In the past two weeks, I participated in three different Twitter pitch parties per the suggestion of my agent. Faithpitch, SFFpit, and IWSGpit.
The idea was simple. Pitch a brief blurb about your book and add the appropriate hashtags for the pitch party and genre, and a publisher might like your pitch. Authors can retweet pitches they like in hopes that they get more views and hopefully reach the eyes of a publisher. It's difficult during certain hours because there's a lot of traffic.
I tried to post every hour for each (had to call it quits some hours due to tech week and play rehearsals). It was a lot of fun, and I saw so many great pitches that I as an agent had a chance to like.
Pitching roughly three works for one party and four for the other, I got 12 likes from publishers (17 if we're including vanity). Two of them have read the proposals and asked for a full manuscript.
Beneath the reasons to participate, I've provided broken down analytics for my most recent party I participated in: IWSGpit. I measured the analytics a day after the event (although a publisher did like a pitch two days afterward).
1. It's fun. A lot of fun. And addicting.
2. It's a great way to see into the minds of other authors. So many creative ideas!
3. It's worth a shot to pitch to a publisher or agent.
4. And even if all else fails, it's good practice for when you pitch at writing conferences.
Here are some analytics from the most recent Twitter Pitch Party.
IWSG Stats
Number of tweets: 39
Likes: 12 (5 Vanity, 7 Traditional)
Retweets: 22
Engagements: 125
Impressions: 11,087
1 like per 3 pitches
1 like per 923 impressions
1 like per 10 engagements
Times that got a like or two:
8:00 A.M.
8:33 A.M.
9:20 A.M.
9:33 A.M.
9:34 A.M.
2:49 P.M.
3:56 P.M.
3:57 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
4:22 P.M.
5:01 P.M.
6:03 P.M.
Tweets that got a like for that party:
AVENGERS X eHarmony A villain and superhero meet on a dating site. They chat. They fight. They fall in love. #IWSGPit #YA #R #SF (Agented Author)
INCEPTION X IF I STAY Luke can't pick a favorite color. Now he has to pick which of his friends dies in a dream. #IWSGPit #AD #YA #MCT (Agented Author)
Cortex is a Japanese superhero wannabe. V is a villain who can't seem to keep a hero without killing them on the first fight. They're matched on a hero/villain dating site. What could possibly go wrong? #IWSGPit #YA #R #SF (Agented Author)
Harper hates people. Which turns out to be a problem when she runs into a man from the Greek Dark Ages in the British Museum ... who just so happens to be on the run from an ex-archeologist. Great. #IWSGPit #YA #timetravel #SF #R (Agented Author)
Ingredients for Dream Murder: 1 Indecisive Main Character (softened) 2 Polar Opposite Best Friends 1 Sassy dream guide in black lipstick 1 Death Cook Time: Eight Days #IWSGPit #YA #AD #MCT (Agented Author)
V and Cortex meet on Meta-Match, a site that pairs villains and heroes, as potential nemeses. They connect in more ways than their animosity. AVENGERS X eHarmony (AGENTED AUTHOR) #IWSGPit #YA #R #SF
When Clyde gets his horns stuck in a bush and the Briar Department can't get him out, it's up to Yuni The Unicorn Without A Horn to rescue him. #IWSGpit #C #PB #F (Agented Author)
AVENGERS X eHarmony (AGENTED AUTHOR) V and Cortex meet on Meta-Match, a site that pairs villains and heroes, as potential nemeses. They connect in more ways than their animosity. #IWSGPit #YA #R #SF
IF I STAY X INCEPTION Luke has eight days to decide which of his friends dies in a dream. (Agented Author) #IWSGpit #YA #AD #MCT
(AGENTED AUTHOR) Harper wasn’t expecting to find a man from the Greek Dark Ages in the British Museum. Nor to fall in love with him. #IWSGpit #YA #SF #R
IF I STAY X INCEPTION Luke has eight days to decide which of his friends dies in a dream. #IWSGpit #YA #AD #MCT
DOCTOR WHO X WATERFALL (AGENTED AUTHOR) When Harper finds a man from the Greek Dark Ages in the British Museum, she seeks the help of her uncle before an ex-archaeologist kidnaps him. #IWSGpit #YA #SF #R
AGAIN, it's a lot. And a lot of repetition. But a little persistence and a lot of fun is worth it for these parties.