Wednesday, March 01, 2017

The Insecure Writer's Support Group Twitter Pitch Party and New Book Formatting Prices

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.


Optional question of the month - Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

I’m actually working on an old story right now. I have two stories completed one half finished for my Four in Darkness book. I had two other ideas, but the ghost one just isn’t working. (Which is a shame as it had a great ending.) So for the 4th story, I’m rewriting a story I put together in my 20s called The Frozen Soul. This one will be The Alien. (The others are The Vampire, The Werewolf, and The Shark.)


Our big announcement today:

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Twitter Pitch Party!
 
#IWSGPit

July 27, 2017

8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time

All writers and authors are invited to participate in our very first Twitter Pitch. Invite your writer friends and your publisher/agent.

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On July 27, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query.

Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents.

Rules:

Writers may send out 1 Twitter pitch every 1 hour per manuscript.

Publishers/Agents will favorite/heart pitches they are interested in. Publishers can either Tweet basic submission guidelines or direct writers to their submission guidelines. (Writers, please do not favorite/heart pitches.)

Pitches must include GENRE/AGE and the hashtag #IWSGPit. (See site for list.)

Please join us on July 27!


We have some great new swag up at the site - now you can buy mugs and erasers, too. Visit the Swag page.


I’ve also reduced my prices for print and ebook formatting:

Print - $60
Ebook - $30
Combo - $75

I’ve formatting hundreds of books for Dancing Lemur Press LLC and clients. Custom work and fast turnaround. See Spunk On A Stick for full details.


Think you might join us on July 27?

67 comments:

The Cynical Sailor said...

The IWSG Twitter Pitch event sounds interesting. Shame I'm not on Twitter :-( I'm beginning to think I should look into it as so many writers seem to use it as one of their main social media outlets.

nashvillecats2 said...

Good luck with your new project on an older writing. Also thanks for the tips. They prove to most valuable to writers.
Have a happy March.

Yvonne.

Jennifer Hawes said...

At least you can sense when something isn't working. Sounds like you have some other projects from the past that might work!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Awesome that you're reworking something old right now. And the pitch party sounds like a great opportunity for some people in the group.

Yolanda Renée said...

A Twitter pitch sounds like fun! I'll check it out. Love learning new things.

Congrats on the new stories. Does hurt just a little to shelve something, but maybe later. That's what I'm hoping!

Bish Denham said...

Oh a twitter pitch... I'll have to think about it. I don't know how you do all you do, Diane. You da bomb!

Valerie-Jael said...

Great idea ti rework old books/projects. I've never done this with books, abut often do it with art. Hugs, Valerie

Christine Rains said...

Fantastic to work on old stories! Such awesome things are coming from the IWSG. :)

Mason Canyon said...

The Twitter Pitch sounds like it will be a blast and productive. Also sounds like your unfinished stories are coming together with some fun twists. Too bad the ghost story didn't work out.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Like you, I'm thinking about ordering that mug even though I have too many already. Those are great prices for book formatting. I'll pass it on.

J.Q. Rose said...

Congrats on #4 and the opportunity to re work an old story. Best wishes with the "re-write!."

I'm not on Twitter...yet. I tried it when it was in its infancy and got some weird tweets. Scared me off, but it is probably more secure with better filters? I hope.

I'd love to have my memoir ready to pitch by July 27. This deadline may help me move on with the ms. Thanks for all you do at IWSG!


Unknown said...

Congrats on having so many books completed (or half-completed) and resurrecting an old story to add to the group! It's really nice that you do formatting for people. I hope you get a lot of takers! Have a great Wednesday!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Ellen, a lot of people are.

Bish, it's a juggling act.

Karen, be happy to!

Mason, it had the best ending, too.

Thank you, Susan.

Lexa, now that I'm not insanely busy, I hope so.

LD Masterson said...

Most of my old writings are good for a few laughs (no, they weren't meant to be humorous), but there have been a couple that yielded a nugget worth saving. I'm very interested in the Twitter Pitch.

Arlee Bird said...

