Why Have a Pitch Call—and How to Prepare for Yours

If you sent your manuscript in through our submission process and have been invited to pitch your book to us, congrats! That means your query has already gone through several rounds of review, and less than 50% of writers are invited to pitch their books to an acquisitions editor. That means we believe in you as a writer, and you should feel confident preparing and presenting your pitch!

The pitch call is the next step in our selection process. This is your opportunity to present your book, its intended audience, your goals, and your publishing vision to an Acquisitions Editor (AE)—and to ask whatever questions you have along the way. Publication is a long-term partnership, and the pitch call is how we evaluate the project and whether teaming up on your book is the right fit for both sides.

Here’s some insight on exactly what to expect, how to prepare, and why this is one of the most exciting steps in your publishing journey.

Why Have a Pitch Call?

Simply put, because it can change your life. Every Atmosphere Press partnership began with an author presenting their project during our selection process. It’s not just an interview or administrative task; it’s a structured book pitch and mutual-fit evaluation that provides the foundation for the rest of your book’s journey.

Who Is the Acquisitions Editor?

Our AEs are experts on the publishing industry, hybrid contracts, and Atmosphere Press’ process. Before each pitch call, the AE’s editorial assistant prepares a dossier of information on you and your book. The AE spends time with that information, reviews your book, and prepares to evaluate your pitch and ask informed questions.

During the pitch call, the AE evaluates the book, your vision, your goals, your readiness, and whether the partnership will be a good fit. The relationship between author and publisher is highly involved, and the AE’s role is to make sure that relationship will be beneficial both ways. They are meticulous in answering questions about the contract and transparent about the publishing process, so we can create a situation where everyone is happy and everyone wins.

How Most Pitch Calls Begin

AE: Hi! Thanks so much for meeting with me, and congratulations on being invited to pitch!
Author: Thank you!
AE: Today is all about hearing your pitch. Begin by telling me about your book, the journey it’s been on to get here, and what you hope it will accomplish. Afterward, I’ll have a few questions, and we’ll leave time for anything you’d like to ask about our process, contract, or hybrid publishing model.

From there, the pitch discussion can vary according to your project and the questions it raises. Once you’ve presented your book, its readership, positioning, and goals, we can turn to follow-up topics—like the editorial process, marketing, or how we compare to other publishing models. Whatever comes up, this is your space to make the case for your book.

What to Include in Your Pitch

Every pitch call is different, but strong pitches address several common areas:

✤ Your book’s premise and category: What is your book about, and where does it sit on the shelf? A clear premise and genre help us understand your project right away.

✤ Your audience and comparable titles: Who is this book for, and are there any existing books it compares to?Comparable titles help position your book for the right readers.

✤ What makes your book distinct: What sets your book apart, and why are you the person to write it? Your platform and connection to the material matter here.

✤ Your manuscript status and publishing journey: Have you been working on your manuscript for 10 months…or for 10 years? Is it finished, still in revision, or in progress? Have you worked with an editor or been published before? Every answer helps us understand your book and what it needs.

✤ Your publishing goals: Do you dream of working closely with editors who will respect your writing, creating a legacy memoir for your family, or reaching a specific audience? Knowing your goals helps us determine whether we’re a good fit.

✤ Questions we may ask: To understand your project, we might ask about your thoughts on editing, cover design, target readership, or marketing angles. These questions help us evaluate the book and how you’re thinking about its future; pitches don’t include a full editorial or marketing consultation.

How Should You Prepare?

Start by preparing a concise pitch that covers your book’s premise, category, audience, comparable titles, distinct value, manuscript status, and goals. This part of the call should run about 3-5 minutes, so you’ll want to make sure your pitch is thorough but concise. Then review our website and the links in this article so you’re ready for the conversation. The final portion of the pitch call is reserved for your questions, so it helps to think of a few in advance. Most authors ask about things like these:

➤ Specific terms in the Atmosphere Press contract.

➤ How the editing and cover design process works.

➤ What to expect from our marketing and publicity support depending on your package.

➤ What would be next steps if we mutually decide to move forward with publishing.

No question is too small—or too weird. After your pitch, the AE will answer relevant questions while keeping the call focused on your project and whether a partnership is the right fit. We encourage you to think of some questions ahead of time, so you can get the most out of your pitch call!

What Happens Next

If your project is a strong fit, we may discuss publishing package options—from our best-in-class Flagship and Enterprise packages to the more economical Essential package—along with timelines and deliverables when relevant. Package and pricing details belong to the offer part of the call, and a publishing offer is not guaranteed.

A pitch call can end in several ways. It may result in a publishing offer, a decline, a request for additional material, or a recommendation to develop the project further. For some authors, the call brings clarity that they aren’t quite ready for a publishing contract. Following the pitch, selected projects—the roughly 30 out of 1,500 submissions that ultimately sign a publishing deal each month—may receive a publishing offer.

Authors whose projects are selected will receive next steps for reviewing the offer, agreement, package options, and payment terms.

The AEs are there to make sure you leave the pitch call understanding what happens next in the selection process—no matter the outcome.

Ready to Schedule Your Pitch Call?

If you haven’t yet, click here to Schedule Your Book Pitch. We look forward to hearing your pitch!

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