Tori Anne Martin: If You Can’t Condense Your Story Into a Pitch, the Idea Probably Needs Work
Tori Anne Martin lives in New England, where she collects pen names, tattoos, and hoodies in shades of gray and black. Previously, she collected degrees, including a doctorate in psychology, where she studied how conceptions of interpersonal power relate to consent and sexual assault. She much prefers writing romance.
If you can’t find her online, it’s because she’s lost in the woods. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
In this post, Martin discusses how an effective pitch usually means an effective story idea, what serious topic was involved in her light rom-com, and more.
Tori Anne Martin
Name: Tori Anne Martin
Literary agent: Rebecca Strauss
Book title: This Spells Disaster
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: September 12, 2023
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: Heart on a Leash, Paws and Prejudice, and Love and Let Bark (published as Alanna Martin)
Elevator pitch for the book: This Spells Disaster is the story of a witch who offers to fake date her famous crush, but when her crush seems to be falling for her for real, she panics that it must be because she accidentally gave her a love potion, and she sets out to break the spell, even if it breaks her own heart.
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What prompted you to write this book?
The idea was very loosely inspired by the movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, but also by my background. I did my doctoral research on consent and sexual assault, and it’s always bothered me when fantasy stories treat the idea of love potions like a joke. Because of my research, I can’t overlook the potential for harm.
So even though This Spells Disaster is a rom-com, it was rooted in the idea that this was a serious topic I wanted to explore.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I was already working with my editor, and I’d been dabbling around with writing a witchy romance when she coincidentally suggested I give one a try. I pitched her several ideas, and she picked the one that became This Spells Disaster.
It wasn’t the idea I’d been working on, but it quickly became obvious to me that it was the better idea. We sold it on proposal, so in all, it was a pretty fast process.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Nothing surprising actually. Every book’s churn through the publishing process is different, though, so there’s always something I’m learning—whether it’s from edits or just how the publisher handles marketing the book.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Just how easily this book came to be! This Spells Disaster is written from a single point of view, which was something I’d never tried before in a romance. I thought it would be difficult to limit myself that way, and I feared that with only one point of view, there wouldn’t be enough tension to carry the story through the entire book.
But the words flew, and I think it’s because my main character’s voice was so loud in my head. She really had enough personality to make it a breeze.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
My biggest hope is always that something I write will provide some feel-good escapism for someone else in need of a respite from reality. I came to reading and writing romance while I was going through treatment for cancer.
I really needed positive stories that gave me a guaranteed happily ever after. A lot of people deride romance for that (and deride stories that are light and fluffy in general), but light and fluffy is hard to write, and those books can be a lifeline for people in a dark and heavy place.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write the pitch or the short summary of your book first. If you can’t condense your story into a compelling, easy-to-follow 200-300 words that clearly explains who your character is and what they’re up against, it usually means the idea needs work.