Getting an Agent or Publisher's Attention

This post is going to be short and sweet as it fits the topic which is doing the quick "elevator pitch" to an agent or publisher. How do you describe your 50,000 to 150,000 word opus in just a sentence or two? Can it really be done. Of course the answer is yes. But what is the key to doing it?

I've read many different thoughts on this, but I just read an article that really hit the mark for me. When you are talking about your story make sure you highlight an event that happens to people the reader can care about.

Here's an example that was given of using a ho-hum pitch and turning it into something that pops...
SNORE:“A burning skyscraper threatens the lives of thousands, including a pregnant woman trapped on the top floor.”
THAT ROCKS: “A former firefighter, fired for insubordination, races to save the lives of thousands of people in a burning skyscraper, including his pregnant wife.”

This article came from Writer's Digest. If you're a writer, it really makes sense to subscribe to this service. I'm not suggesting you subscribe to the paid service, unless you have lots of money, just the free one. They may send you a lot of junk email, but frequently they throw in a gem like this. If you'd like to read more on this, click here.