What can “Paul Bunyan,” “Bronc Burnett,” and the “Jolly Fisherman” do for you as a writer? Answer: Follow their leads to get your manuscript read by an agent or an editor.

BE A LUMBERJACK AND YOU’RE OKAY

Everyone knows Paul Bunyan is a folkloric lumberjack of American tall tales symbolizing the logging industry, and log lines have come to symbolize the “one sentence description of a manuscript.” This sentence should have a strong emotional connection to the prospective reader basically telling what the story is about in approximately fifteen words.

It is as difficult to summarize a novel into one sentence as it is for a logger to choose one tree to represent the entire forest. Therefore, we, as writers, must look to what makes our manuscript exciting and different from the one sitting next to it. That would be how we get the reader interested at the onset. We use the log line, the summary sentence that gets the reader excited about reading what follows.

If we take the time to construct a log line it will serve us well in those one to one moments, and it might be just a moment, when we find ourselves face to face with an agent or editor, who we believe might be interested in our story. The log line will save you anxiety and time in making your pitch.

Let’s look at some log lines that would work for two well known books (and one I’m hoping will be well known):

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko – Middle Grade Novel
A twelve-year-old boy, moved to Alcatraz in 1935 with his family, must choose between his love of baseball and the needs of his autistic sister.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Young Adult Novel
In the ruins of a place once known as North America twelve boys and twelve girls must fight to the death on live TV.

Rock Star Santa by Gayle C. Krause – Picture Book
A boy attends a rock concert starring Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

AND THE PITCH IS GOOD

Which leads us to our next communication tool, the “perfect pitch.” Bronc Burnett, Ace Pitcher, sends the baseball exactly where it does his team the most good. You are your own team, and the best pitcher you have is you. Develop your message carefully. It will help you sell your manuscript.

Sometimes we find ourselves tongue-tied when he are presented with the perfect selling opportunity. We know what our novel is about, but we find ourselves blabbering on trying to get every point in the discussion. Stop! This only guarantees that we “strike out.” Gather your thoughts and present the “perfect pitch,” one that gives the agent or editor just enough information to whet their reading appetite.

They can only know what you tell them, so make it worth your while. They don’t need all the intricacies of the plot, or the protagonist’s flaws. Realize that you are only one of many who are vying for this person’s attention. Make your “pitch” count with as little effort on the listener’s part as possible. Get to the point. “Fast pitch!” If it’s good, they’ll remember it and you won’t just be another fish in the sea.

Let’s look at our three example books again. What pitches might we make? Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko – A Middle Grade Novel
A coming of age story set on Alcatraz Island in 1935 where a boy discovers that “family” is the most important aspect of life and that even a notorious criminal has a soft spot when it comes to family.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Young Adult Novel
A sixteen-year-old girl becomes a contender in the fight for her life and must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Rock Star Santa by Gayle C. Krause – Picture Book
A rhyming seasonal story about how Santa and his rowdy reindeer band rock the house on Christmas Eve!

BAITING A SHARP HOOK

Like the Jolly Fisherman, we’ll end up with the “catch of the day,” if we follow his expertise. Fishermen make their living with hooks, and every writer, too, is aware of “the hook.” But ours usually refers to the first line or paragraph of a story. Some are strategically placed in cover letters, as well. It is the first impression the agent or editor has of your manuscript when you send it to their office and it may mean the difference between reading the rest of the page, let alone the rest of the manuscript.

Editors are so swamped they rarely have the luxury of reading the entire submission you so carefully prepare for them. This is where the “hook” counts. Remember it represents the entire story so the first thing to do is to identify what is most important in the tale you tell. Decide what element of your story is the most compelling and use it to “bait” the reader. It should be present in the hook, not lost in a jumble of words the agent or editor must decipher.

Like our two other tools, less is more in “the hook.” A good fisherman knows where the best fishing area is that will ensure his successful bounty, and doesn’t waste time with random spots. So must the writer know what parts of his story will ensure a successful “catch,” thus leading to representation or a publishing contract.

Now, look at how these three authors hooked the reader with their opening lines:

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko – Middle Grade Novel
Today I moved to a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water. Alcatraz sits smack in the middle of the bay—so close to the city of San Francisco, I can hear them call the score on a baseball game on Marina Green. Okay, not that close. But still.

IS YOUR TOOLKIT PACKED?

Though the lumberjack, the pitcher and the fisherman represent communication tools to aid us in our publishing quest, the ultimate reward cannot be gained if the story behind the log line, the pitch or the hook is not exceptionally written, so once the novel is as good as it can be, search the forest for the special tree, aim for the strike zone and prepare that hook.