Compressing your epic novel into a 300-word query is difficult. Creating a one-paragraph blurb feels impossible. Writing a 280-character Twitter pitch?

Get the hell outta town!

While it’s not easy, writing an amazing, agent-attention-catching micro-pitch is possible. You just need the right formula to capture the essence and flow of your particular story.

Which formula that is, is simply impossible to say without trying a few of them.

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Before the next #PitMad, check out our guide, 5 Steps to PitMad Success, to learn how to make the most of this Twitter pitch party.

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I’ve cataloged three of the most common and effective methods for writing a Twitter pitch, below.

They each contain similar elements but the approaches are all slightly different, allowing you to experiment and find the one that emphasizes the most interesting, unique, and appealing parts of your story.

What Is a Twitter Pitch and Why Should I Write One?

Twitter pitches are 280-character hooks (formerly 140-characters–can you even imagine!?) meant to entice people to want to read your book.

Specifically, they are meant to entice agents, editors, and publishing houses during Twitter Pitch Parties.

Some of the most well-known Twitter Pitch Parties are:

• #PitMad (for all genres)
• #DVPit (for underrepresented voices)
• #PBPit (for picture books)
• #PitDark (for dark genres and stories)
• #SFFPit (for Sci-Fi and Fantasy)

But you can (and should) use your Twitter pitch for more than just fishing for agents during pitch parties.

Twitter pitches are basically an elevator pitch for your book–which is something you should have at the ready once you begin the querying process. (You never know when you might get stuck in an elevator with an editor from Penguin!)

Plus, given how many people from the publishing and literary world are on Twitter, it doesn’t hurt to pin your book pitch to your profile just in case one of them decides to look you up.

What All Good Twitter Pitches Have in Common

Before we get into the methods for writing the perfect Twitter pitch, let’s take a look at the common variables that all good Twitter pitches have in common.

• It’s all about the hero. Your story probably has a lot of characters and maybe even an epic bad guy. But when you only have 280 characters to get your point across, you better stick to the star of the show.
• No generalizations! It is easy to turn to generalities when you have a limited number of words to explain your plot. But this approach will really hurt you with agents. They want to see what makes your story unique. “Save the world,” “die alone,” “good vs. evil,” etc. These are vague ideas that most stories contain. You have to get specific.
• Highlight how awesomely unique the book is. (Did I mention this already?) Consider what makes your story unique. In most cases, it is not something about your theme or internal conflicts. It is usually something very surface level. Is your hero a mutated human spider monkey hybrid? Make sure you mention it. Does your world have sentient potholes that eat people alive? Better throw that in.
• Include hashtags. If you are participating in a pitch party, then you need to include the relevant hashtags and genre tags. If you are just pinning for the purpose of showing off your work, it is still a good idea to use common writing tags like #writingcommunity, #querying, etc. to up your visibility. (And yes, this does mean your pitch actually has to be shorter than 280 to allow room for #s.)

Now that you know what your pitch must contain, let’s look at some different methods you can use to write it.

Method 1: Introduction, Inciting Incident, Stakes Twitter Pitch

This method tends to work very well for linear thinkers and linear story lines. Even if you and your story don’t fall into those categories, this technique for writing a twitter pitch is a great place to start to help you sort out your thoughts.

First, introduce your character. Make sure to mention any details that make them unique.

Next, describe the inciting incident. What is it that takes your character from their normal life and thrusts them on the journey that leads to the climax?

If your book has multiple steps that bring your character from point A to point “I’ve got to save the world!” choose the most interesting one (without giving away any twists!).

Finally, what is at stake for your character if they do not succeed?

This is where you leave the agent hanging and wanting more. Don’t tell the audience how the book ends. In fact, don’t give anything away about the climax of your story. Just tickle the agent’s curiosity by giving them a sense of what could happen and how bad it could be.

Examples

Simba the lion cub cannot wait to be king (introduction), but when his father is killed, (inciting incident) he abandons his dreams and his family. Now the pride lands are in peril and the only one who can save them from impending death (stakes) is the long-lost king.

Harry Stamper is a roughneck who has drilled every terrain earth has to offer (introduction). Now that a giant asteroid is headed right toward the planet, the US government has a new challenge for Harry (indicating incident): fly into space and drill into the giant rock before it wipes out the entire human population (stakes).

