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Have you ever tried to pitch your book using an unconventional method? Writer Dan Gutman recorded himself performing a rap song about a new project starring a musical dinosaur named “Rappy the Raptor“.

Thinking outside the box worked in Gutman’s favor; he signed a contract for a six-book deal with HarperCollins Children’s Books. The video embedded above features his “pitch” song—what do you think?

Artist Tim Bowers created the illustrations for Gutman’s picture book. The publishing house has scheduled a release date for April 21, 2015.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The Writer is known as the bible for those in the publishing world. The pub has been around since 1887 and as managing editor Aubrey Everett says, “Despite writing trends that may come and go, The Writer has always stuck firm to the commitment to provide readers with practical advice and tips on the craft of writing.”

With 60 to 70 percent of the pub freelance written, there are plenty of opportunities for both well-established and newbie writers. The mag features a host of regular features open to freelancers, including:

• Off the Cuff – Share a personal essay about an aspect of being a writer in 1,000 words.
• Poet to Poet – A section devoted to writing poetry. Pieces run about 500 to 750 words.
• Writer at Work – A writer shares a story about a writing problem and how he or she overcame it. The 750- to 1,500-word section typically covers the fiction genre; it is only open to experienced writers.
• Write Stuff – Compose reviews of books and other products that writers may be interested in. The magazine enlists experienced book reviewers for this column; reviews run 500 to 750 words and includes excerpts.

For more on how to get your articles published in this pub, read: How To Pitch: The Writer.

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Brain, Child isn’t your typical parenting magazine. In it, you won’t find the top 10 summer activities for kids or a recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies. Instead, the literary magazine focuses on the issues of women and motherhood with perspectives that are parent focused rather than child-centric.

Every section of the mag is open to freelancers and, in particular, author and editor-in-chief Marcelle Soviero encourages international writers to pitch stories on parenting to offer a more unique perspective. As the magazine is comprised of up to 70 percent freelance content, Soviero, a former freelancer herself, considers writers the magazine’s “lifeblood.” She adds:

We’ve published well-known authors but also new authors. I’ve been that new author. I know what that’s like, and I always appreciated when magazines would take a chance on me. I like to do that for people, as well, as long as the work is excellent and meets our criteria.

For more information on what Brain, Child editors are looking for, read: How to Pitch: Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Narratively, the year-old New York-centric website, consists of writers, photographers and reporters who want to share in-depth human interest stories with the world.

The site values long form writing, and instead of sections or columns, they have weekly themes. As editorial director Brendan Spiegel says, “Our motto is: Any way you want to tell your story, we can do that.” All of the site’s content is generated by freelancers:

[The pub] has earned its reputation on the long-form text, [but] storytellers of all media are encouraged to pitch Narratively. Photo essays, short films, audio stories and comic boards are all game… In Narratively’s first comic text story, “The Real Mermaid,” an illustrator told a narrative non-fiction story about Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade.

For more details on pitching, read: How To Pitch: Narratively.

– Aneya Fernando

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

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One of the assignments the writer’s attenting the Writer’s Retreat in March are facing is putting together a pitch for the novel they have written.

Goal is to pique interest in what you wrote and hear, “Tell me more!”

A pitch is a two or three sentence summary of your book. You want to: indicate the genre, the basic premise, and to generate interest to the point where the agent or editor wants to read your manuscript. A pitch should tantalizes the listener with a hook that sets your manuscript apart, so choose your words wisely.

To prepare you can:

1. Read movie descriptions.
2. Read the jacket of a few of your favorite novels – that’s the level of detail you want.

It should be a short and snappy, only be about 2-3 minutes long. Here are a few types of pitching techniques you can use:

1. The When a… technique brought to you by Craig Lewis

2. Hollywood-style: This is where you describe your novel as a mix of two other well-known books or movies. Hint: make sure the two you use were both profitable. For example: “It’s Twilight meets Harry Potter.” Then explain in the rest of your pitch.

3. The “Save the Cat” method: The idea is to come up with a sentence or two that describes your novel and includes the following:
• It should be at least somewhat ironic.
• It should paint a compelling mental picture.
• It should give an idea of genre and audience.
• It should have a killer title.

Blake Snyder, screenwriter and teacher, describes this method for coming up with loglines for film ideas in his popular screenwriting book Save the Cat, but it works for pitches, too.

Here are a couple from Blake’s book Save the Cat. They should be movies you know:

“A cop comes to L.A. to visit his estranged wife and her office building is taken over by terrorists.” – Die Hard
“A businessman falls in love with a hooker he hires to be his date for the weekend” – Pretty Woman

Start here, add some interesting details like who your hero is, what his goal is, why he needs it, what’s stopping him from getting it, then focus on the heart of the conflict and you’ll end up with a “knock their socks off” pitch. You cannot go wrong with this formula.

