{"id":894513,"date":"2026-03-12T15:29:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=894513"},"modified":"2026-03-12T15:32:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:32:19","slug":"7-top-tips-for-pitching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/7-top-tips-for-pitching\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Top Tips for Pitching"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the return of Meet Your Match coming up, we wanted to share the advice of our Meet Your Match 2024 winner, Alessandra Ranelli, to get her top tips for polishing your pitch until it shines. This advice originally appeared in our newsletter in April 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alessandra’s debut novel Murder at the Hotel Orient will be published in the UK on the 30th April 2026 (pre-order here<\/a>) and in the US on the 19th May 2026 (pre-order here)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Greetings Writers,

My name is Alessandra Ranelli and I\u2019ve kidnapped the Jericho Writers newsletter, and I\u2019m holding it prisoner until you read my pitching advice.

Now, why should you listen to me? Well, I\u2019ve won three pitch contests. Most recently, Jericho Writers chose my pitch out of 378 entries as the winner of their Meet Your Match pitch contest on Twitter\/X.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"image\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Here is my one-line version of my previous pitch:

KNIVES OUT meets THE GUEST LIST in this contemporary mystery with a golden age feel and a queer twist, where a locked-room murder exposes the scandals of Vienna\u2019s infamous Hotel Orient, a real love hotel where no cameras are allowed, no names are given, and every anonymous guest has secrets.<\/strong>

So, without further ado, here are my quick tips to refine your pitch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Four Things Your Pitch (Probably) Needs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. A Hook<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know, you\u2019re sick of reading this advice. If you already know your hook, great. If you need help, I recommend a technique I call Finding your Glimmer, <\/em>which is part of my pitching ritual.<\/em> Meditate, and recall the initial idea, moment, or question that inspired you. Chances are, that initial spark is closely related to the hook that will make readers buy your book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Be the Same but Different<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can feel you rolling your eyes. Here is a trick: use the comp title plus a clarification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my query letter, I quote from one agent who described my book as a \u201cNaughty version of THE MAID.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n