Next week (Wednesday 24/10/12) I will be pitching my novel to a publisher in my MA Writing class. I have two options so far and both are subject to changes. Let me know what works best and what questions you have from either as a reader. What would you download on a kindle or buy after reading on the back of a book? Or if it’s neither – what am I missing? I’m also trying to work out which working title I prefer: The Dictionary of Departures or The Distorted Dictionary.
If you can’t post on wordpress I’m on Twitter @ClareDoran Thanks 🙂
Option One
The Distorted Dictionary
One girl. Two boys. One dictionary.
When Gina Ellis gets out of an emotionally abusive relationship, she tries to understand how she got there in the first place, taking us through her experiences and penning new dictionary definitions under ordinary words to make sense of her life.
Heartbreaking scenes of her Mum’s death redefine the meaning of a ‘hug, ’ her sex life is bracketed under ‘fridge’ and ‘peace’ is disturbed by both the biting fish in her stomach caused by grief and the tropical kind; the Liverpool girls with their big hair, colourful make-up and expertly chosen clothes that she longs to be like. Gina thinks she is a goldfish, plain and worthless, until she is abducted and must fight for her life.
Option Two
The Distorted Dictionary
One girl. Two boys. One dictionary. Twenty-six re-definitions Lots of fish. A fight for survival.
When Gina Ellis gets out of an emotionally abusive relationship, she tries to understand how she got there in the first place, taking us through her experiences and penning new dictionary definitions under ordinary words to make sense of her life.
From heartbreaking scenes of her Mum’s death which redefines the meaning of a ‘hug’, to the repercussions on her family where the word ‘censor’ takes on many forms, Gina needs to find a sense of peace.
But she must also get over the fish which in their new definition are the nibbly, biting ones in her stomach caused by her grief but also the tropical versions; the Liverpool girls with their big hair, colourful make-up and expertly chosen clothes that she longs to be like. You see in her head Gina is a goldfish, plain and worthless, and until she gets over that then her real love interest, long-term friend but elusive Anthony, will remain out of reach.
Unfortunately her old life with ex-Daniel is a redefinition she is yet to get away from, and just as the fish start to settle she is abducted and must fight for her life.
Clare Coombes 
I reckon the first one, but use the first paragraph of the second one instead.
I think I prefer the first title – The Dictionary of Departures gives us one of the main themes of the book straight away, so we have more of an idea of it before we even pick it up and read the blurb. The first pitch feels punchier, but do you think you could get Daniel and Anthony into it and still keep it as (or nearly as) concise? The last paragraph of the second pitch is especially effective.