Who has fun spending hours creating that perfect 140-character pitch? Then bouncing that sentence or two off others to see if it's fantastic? And finally having to create a couple more so you're not posting the same one every few hours? I know what you're going through. In fact, I did quite a few Twitter Pitch Parties so I know your pain. I remember what it was like to see that little colored star and then checking and re-checking my email to confirm that someone did in fact click on my pitch and favorited it. My heart pounded and my palms were sweaty, all the while hoping and praying that it wasn't a joke from a friend or some complete stranger marked it and not re-tweeted it by mistake. I remember trolling the feed all day long and not actually working. So it's because of those reasons that my cousin Ann and I wanted to help other authors. Why not pay it forward? We both are fortunate enough to have a published book, and working on our second. But let's face it, the best reason for us doing this? IT'S FUN! So let's have a blast, help each other out, and maybe, just maybe, you'll find that perfect relationship between author and publisher. Here’s the date for #Pit2Pub: July 15, 2015 starts at 8AM and ends at 8PM (CST or CDT, which is Chicago time). What is #Pit2Pub? A Twitter Pitch Party for writers to tweet a 140-character pitch for their completed manuscripts. Have several variations of your Twitter pitch available. The pitch must include the hashtag #Pit2Pub, the Age Group, and the Genre (#YA, #MG, #A, etc. see chart below) in the tweet. It's important to include the hashtag(s). Age Groups Hashtags: #PB = Picture Book #C = Children's #CB = Chapter Books #CL = Children's Lit #MG = Middle Grade #YA = Young Adult #NA = New Adult #A = Adult
RULES:
Authors of all genres are welcome to pitch their completed and polished manuscripts. You can pitch more than one manuscript. Tweet your pitch throughout the day, but no more than twice per hour per manuscript.Remember to include the hashtag #Pit2Pub and genre. The publishers may tweet their submission preferences and favorite your tweet if they wish to see more. If you get a favorite from a publisher, follow their submission directions on their website or look for them on this blog. Then send them their request as soon as you can. They may have tweeted what they want you to send, so check their twitter feed for that information. Make sure to put “Pit2Pub Request: TITLE” in the subject line of your email when sending your request. Don’t tweet publishers directly, unless they tweet you first. Don’t favorite friends’ tweets. You can RT your friends to show your support. Save favoriting for publisher requests to avoid confusion. Be sure you research each requesting publisher. Don’t submit if you don’t want to work with them. Be nice and courteous to each other and to the industry professionals. If you do see abuse, please report it to Twitter or notify Ann or myself right away. Check back on this blog (http://www.kristinvanrisseghem.com/blog) or Ann's Blog (http://annmnoser.com) as we post the list of comfirmed publishers who have signed up to monitor the feed on July 15, 2015! Thank you! And let the fun begin!!!
31 Comments
megmcdwrites
7/3/2015 03:23:44 pm
I love these kinds of contests, but my genre never has a hashtag. What should I use for magical realism? #MR?
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Kristin
7/6/2015 09:41:14 am
I'd use @SFF
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Cara
7/6/2015 09:35:42 am
Is it mainly publishers that are going to be on, or will there be agents too?
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Kristin
7/6/2015 09:42:51 am
I didn't invite any agents, but that doesn't mean that they don't know about #pit2pub, so some might be watching.
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sally suehler
7/13/2015 08:03:21 pm
These pitch parties scare the dickens out of me, but I'll give it my best. At least I caught on how to use Twitter. (I think)
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Kristin
7/14/2015 01:10:27 am
Good luck!!
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Kristin
7/14/2015 09:55:12 am
Use #SFF
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Kristin
7/14/2015 02:10:34 pm
Thank you...it's a lot of work but very gratifying, especially if there are some connections made!
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Kristin
7/15/2015 04:52:05 am
Hi Sarah, Urban is usually Fantasy or Romance. Noir could be anything so use the appropriate hashtag that best fits the overall plot.
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Caroline
7/15/2015 11:11:02 am
No horror hashtag? Or horror/sci fi?
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Kristin
7/15/2015 12:12:01 pm
Hi Caroline, No and no one requested it, which is weird ... but I'll add it for next year's event!
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8/13/2015 10:35:04 am
Thank you so much for putting this contest together! As a result of participating, I was offered a contract from Limitless Publishing. It was really worth figuring out Twitter just to do this contest:) My contemporary romance will be out Oct. 27, 2015.
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Kristin D. Van Risseghem
8/14/2015 12:27:34 am
MJ, That's SUPER awesome! I'm so glad it worked out between you and Limitless!!!
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10/3/2015 05:20:02 am
Omg this is great you were able to do this! And that yellow looks so awesome on you
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1/13/2016 07:31:16 pm
This looks exciting, and I look forward to participating in February. I hesitate to use #SFF for fantasy with no science fiction. Do you think #F for fantasy would confuse or be acceptable?
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Kristin D. Van Risseghem
1/14/2016 12:27:31 pm
Hi Ben,
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1/17/2016 10:31:14 pm
Thanks for offering this! Any hashtag for biography or do we just use #NF?
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2/2/2016 10:53:10 pm
So, never having tweeted before, how would i structure my tweet? Would it be something like #pit2pub#W in my case? I have a polished western mystery/romance. After the #, would I then write my 140-character pitch? Would I have to be on Twitter to start it and send it?
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Kristin Van Risseghem
2/3/2016 06:05:16 am
It would be something like: #Pit2Pub #W here is where you write your less than 140 character bc you've used some using the hashtags.
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Leslie Wallant
2/4/2016 11:30:44 pm
I've just learned about these things. Doing the #PBPitch for Feb.11.
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Kristin D. Van Risseghem
2/5/2016 07:33:54 am
The next #Pit2Pub is July 13, 2016. For all the Twitter Pitches I know of, you're not to tweet directly to an agent/publisher unless they specifically tell you to. Yes, I would suggest following them and starting conversions that way.
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Richard Myers
4/2/2016 07:49:17 am
Quick question: if two agents from the same literary agency like separate tweets that pitch my novel, should I send pages to both agents? The general rule is that a writer should not submit to two agents in the same agency simultaneously. Thoughts? Thanks.
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4/2/2016 10:36:59 pm
Richard, I'd query both but make sure to tell them that the other liked a pitch as well. In most agencies, they talk it out and agree on who takes it.
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4/3/2016 01:28:18 am
The verification technique does use a simple objective. Twitter brims with bogus or parody accounts. So when end users are sifting by a list of opportunity usernames, it can help to obtain signals that will help discover the actual man or woman they want to comply with.
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7/13/2016 08:47:56 am
This is a very good thing. Take a bow, Kristin! And thank you.
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7/13/2016 12:47:35 pm
I cannot find this hashtag on twitter. Looking to make a column on my tweetdeck. Am I doing something wrong?
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