Assignment 2: It’s a scary thing – the one sheet. You’ve either never heard of it or you’re unsure how or what to do to prepare one.
The one sheet, also known as a pitch sheet, is just what the name says. It’s one simple page with the pertinent information an agent or publisher needs. When you’re gearing up for conference season and your manuscript is polished and ready for presentation, it’s important to have a one sheet handy.
It’s been said, a writer should be able to bolt out of a dead sleep and recite their elevator pitch. A one sheet is a nice back up to help you make your presentation to an editor or agent smooth, concise, and impressive. Once you’ve totally blown publishing professionals away with your pitch, they can carry your one sheet back to the office and have all the valuable details they need to contact you and request the proposal and manuscript.
A one sheet should contain the following information:
* Title
* Genre, word count, and if the manuscript is complete or estimated time it will be finished (i.e. Historial Fiction, 90,000 words, completed)
* Targeted audience (Women 25-40, Young Adult, etc.)
* Two or three short, knock-out paragraphs about the book that makes those agents hungry for more (think back book text).
* Professional Bio – Remember make it concise, relevant, and professional. It doesn’t need to contain every writing credit you’ve ever done. Only what is
current and creditable. Show your personality and flare but don’t over do it. Editors don’t care if you have six dogs and nine cats.
* Current, high-resolution photo – Investing in a few professional shots is well worth your money. It’s much better than you on the beach, in shorts with
frog-eyed sunglasses – cute but not professional.
* Website and contact information. Please, please, please, if you don’t already have one, get an email that contains your name. Don’t give a publisher your family fun email address ([email protected]). A) They would not open a return email from an off-the-wall email address for fear of cyber attack or shady content. B) They can’t connect you to jellyjaws. Again, cute but not professional. If you have an agent, you’ll use their contact information.
Pare this information down to the sharpest and tightest writing you can do, place it nicely on the front of ONE SHEET and you’re ready to roll.
Click the link for a sample one sheet.
MAE IN JUNEonesheetJune2010
Your assignment is to make your one sheet. Bring it with you to Boot Camp so you’ll have it to present to editors, agents, and publishers.
How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience - Assignment 7
Cindy Sproles
2/12/2022
Spitshine that Work - Assignment 6
Cindy Sproles
2/4/2022
Don't Write Your Bio - Write WHY ME? - Assignment 5
Bob Hostetler
1/28/2022
Sensory Perception Enhances Your Writing - Assignment 4
Cindy Sproles
1/22/2022
January 16, Assignment 3 - Bring Your Characters to Life
Cindy Sproles
1/16/2022
Assignment 2 - Titles & Sentences - Nancy Lohr
Cindy Sproles
1/8/2022
An Adjective Safari - Assignment 1
Denise Loock
1/5/2022
Assignment 6 - Creative Non-Fiction
Cindy Sproles
2/15/2021
Assignment 5 - Don't Waste Your Conference Experience
Cindy Sproles
2/6/2021
January 24, Assignment Four - Time to Shoot the Weasel Words
Cindy Sproles
1/24/2021
Assignment 3 - The Role of Speaker Tags and Beats
Cindy Sproles
1/21/2021
Assignment 2 (2 of 2) Week of January 10
Andrea Merrell
1/13/2021
January 10, Assignment 2 (1 of 2 assignments)
Cindy Sproles
1/10/2021
Assignment 1 - ACWC January 5 - Let's Start with a Bio
Cindy Sproles
1/5/2021
Assignment 7 - What in the World is a One Sheet - Andrea Merrell
Cindy Sproles
2/7/2020
February 1 - Assignments 5 & 6 - Linda Glaz
Cindy Sproles
2/1/2020
Appropriate Emails - [email protected] - Assignment 1
Cindy Sproles
1/11/2020
How Not to Get an Agent - Assignment 7
Bob Hostetler
2/10/2019
January 27 Assignment 5 -Storytelling Your Life Lessons
Lucinda Secrest McDowell
1/27/2019
It's Not What You Know; It's Who You Know - Assignment 4
Bob Hostetler
1/20/2019
Stay on Track with a Writing Schedule - Assignment 3
Larry Leech
1/13/2019
Assignment 2 - Finding Speaker Topics
Beth Fortune
1/5/2019
IMAGERY–WHEN THIS IS LIKE THAT
By Ann Tatlock
12/30/2018
Asheville Christian Writers Conference Privacy Policy
Cindy Sproles
6/4/2018
2018 Writers Charge
Cindy
2/18/2018
Get in the Mood to Write - Assignment 5
Larry J. Leech II
1/28/2018
Getting Rid of “I” Disease - Assignment 3
Andrea Merrell
1/14/2018
Curb Your Adverb Addiction - Assignment 2
Denise Loock
1/7/2018
WHO ARE YOU? - Writing Your Bio
Cindy Sproles
11/17/2017
WRITING IN A PICKLE
Cindy Sproles
11/13/2017
THE NaNoWriMo CHALLENGE
Cindy Sproles
11/10/2017
BRINGING YOUR CHARACTERS TO LIFE
By Andrea Merrell
2/12/2017
DON’T LET SPEAKER BEATS RUIN YOUR MANUSCRIPT
By Andrea Merrell
2/5/2017
HOW TO CRAFT GREAT DIALOGUE
By Andrea Merrell
1/30/2017
AVOID REPETITION AND WRITE TIGHT
By Andrea Merrell
1/20/2017
THE QUOTATION QUOTA – ASSIGNMENT 2
By Andrea Merrell
1/13/2017
ELIMINATE THE EXCLAMATION POINTS – ASSIGNMENT 1
By Andrea Merrell
1/7/2017
WRITING ADVICE FROM MARK TWAIN: WRITE WITHOUT PAY UNTIL SOMEBODY OFFERS TO PAY
By Sandra Merville Hart
12/22/2016
WHEN THE STORY STALLS IN THE MIDDLE
by Sandra Merville Hart
12/20/2016
WHO REALLY SELLS YOUR BOOKS ?
by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted
9/20/2016
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR 15-MINUTE APPOINTMENTS
by Cindy Sproles
9/16/2016
ARRRGH! ANOTHER REJECTION – CINDY SPROLES
by Cindy Sproles
9/12/2016
FROZEN IN PLACE – ICEY SELF-TALK TO FREEZE YOUR WRITING
By Cindy Sproles
9/8/2016
THE BIO – THE FRAGRANCE OF WHO YOU ARE
by Cindy Sproles
9/3/2016
THE PAIN OF UNSOLICITED
by Cindy Sproles
8/29/2016
REDUNDANCY: AN EXCESSIVE, OPPRESSIVE, PERVASIVE DISEASE
By Denise Loock
8/26/2016
7 THINGS TO DO NOW TO BE READY WHEN WRITING INSPIRATION STRIKES – EDIE MELSON
by Edie Melson
8/23/2016
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR 15-MINUTE CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS
by Cindy Sproles
8/20/2016
WHY SHOULD I ATTEND THE ASHEVILLE CHRISTIAN WRITERS’ CONFERENCE?
by Cindy Sproles
8/17/2016
YOU NEED A PLATFORM – LIVING A STORY- ASSIGNMENT 3
By La-tan Murphy
1/20/2016
THE ONE SHEET
by Cindy Sproles
1/8/2016
OVER-EDIT?
By Steven James
11/4/2015
