Pitch Craft demystifies the journey from idea to printed page for aspiring authors. Written by Laura Goode, a skilled writer and published author with years of experience in the writing and publishing industry. This book breaks down the often-intimidating publishing process into practical, digestible steps, providing solid, real-world examples. Each chapter is expertly crafted with Goode blending honesty and wit in each chapter, offering both encouragement and unflinching truths. Holding back no punches, she gives hard but relevant advice to aid newbie writers in transforming their passions into a finished, published work. Overall, the book explores key themes: 1) Developing yourself as an author; 2) How to sell yourself and your idea; and 3) How to reach out to agents and get published. This book makes the path to publication clearer, guiding writers through each step, with no costly MFA required. Both beginners and experienced writers will find it valuable.

There is wise, practical advice throughout this book.

Unfortunately, there are also leftist, woke diatribes sprinkled throughout the book that detract from the subject.
The virtue signaling is tiresome; it's so 2020.

Examples:
"I must also make a big, unignorable disclaimer: I am a white woman, raised by American-born parents with Western modes of financial literacy, educated in predominantly white institutions. My performance of confidence is racialized, as well as gendered, and it would be disingenuous for me to pretend otherwise. Like all white writers, whether they admit it in print or not, my pitches and professional trajectory have directly benefited from white supremacy. There is no way I can escape that my performance of confidence and its rewards are informed by whiteness."

"...failure of workplaces to include white women and women of color..." [Why not just say "women"? Be succinct!]

"I’m extremely tired of not being able to control the rampant misogyny in the world."

"• Buy Russian bots. (Strongly discouraged; glory to Ukraine.)"

"And fuck Donald Trump." (Location 1311 on Kindle).

I dislike Trump and I've never voted for a Republican, but it's distracting to read such statements.

The ultra-leftist, Marxist crowds in New York City's publishing circles will give her a high-five when they read such jabs, but the rest of the world will give a collective eye roll.

Such messages detract from the value of her otherwise valuable book, where she includes helpful tips, such as:

Your job in writing an effective pitch is to answer three questions:
• What does an audience likely already know about this subject?
• What about this subject may surprise them?
• Why should they care?

"Speaking of word counts, it is important to specify an estimated word count in your pitch, usually toward the pitch’s conclusion. At least specify a range: 700–800 words, 1,500–1,800 words."

"Keep track of your pitches. Online trackers such as Submittable and Duotrope both serve this purpose."

"To determine how much money to ask for, consult whopayswriters, consider what you’ve been paid for similar pieces in the past."

Write a "tight, propulsive summary of the book you’re proposing. Speak directly and emphatically to the four core pitch questions: Why me, why this, why now, and why do I need you involved?"

And much more actionable advice.

CONCLUSION: Excellent advice, but the unnecessary politically correct interjections are a turnoff, even if I agree with her perspective. They are inappropriate in a book about how to pitch to publishers.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

I always enjoy a good book about the craft of writing. This book was helpful in some ways. I found the writing formula-tic and the voice a little dull. I think a friendlier tone along with the useful information would make for a better read.

As a literary agent, I enjoyed the information relayed in Pitch Craft. I’ve gone through many years and rounds of querying my fiction manuscripts. The content was informative for first time queriers and even those who have lived in the trenches for far too long. There are other subjects for writers hoping to publish in other venues, which wasn’t applicable to me, but informational. I would recommend this book to all writers starting out on their journey or those authors needing some innovative ideas to expand their querying process or how to build their brand.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an easily-accessible book that is chock full of invaluable information for both novice and experienced authors. Absolutely worth the read if you're looking to publish.

A good introductory overview to crafting a pitch and getting an agent. I did appreciate the advice on what to do once you're offered agent representation, and the warning about how to spot and avoid publishing scams. I had hoped for slightly more in depth advice on writing pitches/query letters; most of this was basic stuff you'd easily find in places like author newsletters. Overall a useful starter guide of compiled information.

[This review will be posted on September 16th.]

I must preface this by saying I only read the parts that are relevant to me, specifically relating to querying novels. I found much of the advice to be at odds both with what I’ve heard agents say and what seems to be the general consensus. A tame example would be what kinds of comps you should use (how old, whether they should be other media).
Most of the explanations around query letters themselves serve as a basic introduction, but remains surface-level and contains nothing insightful. I was looking for concrete examples and advice on crafting pitches but those sections are incredibly brief. I’ve seen more in-depth blog posts.

Overall, this book was disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.