Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: How to Write a One Sentence Pitch

Dude! This is exciting. I thought I was doing thes...

2010-10-23T22:08:18.102-07:00

Dude! This is exciting. I thought I was doing these one-liners wrong.

Thank you so much for the info. :)

The one sentence pitch could keep me focused on my...

2010-08-26T21:53:38.718-07:00

The one sentence pitch could keep me focused on my story. Thanks for the insight.

Wow! That's just what I needed. So glad Judith...

2010-06-08T15:15:38.783-07:00

Wow! That's just what I needed. So glad Judith sent me here.

After I refined my one-sentence pitch following th...

2010-05-24T06:46:30.636-07:00

After I refined my one-sentence pitch following this blog post, I attended a cousin's communion, where someone asked me about my current project.

Perfect opportunity to perfect the pitch, right?

So, I launched right in. It must have been a hit... two tables of guests kept asking me, "And then what happens?"

Thanks, Nathan!

This is awesome. Very helpful.

2010-05-23T18:34:58.905-07:00

This is awesome. Very helpful.

Thanks, Nathan. I thought I had my one-sentence pi...

2010-05-22T18:51:47.224-07:00

Thanks, Nathan. I thought I had my one-sentence pitch down until I read this. But I'd stated the quest too generically. Once I made the quest specific to my novel-in-progress, I realized something I hadn't before: the protagonist's quest in her personal life is mirrored in her professional life. Thanks for the inspiration!

I read a book on script writing that mandated star...

2010-05-21T20:01:08.494-07:00

I read a book on script writing that mandated starting with your logline before you even begin writing the story. When you know what your story is about, it's much easier to decide between potential subplots and character choices.

As usual your post is very helpful. The examples a...

2010-05-21T18:30:47.803-07:00

As usual your post is very helpful. The examples are a great guide we can build on. Now we simply have to make our stories sound dynamic, intriguing and heart felt in one sentence. Thank you for showing it can be done.

Thank you so much for posting this! Maybe I'm ...

2010-05-21T12:50:23.276-07:00

Thank you so much for posting this! Maybe I'm just thick-skulled but, I would love a few more examples from well-known adult or YA fiction novels. I think the whittling down is the trickiest part.

This morning I reviewed my pitch based on your rec...

2010-05-21T12:33:12.746-07:00

This morning I reviewed my pitch based on your recipe and found that it seems to follow suit. This is one of your best posts ever. Also the previous "one paragraph, two paragraph pitch" post rocks.

What a logical recipe to follow. I spent last nig...

2010-05-21T11:38:15.594-07:00

What a logical recipe to follow. I spent last night crafting my one sentence pitch according to your template, and I still wrestled. A lot.

But it is in the wrestle...the very struggle, that provides the opportunity to think, and think deeply.

Thank you for that.

I'm not fond of deep-fried cornbread-wrapped w...

2010-05-21T10:31:21.947-07:00

I'm not fond of deep-fried cornbread-wrapped weiners on a stick, but then I'm not partial to traditional carnival foods. I've preferred beer and then booze. Even those delights are denied me now. The one constant from childhood that remains my favorite, savoring the flavors of interpersonal and group interaction dynamics. People as inciters, flavors, obstacles, quests.

Since I am already posting irrelevent links, I thi...

2010-05-21T10:30:22.308-07:00

Since I am already posting irrelevent links, I think you might also enjoy the next link on Brainiac (a wonderful little blog that the Boston Globe puts out): Adult authors who write children's books... and how to get them.

Again, http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/brainiac/2010/05/graham_greene_w.html and http://wetoowerechildren.blogspot.com/

This is such good advice, not only for being able ...

2010-05-21T10:27:26.881-07:00

This is such good advice, not only for being able to tell a top class agent you have the luck to meet in the lift at a writing conference why it's imperative that he should read your book, but also to guide you when you're doing those last few vital edits before submitting the manuscript. It would keep you focused and might even make you realise you aren't quite on the right track. Thank you so much.

Long time reader, first time poster. This is not ...

