Whether you’re a first time pitcher, or you’ve been doing this for years. Here are 10 tips to help you get noticed and build an audience!
Introduction
Whether you’re new to Twitter Pitch Parties or you’ve been pitching for years, you’re guaranteed to find something useful on this list.
We talk about 4 Growth Areas all writers should focus on. Pitch Parties are a great opportunity to help build an audience!
At the very least, be sure to let us know if you want a retweet!
This list is based on my many rounds of Pitch Parties. After a disappointing first two tries, I decided to dig in and figure out what I was doing wrong.
During the past two Pitch Parties I participated in, I’ve managed to get a few agent likes as well as publisher interest. Here’s what I’ve learned.
What are Pitch Parties?
Pitch Parties are a specified time when writers can pitch their finished manuscripts to agents and publishers. Be sure to check the requirements for whatever Pitch Party you’re participating in.
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Update Your Profile
Your profile serves as your resume to the Twitter world. Before the pitching begins (or early on), you’re going to want to update your profile. Put information in there so people learn more about you.
If you have a website, make sure it’s linked in the website section. If you have work published, consider putting a link to it.
Literary agents may be checking profiles while they’re considering whether or not to “Like” a tweet. Give them every reason to want to work with you.
2. Use X Comparisons
These really stand out. I suggest making at least one of your pitches an X Comparison tweet. Make them unusual or make them part of something you think is popular. Warning: Don’t overdo it. Avoid things like, “Harry Potter X Game of Thrones.” Be humble about your work. Making large comparisons can land you the wrong kind of attention.
Be realistic and drill down into your niche. Be willing to cross genres and mediums. For example, you can say something like “The Queen’s Gambit X Ready Player One” or “Gone Girl X Trolls.”
Readers will immediately be hooked on what your book is about.
3. Space Out Your Tweets
This one is probably obvious, but because you can only tweet three pitches, you’re going to want to spread them out over the course of the day.
With this tactic, you can promote each distinct pitch during different times of the day. You don’t want three of the same pitches out there in circulation.
So when should you tweet your three pitches?
Having done this a few times, I’ve noticed the traffic goes down significantly after about 5-6 pm EST.
By sending your pitches and focusing your time from a little after 8 am (after the rush) and wrapping up around 4 pm provides the best traffic. Again, these are just my observations.
4. Pinned Tweets
As you’re going through the day, you’re going to want to pin all your newest tweets to your profile. This will help people find them easily.
5. Take Breaks
This tip is more of a mental health PSA. Take breaks throughout the day. Put your phone down. Meditate, stretch, or take a walk. It is a grueling and exhausting day and it can be a lot of fun. But it can also be overwhelming.
It will take a lot out of you. It’s important to put your phone down periodically. You’ll feel like you’re missing something. You’re not. Twitter will still be there when you get back.
6. Be Generous
Don’t just blindly retweet. Comment on people’s pitches that were particularly good. Reinforce great writing. When you spread kindness, it also comes back to find you. Don’t only retweet because you want someone to reciprocate. Do it because you want to amplify others. Because you know the struggle and want to help someone else.
7. Genre Search
Throughout the day, comb through the hashtag for your genre(s). If you’re writing middle grade, be sure to go through as many #MG pitches as you can. Find people who:
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Have great pitches
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A lot of interaction on their tweets
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Books like yours
Then retweet, comment, and follow them. By following those people you’ll be kept up to date on their progress, and they’ll help you build an audience every time they retweet one of your tweets. You’ll also have access to a group of writers who are all doing what you’re doing.
Having 10,000 followers who don’t read thrillers is a waste if that’s what you write. You’re not going to sell any books. You’re better off having 100 Twitter followers who read and write thrillers. That’s 100 people who might be interested in buying your book some day.
8. Make it Easy for Retweets
This tip will drastically increase your interactions. When you’re responding to people who are offering to retweet, post the link to your tweet in your reply.
By posting the tweet in your response, not only will this person have easy access to retweet you, but also anyone on that comment line who’s asking for retweets can also find and retweet your post. This can easily double or triple your exposure and increase your chances of getting some agent attention.
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RT @LynnDiavol: 🩸THE SUN’S SHADOW🩸
Beauty is an affront to an exceptionally ugly world- One she must fight to save for fear of his… https://t.co/a2nm4JIYdr
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RT @akabrendalyne: Hey #WritingCommunity! Wanna swap 📌 pinned tweet RTs? Easy #writerslift! 🤩 #ShamelessSelfpromoWednesday
9. Focus Your Efforts
As the day goes on, consider focusing on your most popular tweet. It isn’t always the case that one tweet will gain more traction than the others, but it might.
Sometimes you’ll find one tweet blows up and gets much more attention than others. You may have even nailed a coveted publisher or literary agent “Like”. Great! It might mean that pitch is your best. Consider promoting it more than the others. Even if it’s your first (still send out your other two and promote them, of course). However, you might want to just go with the flow.
10. Avoid Getting Discouraged
I’ve been there. Even if your tweets don’t get traction. Even if you don’t get any literary agents to like your tweets. It’s fine. Really. It’s fine. There are SO MANY tweets out there. It’s possible a literary agent never even saw yours.
The real benefit of Pitch Parties is finding other writers who are doing what you’re doing. Also, if you play this right, next time you pitch you’ll have 100 people who you’ve interacted with and they’ll want to retweet your work.
In the end, every Pitch Party will help you:
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Learn how to pitch.
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Make friends
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Build an audience
Then, when you publish your book, you’ve got a group of people behind you who are interested in the same writing. So, even though it might not feel like you’re not gaining any traction because you didn’t get any literary agents or publishers, you’re still moving closer to your goal.
BONUS TIP
Post-Pitch Party
Keep up with twitter. Tweet every day. Retweet people who you think are your kind of people. Follow others.
I constantly see people who only tweet and retweet during these Pitch Parties. They get very little interactions. The key is that the relationships you’ve cultivated and genuinely appreciate, will be the people who step up to the plate to help you.
Tweet. Every. Day.
Conclusion
Pitch Parties are wild rides. Do your best to stay sane and keep your eye on what’s important. It’s great to get an agent “Like.” It’s just as important to build an audience and find a group of people who you can grow with as writers.
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