At first, I did not understand the appeal of Twitter. A social networking site that limits my posts to 140 characters? That’s characters, not words. Being the long-winded over-explainer that I am, I nearly fell out of my chair. Most of my conversations require an intermission just so the other party, who has the unfortunate task of listening to me ramble, can take a potty break and acquire sustenance. How could I limit myself to 140 characters? It took some time and patience, but I did eventually get on board with Twitter. And I am happy that I did. Authors especially can take advantage of Twitter to network with others in the industry, market their work, and even find an agent. Pitch Madness is a Twitter event than helps put authors in touch with agents and publishers.
Warning: Pitch Madness (aka #pitmad) is highly addictive. Proceed with caution. A few years ago, I was introduced to Pitch Madness (#pitmad) by a friend of mine and fellow writer. It is a Twitter event held quarterly. Anyone with a finished, polished manuscript can participate. Authors are encouraged to tweet a pitch for their manuscript along with applicable hashtags (#YA = Young Adult, #MG = Middle Grade, #A = Adult, #NA = New Adult, #PB = Picture Book, #CB = Chapter Book, #NF = Non-fiction). Each pitch should also include the hashtag #pitmad so agents and publishers who are also participating can easily find the pitches via the hashtag’s Twitter “feed”. If an agent likes a particular pitch, that agent will “favorite” that tweet. This signifies that the agent wants to see more. The author can then navigate to that particular agent’s feed to see their submission preference. The author can also email or direct message the agent for more information regardin submitting their work.
Even if a writer’s work doesn’t get picked up, it provides valuable insight into how to pitch a novel or book. The publishing world is very fast-paced, believe it or not. Agents and publishers are always on the look out for new talent. The best way to get their attention in this microwave microcosm is to come at them with a quick and attention-getting pitch (I like to call it an elevator pitch). #PitMad and Twitter in general can help an author whittle down his or her pitch to the eye-catching, reader-grabbing essentials.
The next Pitch Madness (#PitMad) event is scheduled for September 9th.
If you would like more information, please visit Brenda Drake’s (@brendadrake) page dedicated to Pitch Madness.
How do you feel about Twitter and social networking from a writer’s standpoint? Let us know in the comments below. I hope to see you all on the #pitmad feed in September. Happy writing!