4. The 1,2,3 Log Line Approach:

First log line: a single sentence that includes:
The hero
The hero flaw
The life changing event that starts the story
The opponent
The ally
The battle or conflict

The second log line:
The character who changes & what changes

The third log line:
includes a sentence about the book’s theme. What the character learns? How he or she changes.

Now:

Since so many of us are using social media and are used to packing in lots of details in short sentence, you could hone into this mind thinking when start. Maybe going to Twitter and writing something or using your cell phone to text your pitch to see how it feels.

You can even get an app for your iphone to help you pitch. Here’s the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pitch-your-book/id432755697?mt=8

Write and Revise: Try writing 10-15 short intros to your pitch. This is the hook. When done pick the best and polish it. If you nail this part you are almost guaranteed to be asked to submit.

Now it is time to describe your book in a bit more detail. Be natural, be excited, be funny (if that is you or part of the book) describe the key turning points of your story, but make it short.

Practice Make Perfect: Pitching can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier if you do it often, so practice on your family, friends, and anyone else who will listen. The more you do the more relax you will be.

Formal Pitches: If you are doing a formal pitch to an agent or editor at a conference, then finish by asking if your novel sounds like something they’d be interested in and let the discussion evolve. If they request a portion of your book, then make sure you clarify what they are asking for – the first few chapters – the entire manuscript? Remember to ask for a business card and contact information.

Hope this helps! Even if you aren’t attending the Writer’s Retreat or a conference in the near future, you still should be prepared. Opportunities are all around. Don’t let one slip pass you by not being prepared.  I can’t get the memory of a writer I know meeting a publisher in line at a funeral and letting him know about her book, which ended up being the catalyst of her first published book. 

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

After a somewhat rough start, Manhattan is starting to “hit its stride,” says EIC Cristina Cuomo. The pub, which launched in the midst of the financial crisis, is unlike other city mags since it’s more like a national book with local flavor. And Cuomo, whose first issue with the pub was September’s, is on a mission to “give the magazine a personality and a sense of humor.”

Among her changes? A new section called “The Fictionist,” which welcomes anyone with literary chops be they veteran or newbie authors. Writers can pitch short stories or book excerpts.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Manhattan. [subscription required]

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Brain, Child is not your typical parenting pub. It’s as much a literary mag as it is a parenting one, so it wants writers who can pen more than the usual service angle of most family mags.

The brainy book recently switched leadership, and its new editor in chief, Marcelle Soviero, said “I’m definitely keeping the major tenants of the magazine, which are that we’re a literary magazine for women and that we publish essays, short stories and a feature article in each issue.”

Soviero also said she hopes to develop a poetry section and expand the book reviews. Bonus: she loves working with new writers.  ”I’ve been that new author. I know what that’s like, and I always appreciated when magazines would take a chance on me. I like to do that for people, as well, as long as the work is excellent and meets our needs,” she said.

Read more in How To Pitch: Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers. [subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As a publication dedicated to serious players in the publication and literary world, Poets & Writers is packed with inspiration and expert guidance needed for all stages of the writing process. There are no articles promising unrealistic fame and fortune, only practical advice, information, entertainment and opportunities for all talented writers.

One notable resource is P&W‘s extensive list of literary grants and awards, deadlines and prize winners. “Poets & Writers magazine provides the most comprehensive listing available in print,” said editor Kevin Larimer, “carefully vetted by the editorial staff to ensure that only legitimate prizes that will further the careers of winners are included.”

And if you know of an author who would make a great P&W profile, you could land a byline in the pub. Get best practices for pitching Larimer and his team in How To Pitch: Poets & Writers.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It's going to be a very busy week at The Well-Read Child.

On Monday, I'll be sharing my recent interview with Sara Zarr, author of Story of a Girl and Sweethearts. Sweethearts was officially released on February 1st, and Sara had a lot of very interesting answers to my questions about the book. See my review here.

Also on Monday, I will offer up a review of Peter Sis' The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain as part of Nonfiction Monday, hosted at Picture Book of the Day.

On Tuesday, I'll share some learning resources to accompany The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain , and on Wednesday, I'll post my review of Hiromi's Hands, a fictional story based on the life of Hiromi Suzuki, one of the first female sushi chefs in the United States.

On Thursday, check in to find some learning resources to accompany Hiromi's Hands.

Finally, on Friday, I'll feature a review of The Turtle and the Deep Blue Sky, a tale of animals who trade wings, feathers, wool, etc.

I'll also be participating in Poetry Friday hosted at AmoXcalli. Will I still be in a Yeats kind of mood, or will I offer up something else? We'll just have to see because I don't even know yet.

I hope you'll stop by this week!