July 27th is really planning ahead! Sounds like an interesting and useful concept. I'm usually on vacation about this time. Still not sure what I'm doing this summer though.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Rachna Chhabria said...

Good luck with rewriting your 4th story, Diane. I am excited for the IWSG Twitter Pitch Party on 27th July!

Loni Townsend said...

I hope your rework works out! I'm not very pitchy when it comes to Twitter, but I bet you get a lot of participation in the event. I know a lot of people who enjoy those.

Crystal Collier said...

I participated in pitch madness forever ago, and it was such a rush! I hope anyone who hasn't tried twitter pitching will take a chance on this. SO much fun. =)

Sandra Cox said...

Happy March 1, Di.
The twitter pitch sounds like fun.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Good luck with your Four in Darkness book. It's great that you're working on an older story. I already want to read it.
Maybe I'll have something ready for the Twitter pitch. Sounds like fun. Must get busy.

Chrys Fey said...

I think it's great that you're working on an old story now. :)

Computer Tutor said...

So much going on! Love that you're still working on older stories. It gives me hope.

Stephen Tremp said...

Diane have you considered making the ghost story into a short novella? Maybe 70 pages or so. Shame to not use a great ending.

Tamara Narayan said...

I love the idea of this Twitter pitch. Could someone put together some sample pitches for those of us who are Twitter newbies when it gets closer perhaps?

Gwen Gardner said...

Oh, you know I love ghost stories, LOL. You should finish it.

Will probably need formatting at the end of the year and I know you're good!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Best wishes for your rewrite and for your formatting side of the business.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of a Twitter Pitch before. What a great way to get the word out about your book. I hope you'll finish that ghost story one day.

Jemi Fraser said...

I love the idea of the twitter pitch party!
When I (finally!) get to the point of pubbing, I'll be looking you up :)

Jen said...

I'm reworking an old idea now. The original was written several years ago and it needs some serious revision but I LOVE its potential. It's also teaching me loads about killing my darlings. Trust me; there are many, many darlings dying over here!!

Best of luck with your new stories!

The Twitter Pitch sounds really interesting. I'll keep whipping those remaining darlings into shape and see what I can come up with between now and then. I'd love to be able to pitch something, especially since July 27 is my birthday :D

Cheers,
Jen

Erika Beebe said...

The sound of your rework sounds really interesting. A vampire, werewolf, shark and alien? Hmmm...my mind is spinning with possibility. I bet the twitter pitch will be amazing :)

Sadira Stone said...

Thanks for setting up the Twitter pitch party!

Tyrean Martinson said...

I just realized the twitter pitch event is on my youngest's birthday. Hmm. I still want to participate, but it might not be every hour.
Thanks for letting us know about the swag and the formatting!

Heather M. Gardner said...

Good luck on all your writing!
I admire your work ethic!
Those stories sound right up my alley. :)

Heather

Nicki Elson said...

Ooh, those are great prices - especially for someone with your experience. I'll spread the word.

Maybe you can use that great ending something else some time.

Ann Bennett said...

Wow, so much information. Good to know about reworking old stories. The twitter pitch party looks like a good way to test the waters. Good to know the formatting prices.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Loni, I have fun participating with DLP.

Stephen, I just need to fix the saggy middle. If I do that, I might make it Five in Darkness.

Gwen, thank you! Be happy to.

Jen, kill those suckers.

Tyrean, fortunately we gave it a big window.

Dean K Miller said...

You've always got so many irons in the fire. Impressed and inspired!

dolorah said...

That's good pricing for ebook formatting. Not something I'll attempt myself, but who knows, I may (cringes) someday self publish that drawer project. If I ever get the first chapter fixed. I will definitely be calling on you.

So many exciting things with IWSG. I don't have a twitter account, I'm far too loquacious for short sentences.

Its too bad one of your story picks didn't work out. You seem to have embraced the adventure of recreating a forgotten story. Seems like fun, if not what you planned on. Awesome that you did not let the hiccup hold you back.

Juneta key said...

Sounds like you have some cool stuff happening.
Happy IWSG Day!
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Olga Godim said...

I like the titles of your four-some stories. Good luck with them.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Good luck with the old story you're working on!

