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Pitch Craft: The Writer's Guide to Getting Agented, Published, and Paid
An award-winning author and Stanford writing instructor demystifies the business of writing with this practical, procedural guide to creating successful pitches, impressing editors and agents, negotiating compensation, and more.
Published multi-genre writer Laura Goode had an epiphany after finishing her MFA and building a freelancing Nobody is teaching writers how to wield their persuasive storytelling abilities to make money from their writing. So she decided to write the business-of-writing handbook she needed most.
Pitch Craft draws on Goode’s experience as a novelist, poet, essayist, filmmaker, and creator of a pitching and publishing course to uncover what nobody else will tell you about the business strategy that creates a writing career. With unapologetic honesty earned from years of navigating the publishing world, each chapter in this valuable insider's guide close-reads a distinct element of putting your work out into the world, such
Constructing effective author bios and websitesLeveraging your social media platformDeveloping a reliable template for pitches and queriesCultivating relationships with publishing gatekeepersStrengthening your self-advocacy skills
Pitch Craft is for writers in all genres and of all experience levels, whether you're just getting started, are considering applying to a graduate program, or have been in the trenches for decades. After reading and completing the assignments in Pitch Craft, you'll hold a finished pitch in hand and the knowledge and skills to navigate your dream literary career.
Published multi-genre writer Laura Goode had an epiphany after finishing her MFA and building a freelancing Nobody is teaching writers how to wield their persuasive storytelling abilities to make money from their writing. So she decided to write the business-of-writing handbook she needed most.
Pitch Craft draws on Goode’s experience as a novelist, poet, essayist, filmmaker, and creator of a pitching and publishing course to uncover what nobody else will tell you about the business strategy that creates a writing career. With unapologetic honesty earned from years of navigating the publishing world, each chapter in this valuable insider's guide close-reads a distinct element of putting your work out into the world, such
Constructing effective author bios and websitesLeveraging your social media platformDeveloping a reliable template for pitches and queriesCultivating relationships with publishing gatekeepersStrengthening your self-advocacy skills
Pitch Craft is for writers in all genres and of all experience levels, whether you're just getting started, are considering applying to a graduate program, or have been in the trenches for decades. After reading and completing the assignments in Pitch Craft, you'll hold a finished pitch in hand and the knowledge and skills to navigate your dream literary career.
- GenresNonfictionWriting
256 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2025
About the author
Laura Goode
4 books23 followersLaura Goode was raised in Minneapolis and received her BA and MFA in English and writing from Columbia University. She has written and directed two full-length plays, and her poetry has appeared in the Denver Quarterly, Cannibal, and Narwhal. She lives in San Francisco.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 10, 2026
This was written surprisingly well. I learned so much about how to pitch a piece of written work to someone and who to pitch to. It really is a process and this book walks you through it. Ibliked how it was laid out and the examples that she gave throughout. Going to pass it on to a friend.
August 25, 2025
There is wise, practical advice throughout this book.
Unfortunately, there are also leftist, woke diatribes sprinkled throughout the book that detract from the subject.
The virtue signaling is tiresome; it's so 2020.
Examples:
"I must also make a big, unignorable disclaimer: I am a white woman, raised by American-born parents with Western modes of financial literacy, educated in predominantly white institutions. My performance of confidence is racialized, as well as gendered, and it would be disingenuous for me to pretend otherwise. Like all white writers, whether they admit it in print or not, my pitches and professional trajectory have directly benefited from white supremacy. There is no way I can escape that my performance of confidence and its rewards are informed by whiteness."
"...failure of workplaces to include white women and women of color..." [Why not just say "women"? Be succinct!]
"I’m extremely tired of not being able to control the rampant misogyny in the world."
"• Buy Russian bots. (Strongly discouraged; glory to Ukraine.)"
"And fuck Donald Trump." (Location 1311 on Kindle).
I dislike Trump and I've never voted for a Republican, but it's distracting to read such statements.
The ultra-leftist, Marxist crowds in New York City's publishing circles will give her a high-five when they read such jabs, but the rest of the world will give a collective eye roll.
