, and publishers. If you want to support your fellow writers, retweet the pitches you love. There's nothing worse than getting excited about a favorite and realizing it's not someone who's interested in representing your book.
4. When you receive a favorite, do your research! The agent, editor, or publisher will usually tweet how to submit your materials on their Twitter feed. Visit their feed and look around. If you think they'd be a good fit for your book, follow their submissions guidelines and go for it!
Does Anyone Ever Find an Agent or Publisher this Way?
Yes! I pitched The Goodbyes during #Pit2Pub. A week later, I was reviewing three contracts.
Here's the pitch that transformed me from a writer to an author:
She inspired his hit songs. She has hours to live. A rock star braves a blizzard for a chance to say goodbye. #Pit2Pub #NA #CON #R
