So I'm Writing a Book

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

And the first thing everyone asks me is, "What's it about?" I usually respond with, "It's fiction..." then I devolve into the existential meaning of my story in partially mumbled sentences and eyes glaze over. I decided I need an elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a handful of words you could deliver to someone in an elevator while they're your captive audience for the short duration of the ride. It can be just five words but definitely no more than 20. Within that brief description, you're supposed to communicate why your story is unique, striking, fresh and compelling. It's supposed to make the listener intrigued in a "tell me more" kind of way. So here's what I worked up:

A woman chops off her thumb one day and runs off to live in the woods, struggling to survive.

The thumb chopping part is both unique and striking. The struggle to survive is compelling. I'm fairly sure it's fresh. I know I've never read a story like this before. Does it make you want to know more?

That's the question I can't answer. I am about 30,000 words into this story, and I waffle back and forth between thinking it is an awesome, adventurous statement on the modern world and thinking it's utter shit. I can't see the forest for the trees. So friends, help me out. Do you want to know more? I need honest opinions, not reassurance. Thanks in advance.