Such messages detract from the value of her otherwise valuable book, where she includes helpful tips, such as:
Your job in writing an effective pitch is to answer three questions:
• What does an audience likely already know about this subject?
• What about this subject may surprise them?
• Why should they care?
"Speaking of word counts, it is important to specify an estimated word count in your pitch, usually toward the pitch’s conclusion. At least specify a range: 700–800 words, 1,500–1,800 words."
"Keep track of your pitches. Online trackers such as Submittable and Duotrope both serve this purpose."
"To determine how much money to ask for, consult whopayswriters, consider what you’ve been paid for similar pieces in the past."
Write a "tight, propulsive summary of the book you’re proposing. Speak directly and emphatically to the four core pitch questions: Why me, why this, why now, and why do I need you involved?"
And much more actionable advice.
CONCLUSION: Excellent advice, but the unnecessary politically correct interjections are a turnoff, even if I agree with her perspective. They are inappropriate in a book about how to pitch to publishers.
Unfortunately, there are also leftist, woke diatribes sprinkled throughout the book that detract from the subject.
The virtue signaling is tiresome; it's so 2020.
Examples:
"I must also make a big, unignorable disclaimer: I am a white woman, raised by American-born parents with Western modes of financial literacy, educated in predominantly white institutions. My performance of confidence is racialized, as well as gendered, and it would be disingenuous for me to pretend otherwise. Like all white writers, whether they admit it in print or not, my pitches and professional trajectory have directly benefited from white supremacy. There is no way I can escape that my performance of confidence and its rewards are informed by whiteness."
"...failure of workplaces to include white women and women of color..." [Why not just say "women"? Be succinct!]
"I’m extremely tired of not being able to control the rampant misogyny in the world."
"• Buy Russian bots. (Strongly discouraged; glory to Ukraine.)"
"And fuck Donald Trump." (Location 1311 on Kindle).
I dislike Trump and I've never voted for a Republican, but it's distracting to read such statements.
The ultra-leftist, Marxist crowds in New York City's publishing circles will give her a high-five when they read such jabs, but the rest of the world will give a collective eye roll.
Such messages detract from the value of her otherwise valuable book, where she includes helpful tips, such as:
Your job in writing an effective pitch is to answer three questions:
• What does an audience likely already know about this subject?
• What about this subject may surprise them?
• Why should they care?
"Speaking of word counts, it is important to specify an estimated word count in your pitch, usually toward the pitch’s conclusion. At least specify a range: 700–800 words, 1,500–1,800 words."
"Keep track of your pitches. Online trackers such as Submittable and Duotrope both serve this purpose."
"To determine how much money to ask for, consult whopayswriters, consider what you’ve been paid for similar pieces in the past."
Write a "tight, propulsive summary of the book you’re proposing. Speak directly and emphatically to the four core pitch questions: Why me, why this, why now, and why do I need you involved?"
And much more actionable advice.
CONCLUSION: Excellent advice, but the unnecessary politically correct interjections are a turnoff, even if I agree with her perspective. They are inappropriate in a book about how to pitch to publishers.
May 29, 2026
Right okay so. Wasn't expecting to cry over a book categorized as "Business--Writing",
(More to come, Thoughts must be Gathered)
--
Some Time Later: The Thoughts Have Been Gathered!
I was at the library waiting in line to print a clean copy of a scene, as one does, and this book was literally face out at eye level, so I thought "...yeah, sure, there's a chapter about querying in there, might as well" (because while I have a query letter writing book on my shelf, it was published in 2008, and this one came out last year--perhaps the times have changed, all that).
I was anticipating only reading that single chapter, but then the Introduction was titled "The Art of Losing Is Hard as Fuck to Master" and proceeded to come for my jugular Over and Over and Over again, and then the first chapter was called "Confidence is Performance: And How to Do It," which also came for my jugular, and so I accidentally wound up reading the whole book instead.
Great news: Goode is hilarious and Altogether Too Relatable (a Representative Quote, from the intro: "even though I was, in my own current estimation, a no-talent garbage fire destined for a life of broke, bitter obscurity"), and also deeply practical. Most of this book was very oriented toward the business side of writing (like it says on the tin!), but the introduction and the last chapter, aptly titled "Break Glass In Case of Emergency: The Fire Extinguishers of Emotional Regulation That Every Writer Needs," were some of the most honest and down-to-earth takes on craft and success and failure that I've read in a long time.