Denise Covey said...

IWSG Twitter Pitch. Really? I'll have to look at that if I have time. As you know I'm busy road trippin' across Outback Oz.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

The Twitter Pitch will rock!

Patricia Stoltey said...

Thanks for the info on format pricing.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

My really old stories are too embarrassing for a book, but they're pretty humorous (though that wasn't my intent). I'm glad yours is worthy of public consumption, Spunk.

J E Oneil said...

It's too bad that the story wasn't working out. Maybe you'll find a way to rework it into something else :)

Jo said...

Sounds an interesting book Diane.

Yvonne Ventresca said...

Good luck with the story! And the twitter pitch sounds like a great opportunity. :)

H. R. Sinclair said...

I love the new stuff you're working on. The shark will be the most anticipated release when it comes out! The pitch party should be fun. They are fun to participate in and super fun to watch all the pitches go up.

Sherry Ellis said...

Good luck with your manuscript! It's fun when you get to revisit old ones. Thanks for the info on your formatting services. I'll keep that in the back of my mind.

Kristin Smith said...

The IWSG Twitter Pitch Party sounds awesome! What a great idea! I'll definitely help spread the word.

Cherie Reich said...

Maybe you'll figure out the ghost one at a later time. Sometimes stories aren't ready to be written. :)

That's cool about the Pitch Party.

Maurice Mitchell said...

That's an inspiring idea since Twitter is a great place to connect with people. I'll try and participate. As a non-writer I imagine you come up with all kinds of ideas that you can can reuse

J.H. Moncrieff said...

I'm definitely down for the Twitter pitch session! Hopefully a lot of good agents and editors will take part. I've participated in quite a few that were trolled by vanity presses and scam agents, so if you guys need an "author beware" post beforehand, drop me a line!

Sandra Cox said...

Sounds like you've got a lot of wonderful stories bubbling in the kettle.
Enjoy your Sunday.

Nick Wilford said...

Sounds like an interesting bunch of stories you're putting together. I'm mulling over taking part in the pitch party, but I'll definitely promote it!

Karen Lange said...

The Twitter pitch party sounds interesting. Will have to mark my calendar. Have a great week!

Jennifer Shirk said...

Actually, I DID rework something--it was a book I wrote and submitted back in 2005 that was rejected constantly. I always liked the characters but I really didn't know what to do with it. But then in 2013, I decided to rework since I had a better idea of what was wrong with more writing experience. I ended up rewriting about 45% of it. Submitted it, finally sold it, and it became a #1 Amazon best seller in series romance! Fiancé by Fate is the name of the book, but it was originally called Anything for Love. LOL

Sandra Cox said...

Happy Monday, Di!
How are the rewrites going?

Michelle Wallace said...

Diane, I wish that I had stories from my 20's that I could take out and look at with a fresh "decades-later" perspective.
Back then, besides reading up a storm, I was busy writing those 'angsty' post-teen poems.
That's the disadvantage of being a "late bloomer" in the writing department...

Always exciting stuff going on in your creative life...hard work too!

emaginette said...

The stories sound great. I hope to hear more about them. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Carol Kilgore said...

I think it's great you're having a pitch party. Also good to know about your formatting and layout pricing.

Sandra Cox said...

You know I bet if you're just setting your ghost story aside, when you come back to it at a later date, it will click.
Have a sunny, colorful day.

Dihiwi said...

What a neat service you offer in formatting. Good luck with working on your old story. I'll have to check out your Four in Darkness book. Found you through the IWSG. I'm currently writing a mystery/thriller novel but also have some fun with my blog for shorter, real-life accounts. Have a good week. http://www.dianeweidenbenner.com/iwsg-chicken-or-the-egg/

DMS said...

Glad you are able to rework an older piece and that it is working! Awesome!

The Twitter Pitch Party sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing. :)
~Jess

Nasreen said...

That Twitter pitch sounds awesome. Would be good for some people...I'm sharing to my other group about this.

Sandra Cox said...

Happy Monday, Di.
And I echo, Diane W. Formatting is a great service to offer.