#PitMad works! Let’s start there. I stumbled onto #PitMad in early 2015, when I was in the process of writing my first novel. Reading through the various pitches inspired me to knuckle down and finish my manuscript.

Two manuscripts and several #PitMads later, I got the Like that changed everything. I sent off my requested pages, and not long after, I had The Call. Have faith, writers, it can and will happen from a twitter pitch party. But in order to stand out, you have to follow the rules.

To be successful for #PitMad:

1. Have a completed and polished manuscript ready.

You must be ready for querying (see my tips on queries here). #PitMad helps you jump over the slush pile, and you shouldn’t take that lightly. Show up to impress!

2. FOLLOW THE RULES.

I can’t stress this one enough. Click that hyperlink and memorize the rules. Play fair. The number of writers participating has grown over the past few years, and spamming the feed will do you no favors. ONLY. THREE. PITCHES. PER. MANUSCRIPT. Space them out to make them count. Pin the first one of the day (posted earlier in the timeframe) to your profile so it’s easier to find.

3. Keep your pitches direct & use comps.

You want your three pitches to count. Give the stakes, the plot, and the age/genre. You have 280 characters, minus #PitMad, #age, and #genre. Comps are helpful because you can convey a larger message with a shorter phrase. My comps were WILD X DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Use your comps wisely and try to use more recent books if you can.

The pitch that landed my agent was:

WILD X DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Cruel boss, attractive ranger & scorpions won’t stop city girl from completing job @ Grand Canyon. #Pitmad #WF #A

4. Use Tweetdeck if you’re going to be at work during the day.

Tweetdeck is free and easy to use. You can schedule your tweets weeks in advance. Just make sure you schedule between the hours of 8AM-8PM Eastern. tweetdeck.twitter.com can be your best friend during pitch events.

5. Have your submission materials ready to go.

Have your query, your synopsis, and your pages on deck. Ask a friend to look at your pitches and your submission materials to check for errors and continuity. You don’t want to pitch a concept that doesn’t come through in your query. You also don’t want errors. Lots of writers will be willing to help review these, just ask on one of the writing threads!

Note: Also check submission guidelines. Sometimes this is different for a pitch event than normal querying. You also don’t have to submit to everyone who likes your pitch; do your due diligence before hitting send.

Prepare, play fair, and have fun! I’ll be there to retweet my support.