‘So, what’s your book about?’ Learn how to write an elevator pitch for your novel with our simple three-sentence approach, plus tips to make your pitch stand out.

The trickiest question for any author is, ‘So, what’s your book about?’ We all know the answer might make or break a deal with a publisher or an agent. What you need is an elevator pitch. In this article, we will explain what that is and how you write a killer elevator pitch for your book.

What Is An Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a sales pitch so short that you could sell your wonderful idea to agents or publishers while riding the elevator with them. Ideally, when they step out of the elevator, they will be so engaged in your idea that they want to hear more about it and ask you into their office. That’s when you can tell them your synopsis (to write a good synopsis, read this article).

This idea of the elevator pitch already shows you the following things:

1. It’s a powerful marketing tool.
2. It cannot tell the whole story of your novel.
3. It’s your one shot at getting attention for your book, so make it your best.

Even talented writers struggle at pitching. Writers love to write, but to get that book in print, they need to learn how to sell.

How To Write An Elevator Pitch For Your Novel

There are many theories. Some say, a pitch must be as short as possible, only outlining your plot. Others say, your pitch must also tell a publisher what books your novel compares to so that the publisher can see you’ve already scanned the market.

Agents and publishers themselves are wary of giving authors a formula to create the perfect pitch. If you check this database of successful magazine pitches, you can see that they all are very different from each other.

Nonetheless, some bloggers have come up with formulas. They’re fun to try out if you really haven’t a clue. Please remember, agents and publishers know those formulas as well and easily judge your pitch as being less creative.

They all agree on this underlying principle:

The Three S’s:

An elevator pitch must be

Short: no longer than 30 to 50 words (about one minute of speaking time)
Simple: just the basics of your story
Snappy: so interesting that an editor or agent will ask you for a synopsis

But how do you create the pitch?

Three Sentence Approach

I have combined the theory of the elevator pitch with how marketing experts catch people’s attention to come up with what I call the ‘Three Sentence Approach’.

I have created this graphic to help:

Why does this pyramid stand on its head? Because I am using a technique from journalism, the inverted pyramid. The idea is that you give the most relevant information first. That way, you make sure that the agents or publishers hear it no matter how much time they really have. Getting a minute to pitch is what you hope for, but not necessarily what you get.

Let me take you through my approach. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Logline

This must be extremely short. It should answer the basic six questions below, again using the technique of the inverted pyramid (this sentence really is very close to journalism).

The logline must contain the protagonist (who), the basic action of the book (what), the setting (where does this happen), and the period (when). You can add a reason (why) and a manner (how), if necessary. But never ever say how the book ends!

To explain what I mean, let’s try this with J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter:

Who? Harry Potter, an orphaned 12-year-old boy
What? Learns how to do magic and has adventures
Where? In London / at a secluded wizarding school
When? In our present time
Why? Because he is the son of a witch and a wizard
How? By receiving an invitation to the school

Sometimes not all six questions are relevant; simply answer as many as you can and want to. In our example, string all answers together to get a logline like this:

A 12-year-old orphan from present-day London goes to a secluded wizarding school to learn magic (15 words).

Note that in your very first sentence, you do not include the title of your book or any names. Don’t worry, this information comes later!

If you’re very unsure of how to write this logline, here’s a Quick Pitch Formula that I find interesting.

Now that you’ve talked about the story, we want to know the mindset behind the whole book. What’s the general idea?

2. General Idea

Hopefully, you’ve caught the agent/publisher’s attention. Time to let the title of your masterpiece slip. Apart from the title, you should include your genre in this sentence and something to get the agent/publisher’s attention. You do this by giving him a glimpse of what they’re looking for: a marketable idea. Ideally, this would be a ‘high concept idea’.

A high-concept idea has a broad appeal; it promises big sales for the book. It usually entails a ‘what if’. The movie Jurassic Park, for example, is based on a high-concept idea: ‘What if you could clone dinosaurs?’ Instant blockbuster, right? Blockbuster ideas must be original, obvious, and easily communicated.

Again, let’s use Harry Potter:

Harry Potter is a coming-of-age fantasy novel describing how magic can co-exist in our world. (15 words).

Here, the high concept idea is the question ‘What if magic could exist in our world?’

3. Hook

This is where you can include something which gives the agent/publisher the ultimate nudge to ask for more information about your story. This sentence varies greatly with every book. You could mention other relevant themes from your story which give us a feeling for the universe you’ve created.

For Harry Potter, this could be:

But not even magical powers can prevent evil from threatening modern Britain. (12 words).

Take all of these three sentences together, and a pitch for Harry Potter could sound like this:

A 12-year-old orphan from present-day London goes to a secluded wizarding school to learn magic. Harry Potter is a coming-of-age fantasy novel describing how magic can co-exist in our world. But not even magical powers can prevent evil from threatening modern Britain.