2010-05-21T10:27:26.156-07:00

Long time reader, first time poster. This is not related to the current blog post, but as someone who clearly enjoy filmed drama and children's literature, I felt I would be amiss if I didn't wise you to a guy making "Golden Books" style pages out of classic (R-rated) movie scenes: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/brainiac/2010/05/golden_books_th.html
for a gallery of them, check out:
http://kotaku.com/5540330/these-golden-books-are-not-for-children/gallery/
(He already has a book deal)

Thanks! Very useful.

2010-05-21T10:08:46.970-07:00

Thanks! Very useful.

Great post Nathan. I think a one sentence pitch he...

2010-05-21T10:06:53.506-07:00

Great post Nathan. I think a one sentence pitch helps the writer focus on the through plot to see if it has enough meat. I love loglines anyway so I always try and describe my WIP in a single sentence.

Awesome! I've never seen this spelled out so c...

2010-05-21T10:00:43.840-07:00

Awesome! I've never seen this spelled out so clearly and logically. Definitely a keeper. Thanks NB!

My three "candidates" left standing. 1....

2010-05-21T09:44:34.572-07:00

My three "candidates" left standing.

1.) Quantum physicist Pierce Daniels must survive butchery carnage and mass slaughter to prevent the top secret experiment that leads to The Armageddon of 2012.

2.) Thirteen miles of defenses known as The Bell Devil’s Hellfire Walk separates America’s annihilation from Physicist Pierce Daniels 7337th death.

3.)The atomized obliteration of the United States of America in 2012 can only be stopped by the person who originally ignited the conflagration that engulfed all of mankind; Quantum Physicist and Nobel Laureate Dr. Pierce Daniels.

I followed this link from your site to a blog and ...

2010-05-21T09:39:41.329-07:00

I followed this link from your site to a blog and then a website. It offers the long form in free e-book
http://www.writeagreatquery.com/

I decided to add a new five pages to my opening, very reluctantly; at first, but I think I was able to marry an active opening that makes my protagonists motivations and quest extremely clear to a follow on segment that logically and hypnotically engages in world building that seems: "this could be possible."
I have your formula suggestions and breakdown of your plot sequence as the practical intro to that longer ebook.

Its a tough task but I accept it is essential. Maybe you could cover suspension of disbelief and first three chapters in the future. Thx N.

Linda - I've also heard that about omitting ch...

2010-05-21T09:32:36.438-07:00

Linda - I've also heard that about omitting character names. I look at the NY Times bestseller lists occasionally for one-sentence pitch ideas, but some use character names and others don't.

My problem is I can't decide how much detail to include. I have this spare, simple one-line pitch:

A teenage girl is drawn to a fictional relationship where she discovers a surprising reality.

But when I try to give it more detail, I feel like it gets too long:

A teenage girl is drawn to a boy she meets in a recurring dream, discovers his existence isn't entirely imaginary, and must uncover the truth of their mysterious connection before someone else does.

I wrote the longer one pretty quickly, so it could be better... but I'm just wondering if I should stop at the simple one.

This is excellent -- thanks! I recently read a li...

2010-05-21T09:17:41.588-07:00

This is excellent -- thanks! I recently read a literary agent's advice to never use the names of characters in a query letter. It's distracting. What do you think of that, and also, what about in a one-sentence-pitch?

When struggling novelist Sean Keating finds out th...

2010-05-21T09:15:08.144-07:00

When struggling novelist Sean Keating finds out the best way for a debut author to get published is through non-fiction, he decides to writing about love, something he knows nothing about…until he reunites with his prom date.

That helps. Thanks, Nahtan.

Nathan, As an avid reader of your blog, I'm h...

2010-05-21T09:08:47.272-07:00

Nathan,

As an avid reader of your blog, I'm hoping you saw (or will link to my blog wherein I mention and review) the article on e-books in today's WSJ.

Keep up the good work,

Dick Hannah

http://puborperish.blogspot.com/

This was very helpful. Thanks.

2010-05-21T08:59:44.709-07:00

This was very helpful. Thanks.