Getting Your Elevator Pitch to Get a Rise

I’ve had one children’s manuscript done for a bit. But to get my elevator pitch down to a succinct, compelling, “I want to know more” one or two lines just bedevils me. (October Halloween talk). I write it, practice it, memorize it, rewrite it, re-memorize, and it goes on and on. I love my characters. I should let them give their elevator pitch.

I’ve been in corporate marketing for years. The elevator pitch is practically gospel. You need to be able to succinctly and convincingly pitch what you are selling in the time it takes to take an elevator ride from the ground floor to the top floor. And for every product, market, or service I’ve worked on, I can recite the elevator pitch and value proposition like chewing gum.

So why is it so hard with my books. I trip over my mouth giving too much information or not the right information. Sometimes I see or imagine that glazed look over the listener’s eyes.

I know, just like rewriting a manuscript to a polished piece, I need to go back to the elevator pitch and practice, practice, practice.  And let my protagonist do her own talking.