Hey #WritingCommunity! I’m seeing a lot of new faces for this month’s #PitMad. If you’re new, welcome! In the feed below I’ve put ten “Kinda Good” tips on how to get oneself PitMad ready! If you're participating, comment below and we can boost each other for MAX FRIENDSHIP.

ONE: Every good pitch highlights three elements: Your MC, the conflict, and the stakes. Who is your MC, what do they want/don’t want, and what will happen if they succeed/fail? There are some good pitches from previous Pitmads if you look under the feed.

TWO: If you can fit it in, try to add your book’s comparative titles in your pitch. Ex: THE GOOD PLACE meets CARAVAL. It gives an agent a better understanding of where you think your book falls in its genre, which could increase your likes.

TWO (Cont): On this note, it’s unwise to use popular titles as your comparative works. Ex: Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games. Agents want to see an author is staying current in their genre, so try to also keep the titles relatively new. (Within the last five years if possible)

THREE: Make sure when you do send out your pitches, that your best tweet is tweeted first. In my experience, your first pitch is the one most likely to gain agent/editor attention. I’d also suggest having your first tweet sent within one hour of #PitMad opening.

FOUR: You’re allowed 3 tweets per manuscript, so make sure your tweets are spaced a good amount of time. You don’t want to use them up in the first two hours; some agents view the feed late and may not see yours. A good measure is one tweet per 3-4 hours.

FIVE: After your send out your best pitch, do your fans a favor and pin the tweet to your profile. That way they don’t have to scour the #PitMad feed looking for yours to RT.

SIX: If you have a festive screen name—"Alex is ROCKING NANO2019"—do yourself a favor and change it to your real name before #PitMad. I’ve seen tweets from agents who say they pass over authors with incomplete names. Better to be safe than sorry.

SEVEN: If #PitMad falls under a time you can’t be at a computer, you can schedule your tweets in advance at TweetDeck. It’s free, there’s no download necessary, and it’ll store your tweets until a time you designate. Win win!

EIGHT: The best way to fight pitching jitters? MAKE FRIENDS. SOCIALIZE. We’re all in this together. Pitching contests are a great way to connect with other imaginative souls. For me personally, some of the best people I know I met here. (No one made me say that XD)

NINE: This is a big one. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The #WritingCommunity is filled with caring, compassionate people who’re willing to help you craft pitches. Keep an eye out for many pitch-related advice feeds, such as #MockPit.

TEN: Lastly. It’s important to remember that if an agent doesn’t like your pitch, it doesn’t mean your book premise sucks. The feed will get VERY crowded on #PitMad and agents only have so many hours. Pitching is all about luck and attrition. Keep at it! You’re almost there. :)