I probably get the question once or twice a week. People know I’m a writer so it almost always comes up in conversation.
“So, are you working on a book?” Filled with dread about the next question, I answer, “Yes, actually.”
“What’s it about?”
Most of the time I fumble through a wandering explanation of what I’m writing. It almost always gets a response like, “huh” or “cool” or “that’s nice.”
What if instead, we had a short and succinct way to describe what we are working on?
What are the two sentences that we could use to describe our work?
Have you heard of the concept of an elevator pitch? Imagine you are in an elevator. You hit the button for your floor and another person in the elevator with you asks what you do. You tell them you are a writer. They ask about your books. You have only a few seconds before that door opens and one of you arrives at your floor.
Here is a template that I think can help. It describes the problem your book solves and the goal your audience will aspire to. Ideally, people respond with questions to learn more and you start a conversation about your work.
Book Elevator Pitch Template
You know how _____ [problem]?
Well this book helps _____ [audience] do _____ [goal] more _____ [adverb, adjective].
Here are a few examples based on the books I have lying around in my office:
Getting Things Done by David Allen
You know how most people are overwhelmed with too many things to do?
Well this book helps busy people get organized and feel accomplished.
The War of Art by Stehven Pressfield
You know how writers and artists never get rid of that feeling that they are a fraud? You know how they procrastinate or fail to finish their work?
Well this book helps artists identify the enemy (Resistance) and provides the support they need to overcome their fear and ship their work.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
You know how most married couples have a hard time communicating?
Well this book helps couples understand how their partners send and receive love differently so they can communicate more effectively.
Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
You know how Christian theology seems so complicated?
Well this book helps Christians and people who want to learn more about Christianity understand more clearly what they believe.
A Book Elevator Pitch Exercise
Here is an attempt to come up with an elevator pitch for my recent books.
The exercise is pretty simple. Just fill in the blanks:
You know how _____ [problem]?
Well this book helps _____ [audience] do _____ [goal] more _____ [adverb, adjective].
Going through this exercise is extremely helpful in marketing the book, but it also helps clarify the purpose of a project you are working on right now. The better you can articulate what your book is actually about, the better you can make it by taking out everything that doesn’t contribute to that one problem and goal.
31 Days to Become a Better Religious Educator
You know how it is hard to remember all the important things we need to do to teach young people about the faith?
Well this book breaks down all the most important things religious educators need to do and offers tools, tips, strategies, and exercises to go through each day to help form better habits.
To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach
You know how Christians and ministers turn people away by focusing almost exclusively on what the Church teaches?
Well this book shows ministers how they can follow Jesus’ example of healing, proclaim, and teaching in the way they evangelize others.
Praying the Angelus
You know how people have heard of the Angelus prayer and the church bells ringing throughout the day, but never really understood why it is important and what the prayer means?
Well this book helps Catholics discover the hidden benefits of the devotion and through these prayers transform their lives.
[Unnamed current project]
You know how students in religious education classrooms are bored and uninterested in learning about Church teachings?
Well this book helps religious educators plan lessons that guide students into an engaging encounter with Christ—no matter what they are learning—using Lectio Divina as a guide.
