Agents and publishers who place their submissions guidelines on their websites do appreciate writers who follow those guidelines. The appreciation is so enthusiastic that many acquisitions departments will discard improperly formatted manuscripts without reading them. To ensure that your written pitch is read and your vocal pitch is heard, follow the submission guidelines as provided.
It is a waste of your time to send a horror novel to an agent who represents only romance novels or nonfiction publisher. A little research into the agent or publisher will tell you what they publish currently and in the past. Looking at past publications can give you idea of whether your book would fit in their catalog. This bit of research also helps give you a reference point when describing your book in the query. Let the acquisitions editor know if you book is similar to a previous publication.
An elevator pitch, according to Publishing Basics, an online resource on the publishing industry, is a short, possibly one-line description of the novel. It is short enough throw out at an acquisitions editor, but it also creates interest in the story. This type of pitch is used in the screenwriting industry, but is useful to authors who must hook the person reading or hearing the pitch. It also grabs the attention of industry executives who do not have time to read the entire pitch before deciding to keep or toss the manuscript. Place the elevator pitch somewhere in the first paragraph of your query for best results.
One of the most important tips for literary pitches is to proofread the text thoroughly before sending it. Consider the written pitch as putting your best foot forward. A pitch full of typos and grammatical errors does not make a good first impression. It is akin to showing up late to the interview and insulting the intelligence of the interviewer. Such a pitch is difficult to read, and many acquisitions editors may not attempt to try.