Book Pitch Spotlight – Call for Entries

As part of the Literary Sofa’s fast approaching 10^th anniversary celebrations, in early October I’m hoping to dedicate a post to 50-word book pitches* from unagented writers, featuring the 10 best ones in my opinion – and it is only my opinion! They will be chosen on the strength of the pitch, not my personal taste, so it can be any adult genre written in English, including narrative non-fiction.

Any title included which subsequently makes it to publication is guaranteed a second mention on the Sofa.

I will also pick an overall winner, who can choose between

• advice on a submission package
• critique of max 3000 words of a novel or short story
• a one hour Zoom chat (or coffee in London) about anything writing related

To be absolutely clear, I am not an agent or publisher (my bio is here) and can’t promise any game-changing outcomes, but this blog is read by a lot of people in the business as well as many keen readers – and if the last ten years has taught me anything, it’s that you never know…

Above all, this spotlight is intended to celebrate and encourage the talent and perseverance of writers on the road to publication. In the last ten years I and many followers of the blog have put in the hours (thousands), survived the knocks (not thousands, but sometimes it feels like it) and are proud to have novels out there being read, reviewed and talked about. It’s so important to keep believing it could be you!

TO ENTER: DEADLINE 30 SEPTEMBER midnight UK time

I have temporarily reinstated the Contact page on the blog to make it easy to enter. Go to the page and paste your max 50 word pitch and your author name. Please do not include anything else.

Unagented writers of ALL backgrounds, ages, levels of experience etc are welcome to enter. (If you already have an agent, they wouldn’t thank either of us for interfering in the process of selling your book.)

Works which have already been published or accepted for publication are not eligible.

Come on then, reel me in!

*You need to decide what makes your book sound irresistibly compelling and unique. Here’s a sample 50 word pitch for my second novel Scent published earlier this year (it seems to be working):

The cracks in Clémentine and Édouard’s marriage are becoming impossible to ignore.  Her work as a perfumer is no longer providing solace and her sense of self is withering.  Then, decades after the end of a bisexual love triangle, Clémentine’s former lover resurfaces. What does she want, if not revenge?