Katniss has dedicated her life to keeping her family fed despite the oppressive rule of the Capitol (introduction). But when she takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games (inciting incident)–a brutal reality show that ends when only one kid is left alive–she must use those skills to save her own life or die trying (stakes).

Method 2: The Action-Centric Twitter Pitch

If the stakes of your story outweigh every other element in it, this method might be the best approach for you.

Start by introducing your hero. Again, be sure to include any unique characteristics or details about them and their life.

Next, explain the situation they find themselves in following the inciting incident. If their journey begins when they fall down a magical well, then describe the world they find on the other side.

Then, describe what your hero must do to succeed. This is a slightly different way of revealing the stakes. Instead of telling us what could happen, tell us what they need to do to make the right thing happen.

Lastly, highlight the problem that their action will solve. Again, this is a matter of what’s at stake. But instead of looking at stakes in terms of what might happen, focus on what is behind those stakes.

Examples

Simba the lion cub cannot wait to be king (introduction), but when he runs away after his father’s death, he ends up with a pack of slackers (situation). In order to save the pride lands, Simba must return to his home (action) and fight the imposter king (problem) for his rightful place on the throne.

Harry Stamper can drill any terrain on the planet (introduction). But when the US government brings him to NASA (situation), he is faced with a challenge unlike any he has ever seen. Now he must fly into outer space, drill a hole through an asteroid, and drop a nuke into it (action) before the rock smashes into Earth (problem).

Katniss spends her days hunting in the no-zone to feed her family (introduction). It’s a unique skill that comes in handy when she finds herself in the Hunger Games fighting for her life against other teens who must kill to live (situation). Now she has to find a way to survive (action) without becoming the murderer the Game’s creators want her to be (problem).

Method 3: The When Statement Twitter Pitch

Personally, I find this method to be the easiest to write. I think it helps me to start with an action word like “when”–it gets the thoughts flowing in a way that is intrinsically interesting.

First, start with the word “when” then introduce your character in an interesting way. Don’t forget those unique details.

Next, connect the “when” to the catalyst of the story using a word like “learns,” “discovers,” “finds,” etc. The catalyst is going to be a summation of your inciting incident and the situation that follows.

Then, explain what action your character must take in order to succeed in their goal.

Lastly, finish by explaining what will happen if your character fails, i.e., what’s at stake. Remember, no generalizations–be specific!

Example

When Simba, the lion cub destined to become king (introduction), discovers he was responsible for his father’s death, he runs away (catalyst) only to later learn that his father was murdered by his jealous uncle. Now he must return home to defeat him (action) or risk his entire family dying under the imposter king’s reign (stakes).

When the world’s best deep-sea driller (introduction) is seized by the US government, he learns that a Texas-sized asteroid is headed for Earth (catalyst). Now, he must fly into space with a rag-tag team of roughnecks, drill into the rock, and drop a nuke down the hole (action). If he fails, the entire planet is doomed (stakes).

When Katniss, a poor hunter from District 11 (introduction), volunteers to take her sister’s place in the Hunger Games, an event where teens must kill to stay alive, she learns that she may just have the skills to survive (catalyst). But doing so means bending to the Capitol’s will (action), a fate that may be worse than death (stakes).

The First Rule of Twitter Pitching Is There Are No Rules

Okay, that’s not entirely true. Most Twitter Pitch Parties have a lot of rules, so make sure you know them before you participate.

But when it comes to writing your pitch, you have full creative power over them.

Maybe you like the action-centered form of Method 2, but prefer the way the inciting incident is laid out in your Method 1 attempt. Why not mix and match them?

Or maybe you like all the elements of the when statement, but your story comes across more clearly when you rearrange the sentence structure. Then do it!

Using these kinds of templates is only meant to help you get the creativity flowing in a way that can be easily bridled into 280 characters. Once you get the rhythm behind such a monumental task, there is no limit to how many different ways you can organize your Twitter pitch.

Ready to Write?

One of the best ways to come up with your own Twitter pitch is to read what others have created.

Try searching one of the Twitter Pitch Party hashtags above to see some examples. Those with the most likes and RTs clearly worked well and are the best to emulate.

You can also help your fellow writers out by sharing the best Twitter pitch you come up with in the comments section below!

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