If you've done any amount of research about pitching/querying/etc., the long-form fiction chapter might not be super helpful--I've tried the querying rodeo a couple times, so the stuff in here was a good refresher but nothing New new. The nitty gritty of pitching shorter pieces and proposals and such was new and interesting to me, but not quite what I need right now. Those first chapters and last chapter, though, absolutely made this read worth it for me. I did literally laugh out loud and also cry and also also snap increasingly unhinged commentary to my friends.
You can read most if not all of the intro on the Big River's website as the "free sample," and if you vibe with that, I definitely recommend picking this up! Felt like it could be in conversation with Stephen Marche's ON WRITING AND FAILURE, which I also recommend.
(More to come, Thoughts must be Gathered)
--
Some Time Later: The Thoughts Have Been Gathered!
I was at the library waiting in line to print a clean copy of a scene, as one does, and this book was literally face out at eye level, so I thought "...yeah, sure, there's a chapter about querying in there, might as well" (because while I have a query letter writing book on my shelf, it was published in 2008, and this one came out last year--perhaps the times have changed, all that).
I was anticipating only reading that single chapter, but then the Introduction was titled "The Art of Losing Is Hard as Fuck to Master" and proceeded to come for my jugular Over and Over and Over again, and then the first chapter was called "Confidence is Performance: And How to Do It," which also came for my jugular, and so I accidentally wound up reading the whole book instead.
Great news: Goode is hilarious and Altogether Too Relatable (a Representative Quote, from the intro: "even though I was, in my own current estimation, a no-talent garbage fire destined for a life of broke, bitter obscurity"), and also deeply practical. Most of this book was very oriented toward the business side of writing (like it says on the tin!), but the introduction and the last chapter, aptly titled "Break Glass In Case of Emergency: The Fire Extinguishers of Emotional Regulation That Every Writer Needs," were some of the most honest and down-to-earth takes on craft and success and failure that I've read in a long time.
If you've done any amount of research about pitching/querying/etc., the long-form fiction chapter might not be super helpful--I've tried the querying rodeo a couple times, so the stuff in here was a good refresher but nothing New new. The nitty gritty of pitching shorter pieces and proposals and such was new and interesting to me, but not quite what I need right now. Those first chapters and last chapter, though, absolutely made this read worth it for me. I did literally laugh out loud and also cry and also also snap increasingly unhinged commentary to my friends.
You can read most if not all of the intro on the Big River's website as the "free sample," and if you vibe with that, I definitely recommend picking this up! Felt like it could be in conversation with Stephen Marche's ON WRITING AND FAILURE, which I also recommend.
October 10, 2025
I absolutely loved my MFA creative writing program at Goddard College. I learned so much about the writing process and about myself as an artist. However, my one main gripe with the program was that I didn’t learn ANYTHING about the business of writing. We weren’t educated in how to pitch projects or how to get an agent. I do feel like these omissions didn’t really set me up for success or for the reality of how difficult it is to be a writer.
Enter Pitch Craft by Laura Goode. This incredibly helpful nonfiction book breaks down everything from writing an effective pitch (short or long-form) to making sure you’re paid for your work. There were so many aspects of this business that I didn’t know already (or didn’t understand enough about). Goode provides plenty of helpful tips, but she’s also got a ton of experience as a writing professional that she can share. Her conversational tone makes this book a lot more fun than some other writing guides have seemed, and her approach of breaking down everything into manageable chunks made me feel more confident in setting out on my own.
It’s hard enough being a writer with the daily challenges of self-doubt and lack of a road map for your career. Goode’s book is not only packed full of actionable advice, it’s also a great way to remind writers that there is hope out there for everyone to achieve our dreams. I’m so grateful that she was willing to share her tips with the rest of us!
