One-Line Pitches

“Tell me about your book.” That’s my typical opening line when I’m talking to a published or aspiring author. Most people immediately launch into what they’ve written, why they wrote it, what it says, and how they put it together. Which is fine — books are my business, and I love hearing their authors’ dreams and backstories.

But literary agents and publishers need a more concise, compelling description. They're looking for that perfect single sentence that captures the reader’s attention, delivers the book’s market strength, and makes them want to know more.

When you tackle your one-liner, keep in mind you're writing an industry-standard sales pitch, not consumer-oriented ad copy. So include the book's who, what, and why (but not where or how) and incorporate Michael Masterson's 4 U’s Formula: urgent, useful, ultra-specific, unique. Check out these two pitches:

A)?????TITLE follows the protagonist as she visits her narcissist mother whose approval she still craves and finally realizes the extent to which her mother has been manipulating her.

This typical author one-liner is short, to the point, and covers all bases. But it’s also easily disregarded because it’s neither enticing nor imperative. All it offers is a flat synopsis.

B)?????TITLE explores the long-term effects of being raised by a narcissistic mother as an estranged daughter, who believes her mother wanted her gone fifteen years earlier, rushes home to make peace on the mother's deathbed—only to discover no one’s really dying, and that her lifelong guilt and remorse are based on nothing more than her mother's lies and manipulations.

This version piques the reader’s interest with its immediate market appeal (“long-term effects of being raised by a narcissistic mother) and expanded story line. While admittedly longer than the first example, it’s still just one sentence, but it neatly reveals the entire story, including its ending—an absolute must in any pitch, query letter, and synopsis.

Oh—don't forget to edit, edit, edit, and edit one more time. It's the only way to ensure your pitch will be both informative and captivating.

Go have fun!

Claudia Suzanne, The Ghostwriting Expert