UPDATE: Hi, Molly's fans! The hostesses at Seriously Write love having you visit. However, it's our policy that we do not host a giveaway or take comments as entries. I'm sure Molly would be happy to direct you to another site to enter her drawing. Thanks for reading her post and for understanding!
It's a new year and maybe, for you, the beginning of a new story or proposal. If you have difficulty creating that pitch sentence or paragraph, author Molly Jebber has some advice to make it easier. -- Sandy
It's a new year and maybe, for you, the beginning of a new story or proposal. If you have difficulty creating that pitch sentence or paragraph, author Molly Jebber has some advice to make it easier. -- Sandy
Molly: Having trouble writing your “elevator” pitch?
Determine your external and internal conflict for your
heroine and hero. What has happened in their past to cause them not to trust or
maybe they are afraid of commitment. Why? What will keep them from having their
happily ever after?
In Two Suitors for Anna, adventurous Noah proposes marriage
to Anna and insists they leave their community to experience living in another
Amish location. She loves her family, friends, and job in the quilt shop. He takes
her hesitation as rejection and leaves. Daniel arrives and offers friendship to
Anna. She’s falling in love with him, when Noah returns and asks for forgiveness
and another chance. She’s torn. Who will she choose?
Anna, Noah, and Daniel face family, trust, and many other
issues and problems to make things worse before they get better to show you
their fears, weaknesses, and strengths molded by their pasts. When you have
your external and internal conflicts for your hero and heroine, use them to
write a two paragraph pitch you would give to an agent or editor or bookstore
manager. If you struggle with it, you don’t have a strong enough conflict for your
main characters. Deepen the impact of their past event causing them to have a
trust issue. Now what will keep them apart? A job? Location? Children or no
children? These are just a few examples.
I wrote my pitch for Two Suitors for Anna right after I’d determined
my external and internal conflicts. I worked with the paragraphs to strengthen
them for about an hour, and then I left it alone for a day or two. I rewrote it
again, saved it, and created my outline. When my pitch is strong, I don’t
experience writer’s block while writing my outline and story.
It took me time to get to this place in my writing journey!
I hope this helps you. My goal is to share with you what has worked for me in
eliminating frustration and discouragement while writing my story. Wishing you an exciting writing journey and much success!
Philippians 4:13 I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
How do you go about creating your elevator pitch? What do you find most difficult about it?
~~~~~~
Molly Jebber writes Amish Historical Romances. Her
books have been featured in USA Today’s HEA column, and “Change of Heart” made Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Ten List in spring of 2015, and her books have received 4.5 star ratings from Romantic Times. She’s on Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll and she receives rave reviews in numerous magazines and media across the country.
She’s a touring speaker for Women’s Christian Connection, and she speaks to many other groups about Amish history and their traditions, writing, marketing, publishing, and about her books.
Her keepsake pocket quilt series, “Change of Heart”, “Grace’s Forgiveness” and “The Amish Christmas Sleigh” are available in print in stores and in ebook formats. “Two Suitors for Anna” releases January 31, 2017, and “Amish Brides” releases May 31, 2017 in stores and ebook. She’s just signed a new contract for four new books! Visit www.mollyjebber.com for a complete list of her books and speaking events.
