Marketing Basics: Perfecting Your Pitch

Poor salesman that I am, I usually hedge when people ask me what my book is about.

I do this for two reasons:

a)  Demographic reading this blog aside, the words "Jake Gyllenhaal" are often more likely to inspire concern over my mental wellbeing than interest in buying my book.

b)  It's possible I don't know what the book is about.

It's kind of like asking what life is about.  Who even knows?  And the book's about life.  But with Jake Gyllenhaal.

About a year ago, when all I had to my name was a Word document and delusional visions of grandeur (for it's always easier to envision your successes in life before you've put yourself out there), I took a continuing education class to learn how to become published.  I was a few minutes late to class, so the only seat was in the very back row.  Everyone else had already gone around to talk about their book ideas; before I even sat down, I was prompted, "So what's your book?"

"It's called I'm Stalking Jake!  It's about a blog I used to write," I said.

"Interesting," said The Professor.

"Yeah, the blog was actually about Jake Gyllenhaal.  You know, the actor?"

And in complete seriousness, The Professor asked, "Oh?  Were you and Jake an item?"

Every female head in the room turned around in unison to look at me.

I was still laughing five minutes later.

No, that's not what the book is about.

(But I will continue to actively encourage anyone who has read it to try to sum it up.)

Some guy...I don't know his name...