*Free copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Enter Pitch Craft by Laura Goode. This incredibly helpful nonfiction book breaks down everything from writing an effective pitch (short or long-form) to making sure you’re paid for your work. There were so many aspects of this business that I didn’t know already (or didn’t understand enough about). Goode provides plenty of helpful tips, but she’s also got a ton of experience as a writing professional that she can share. Her conversational tone makes this book a lot more fun than some other writing guides have seemed, and her approach of breaking down everything into manageable chunks made me feel more confident in setting out on my own.
It’s hard enough being a writer with the daily challenges of self-doubt and lack of a road map for your career. Goode’s book is not only packed full of actionable advice, it’s also a great way to remind writers that there is hope out there for everyone to achieve our dreams. I’m so grateful that she was willing to share her tips with the rest of us!
*Free copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
November 30, 2025
This is the book for writers who want to see their work in print and make some money along the way. Author Laura Goode has an MFA and twenty years of experience in the writing and publishing world. She literally teaches on the business of writing at Stanford — she knows exactly what she’s talking about.
With a strong, funny voice and no-nonsense attitude, Laura serves up all the details the “literary gatekeepers” want to keep secret. The chapter on getting paid alone is worth reading, highlighting thoroughly, and then rereading again, but there’s also plenty of juicy secrets revealed about pitching, publishing, and publicity. Uniquely, Laura also addresses common author fears, uncertainties, and imposter syndrome with a gentle but firm reminder to value yourself and your talent first. Like any great professor, she offers a few simple homework assignments at the end of each chapter to get the writer’s butt in gear. Some of the recommendations feel a bit dated, and there’s a discussion on whether or not to get an MFA that should be taken with a grain of salt given her very prestigious MFA and the network and connections she’s made from it. Still, this is a great book to reference throughout the pitching, writing, and publication process to help writers put their business hats on and make that money.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Writing style
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Clarity
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Engagement
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Premise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Impact
Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
With a strong, funny voice and no-nonsense attitude, Laura serves up all the details the “literary gatekeepers” want to keep secret. The chapter on getting paid alone is worth reading, highlighting thoroughly, and then rereading again, but there’s also plenty of juicy secrets revealed about pitching, publishing, and publicity. Uniquely, Laura also addresses common author fears, uncertainties, and imposter syndrome with a gentle but firm reminder to value yourself and your talent first. Like any great professor, she offers a few simple homework assignments at the end of each chapter to get the writer’s butt in gear. Some of the recommendations feel a bit dated, and there’s a discussion on whether or not to get an MFA that should be taken with a grain of salt given her very prestigious MFA and the network and connections she’s made from it. Still, this is a great book to reference throughout the pitching, writing, and publication process to help writers put their business hats on and make that money.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Writing style
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Clarity
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Engagement
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Premise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Impact
Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 8, 2026
Personal, useful, and downright real. Goode hits on the writer’s life and livelihood without sugarcoating.
Personally, I found this book great as a budding writer. I’m not so far along where this is long past, but it’s also not too far ahead to be insurmountable. If you need a real-world guide to writing and getting paid, “Pitch Craft” is your book. Oh, and it’s modern with multiple dissections on gender studies in American society. Right on.
Thank you LFPL for featuring on a shelf and getting a girl to wonder, “Huh. Isn’t that title fun, cover cute, and content relevant?”
Favorite Quotes:
“Absent the delusional confidence of my twenties, when talent was still all potential and a life was still more future than past, I got even better acquainted with hard truths inherent to the writing life: Plenty of people give it their all and never get a lucky break.” -Introduction, Page XII
“But the most successful writers I know can work across those boundaries, and across many others.” -Chapter 4: How to Pitch Short Nonfiction, Page 58
“Instead, no matter how you got there, your job is to get your hair out of your face, smile wide, and belt like God is listening.” -Chapter 4: How to Pitch Short Nonfiction, Page 67
“So, by all means, make your reader think, but never allow that to come at the expense of making them feel—and this goes for marketing language as well as the contents of the book itself.” -Chapter 7: Bless and Release, Page 133
Personally, I found this book great as a budding writer. I’m not so far along where this is long past, but it’s also not too far ahead to be insurmountable. If you need a real-world guide to writing and getting paid, “Pitch Craft” is your book. Oh, and it’s modern with multiple dissections on gender studies in American society. Right on.