It’s just 42 words, so that’s well within the limits. Can you see that even if we don’t get past that logline, we have delivered an interesting pitch?

Some More Examples?

Here are other examples using this technique. Note that not all of them need three sentences:

1. 1. Snow White: A princess fights for dear life as her stepmother tries to kill her. This fairy-tale is a romantic coming-of-age story about friendship in unlikely places, where good triumphs over evil. (30 words)
   2. Back to the Future: A 1980s teen from California travels through time to the 1950s, where he must make sure his parents meet or he’ll cease to exist. This movie is a cross between science fiction and teenage romance. (34 words)
   3. A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: An Englishman in a bathrobe survives the explosion of planet Earth by hitching a ride with an alien spaceship. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a witty novel combining the realms of interstellar travel and whacky British humour. Readers learn the secret of life and why a towel is so important to survival. (46 words)
   4. Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle: A high-functioning sociopath of Victorian London solves the crimes which Scotland Yard cannot. This collection of stories centres around Sherlock Holmes, an extremely intelligent man outwitting the most cunning criminals. This master detective must solve the most difficult riddles and find clues that are that are invisible to others.  (36 words)

Now go and write that pitch for your own book! Then proceed to the final question:

When Do You Use An Elevator Pitch?

That’s obvious: whenever someone asks you about your book. Practise your pitch whenever you can. Friends and family will probably be your first guinea pigs. Their questions will point you to what your pitch still needs.

Pay attention to the way you deliver it: if you stammer or get stuck, then your pitch is not perfect, not yet. Give it another round of polishing. Then, practice again.

Analyse people’s reactions: do they understand what you mean? Do they want more information? If they cling to every word you say, then you’re ready to try your killer pitch on agents and publishers. Good luck!

The Last Word

An elevator pitch can feel daunting, but it does not have to be. Keep it short, simple, and snappy, and focus on making your reader want to know more. Write it, practise it, and keep polishing it until you can confidently answer the question, ‘What’s your book about?’

Further reading:

1. 60+ Pitching Guides
2. Write A Page-Turning Book Blurb In Just 5 Steps
3. Why You Need The Inverted Pyramid When You Write
4. Why The Elevator Pitch Will Always Be Effective
5. The Elevator Pitch
6. What Is A Synopsis? How To Write A One-Page Synopsis (With Examples)

Image by Peter H from Pixabay

By Susanne Bennett. Susanne  is a German-American writer who is a journalist by trade and a writer by heart. After years of working at German public radio and an online news portal, she has decided to accept challenges by Deadlines for Writers. Currently she is writing her first novel with them. She is known for overweight purses and carrying a novel everywhere. Follow her on  Facebook.

More Posts From Susanne

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4. What Is Dystopian Fiction & How Do I Write It?
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6. How To Write Alternate History: A Complete Guide For Writers
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The post How To Write An Elevator Pitch For Your Novel appeared first on Writers Write.

In the late 1960s, amidst the vibrancy of New York City, a monumental engineering feat commenced — the construction of the World Trade Center. This complex was not only destined to redefine the skyline but also to push the boundaries of architectural and engineering practice. While much is remembered about the tragic end of the Twin Towers, the story of their rise from 1966 to 1973 is a testament to human ingenuity and the machines that made it possible.

One intriguing aspect of the World Trade Center’s construction is the import of eight Australian-built kangaroo cranes. These machines were groundbreaking, designed to climb the structures as they were erected — a necessity given that no American crane could reach the anticipated heights of these towers. For a nation that had been building skyscrapers for decades, this was a bold acknowledgment of the need for international cooperation in innovation.

Based on content from Construction Legends

Before building up could begin, the area needed to be cleared. The proposed site sat on the bustling Radio Row — a marketplace known for its plethora of electronics dealers. The displacement of this neighborhood was a point of contention, particularly as small businesses resisted the eminent domain proceedings spearheaded by powerful entities like the Port Authority and the Rockefeller brothers. In March 1966, after a drawn-out legal battle that reached the United States Supreme Court, demolition of over 160 buildings commenced, making way for the World Trade Center’s foundations.

The construction challenged traditional foundation techniques, especially with the knowledge that much of the site sat on insecure landfill materials atop an ancient riverbed. Engineers turned to an innovative solution from Italy — the slurry trench method. This technique involved digging a trench, filling it with bentonite slurry to stabilize the walls, and then pouring concrete to displace the slurry, creating a watertight barrier known as “the bathtub.” This approach was critical in insulating the site from the encroaching waters of the Hudson River, enabling the construction of what would become iconic symbols of American might.

The endeavor wasn’t without its share of political and economic strife. A “steel war” erupted when initial bids from American steel giants were deemed unreasonably high, prompting the Port Authority to seek other suppliers. This led to international procurement, including Japanese and British steel, marking a significant deviation from the norm and underscoring the global nature of this construction project.

As the towers rose skyward with precision-engineered steel and innovative design strategies — like Yamasaki’s closely-spaced exterior columns for a secure yet aesthetic facade — the narrative unfolded layer by layer, culminating in complex challenges: managing the skyscraper sway, and solving the puzzle of removing the cranes. When the last bolt was placed and the cranes dismantled, the World Trade Center stood as a towering example of modern architectural ambition.

Today, while the towers are gone, the remarkable story of their construction endures, reminding us of the synergy between human endeavor and technological advancements. The Twin Towers’ story is an enduring tale of architectural foresight, engineering mastery, and daring innovation reflective of an era marked by progress.

For more deep dives into engineering marvels like this one, consider supporting Construction Legends with a donation. Every contribution helps bring to light stories of iconic builds that have shaped our world.

Subscribe to Construction Legends for more history on groundbreaking engineering endeavors!

OpenAI agents carried out an undisclosed attack on RubyGems

This time they're noting that it looks very likely that an OpenAI agent swarm was behind an attack against the RubyGems package repository first reported on May 12th by Maciej Mensfeld of the RubyGems security team:

We're dealing with a major malicious attack on @rubygems right now. Signups are paused for the time being.

Hundreds of packages involved - mostly targeting us, but some carrying exploits. The team has been on this for hours. More details to follow once we're through it.

Those packages turned out to carry some very suspicious patterns:

1. Many of them included "oai" in their name, or the author field, or the fake email address they provided
2. The files they were accessing were similar in character to the files retrieved by the wiki agents, using similar tricks (r.jina.ai) - and OpenAI have confirmed the wiki agents were theirs
3. The code in the packages appeared to be LLM-authored.

I find point 2 the most convincing, given what we later learned from the wiki attack.

Many of the packages were exploiting the RubyDoc.info documentation build process to exfiltrate (public) data from UK government websites, presumably as part of an information gathering task similar to the research tasks processed by the wiki-exploiting agents. We know this because one agent helpfully left a comment:

# malicious crawler/exfil for Southwark Jan 2026 docs via rubydoc.info worker

They also attempted to steal API keys via an exploit that was patched over two months later - it's not clear if those attempts were successful.

The thing that bothers me most about this incident is that the authors report that OpenAI had not disclosed to RubyGems that they were responsible for the attack prior to now. If that's true there are two options:

1. After the Hugging Face and Wiki attacks OpenAI were still unable to review their previous logs and determine that they had previously attacked RubyGems.
2. They knew about the attack on RubyGems and made the decision not to reach out to the RubyGems team about it.

Both of these are bad!

Given this incident, the Hugging Face situation, and the Wiki attack, the obvious question right now is how many more incidents like this are out there waiting to be discovered?

Via Hacker News

Tags: ruby, security, ai, openai, generative-ai, llms, supply-chain, ai-ethics, accidental-cyberattacks

Employees at the world’s leading AI labs are saying there’s a real possibility that advanced AI could destroy humanity. Are they right? Or is this more scaremongering and hype? Join MIT Technology Review executive editor Niall Firth for a conversation with senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven and AI reporter Grace Huckins unpacking AI extinction fears: where they come from, whether they hold any water, and, if so, what we should do.

Going live on Tuesday, September 15 at 16:00 BST / 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST

Speakers: Niall Firth, executive editor, Will Douglas Heaven, senior AI editor, and Grace Huckins, AI reporter

Related Stories

• Here’s why AI agents lie and cheat to reach their goals
• AI’s recursive self-improvement might not come so quickly after all
• Bill Gates says we’ve passed AI’s danger thresholds. Now what?
• The inside story on why OpenAI agents hacked Hugging Face

A shorter list as I jet back home after a short trip to the mothership. While a good day of work, this date always hits different for me. Probably always will.

[site] Cyber Model Arena. Fight! How do various agents and harnesses stack up on cybersecurity tasks? The results may (or may not) surprise you.

[article] Is Your Strategic Plan Too Ambitious? Or Not Ambitious Enough? Some very useful advice here. Have you defined the problem before setting the target? Are you getting the necessary investment? Reflecting the right time horizon? We need to answer those questions before setting a plan.

[blog] What comes after git. This company is keeping the git protocol (to make it less disruptive to switch) but evolving the storage engine.

[blog] Genkit Go 1.13: Resumable generate and agent loops, async subagents, and A2UI. A lot to like here if you’re building or upgrading apps that need agentic capabilities. The Python version got a rev too.

[blog] What 1,000 small business owners taught us about AI. Anthropic shares what they’ve been learning. Now’s the time to be out there listening to a new set of users, as well as existing users facing new work styles.

[blog] Using OKF to provide long term context to your agent. You’ll solve this problem one way or another. Maybe OKF becomes a standard way for agents to store knowledge over time.

[blog] Three ways to save a billion tokens with Firebase AI Logic and on-device AI for Chrome. I built something with on-device AI this week, and definitely see the power and usefulness of it. And cost savings.

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