Imagine you’re on an elevator. While waiting to reach your floor, you small talk with another rider. During the chat you discover she’s an editor at Simon & Schuster. You courageously announce to her that you’re writing a book. She says, “So, what is your book about?”
You have ten seconds, what will you say? I have written three books and if I were on that elevator…
Let’s Talk about Race is a how-to for anyone who wants to have safe, honest and productive small group conversations about race.
Dear Son: Letters from a Birth Mother is a memoir. It’s a collection of 20 years of letters I wrote to the son I placed for adoption in 1980.
Nine Steps to Successful Nonfiction Magazine Writing is a workbook for novice writers who want to make money writing for magazines.
Notice in each of these samples that I don’t use more than 30 words. I include only my title and book hook. A hook gives just enough information to entice a bite. My general rule is you should be able to fit the title and hook of your book on the back of your business card.
The book hook should be short and to the point. A nonfiction book title and subtitle should tell exactly what your book is about. Don’t waste an editor or reader’s time with your eloquent prose. Just tell them what the book is about and wait for them to probe you further. If they’re interested, they will ask you to share more.
Now it’s your turn. Grab your business card and write your book title and hook on the back. Not as easy at it sounds, I know. When you get this done, memorize it…you never know who might be standing next to you in the elevator.
Happy writing,
Angela Dion
Dion Communications, LLC
The right words at the right time.
PO Box 21, White Plains, MD 20695-0021
301-645-9427
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Prompts for writers