Thank you LFPL for featuring on a shelf and getting a girl to wonder, “Huh. Isn’t that title fun, cover cute, and content relevant?”
Favorite Quotes:
“Absent the delusional confidence of my twenties, when talent was still all potential and a life was still more future than past, I got even better acquainted with hard truths inherent to the writing life: Plenty of people give it their all and never get a lucky break.” -Introduction, Page XII
“But the most successful writers I know can work across those boundaries, and across many others.” -Chapter 4: How to Pitch Short Nonfiction, Page 58
“Instead, no matter how you got there, your job is to get your hair out of your face, smile wide, and belt like God is listening.” -Chapter 4: How to Pitch Short Nonfiction, Page 67
“So, by all means, make your reader think, but never allow that to come at the expense of making them feel—and this goes for marketing language as well as the contents of the book itself.” -Chapter 7: Bless and Release, Page 133
January 22, 2026
If you want to write for websites and magazines, this is a great advice book. I freelanced for 7 years (and still do to a much smaller extent), and there's so much to figure out that college writing programs could do a better job of addressing. Every writing program should have at least one course about the art of pitching and making money as a writer. Goode gives lots of practical advice about money and how to pitch editors.
I didn't find her chapters on querying for books and finding an agent/getting published as on point, so if you're only interested in that side of things, I think there are better books out there. However, as she says in this, pitching essays is a great way to earn at least something as a writer, and is much more lucrative (don't expect to become a millionaire) than trying to make money publishing books.
I didn't find her chapters on querying for books and finding an agent/getting published as on point, so if you're only interested in that side of things, I think there are better books out there. However, as she says in this, pitching essays is a great way to earn at least something as a writer, and is much more lucrative (don't expect to become a millionaire) than trying to make money publishing books.
October 29, 2025
Great strategic thoughts on how to get your writing in front of others. The middle section has many practical takeaways regarding book and essay/article pitching. My favorite chapters were at the opening and ending because they focused on mindset and career-wide strategy. If you are a writer who is uncertain how to position, negotiate, or otherwise pitch your work, this book is for you.
December 3, 2025
Quick thoughts: I’ve been reading more on writing lately, and Pitch Craft is a practical guide that’s come in handy in its slim presentation and approachable style.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 15, 2025
Extremely tactical - very eye opening and ideal for any freelancer interested in short form or book publishing. Surprised it has such low reviews but honestly found it very good. The author is a very very good writer in grammar and style and you can easily finish in a day. Also addresses insecurities and jealousy in the arts world which I find very refreshing!
June 11, 2026
A great guide to the inside reality of being a writer and what it takes to get fairly paid for it. I especially loved the last chapter on leveling expectations and how to go at this writing journey sustainably.
“Keep going. Keep going. Keep going.”
Found this book at the medicines for nightmares bookstore and I’m glad I did.
“Keep going. Keep going. Keep going.”
Found this book at the medicines for nightmares bookstore and I’m glad I did.
October 8, 2025
This is a fantastic book with tons of practical and actionable advice. Goode demystifies multiple aspects of publishing and writing and does so with humor and empathy and heart. Highly recommend!
July 21, 2026
Why aren't more people reading this?? Insightful, well researched gems for fiction, non fiction, and memoir writers, and poets too.
June 16, 2025
I must preface this by saying I only read the parts that are relevant to me, specifically relating to querying novels. I found much of the advice to be at odds both with what I’ve heard agents say and what seems to be the general consensus. A tame example would be what kinds of comps you should use (how old, whether they should be other media).
Most of the explanations around query letters themselves serve as a basic introduction, but remains surface-level and contains nothing insightful. I was looking for concrete examples and advice on crafting pitches but those sections are incredibly brief. I’ve seen more in-depth blog posts.
Overall, this book was disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Most of the explanations around query letters themselves serve as a basic introduction, but remains surface-level and contains nothing insightful. I was looking for concrete examples and advice on crafting pitches but those sections are incredibly brief. I’ve seen more in-depth blog posts.
Overall, this book was disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews