You have 150 characters to write an ad for a book you aren’t finished with. Ready? No? Go!

Can you sell the book you haven’t written yet?

Can you do it in 150 characters?

1. No? Are you sure you should write the book?
2. Yes? Great, let’s build on that.

These two questions should have similar or at least overlapping answers:

1. Why should you write the book you want to write?
2. Why should a reader read your book?

The Challenge: Can you “sell” your book before you’re finished writing it? Or even before you start? Try me.

I’m deep into my upcoming fiction book based on the character Charlie Holiday. I’ve written many chapters and even some early background work, some posthumous interviews with Charlie, and chapters scattered in between. But do I know the story enough to sell it? Do I have my elevator pitch down to the point where I might get your interest at least piqued? Uh, no.

I challenge myself (well, and you) to write out 10 ads of 150 characters max to see what resonates with you–and your audience.

Here are 10+ forays into the fire for my upcoming book starring Charlie Holiday.

I’m using the Amazon Marketing Services ad creator to count my (maximum) 150 characters. If you don’t yet have an account, you can use this online tool to count your characters.

1. Charlie Holiday doesn’t have to worry about saving the world from destruction. He has much more important tasks. He has to save himself from normal. (148)
2. What if you had a secret power that could help others in need but it would hurt you? Would you use it? How would you decide? Or just stay silent? (145)
3. The end of the world is near. Boring! Total human desecration. Yawn. No, Charlie Holiday has real challenges: how to get through the morning. (142)
4. Charlie Holiday is being offered a job as a superhero. He’s hesitant. “What are the hours?” “Do I get weekends off?” “Are there bagels?” What to do? (148)
5. What if you could see into the souls of others and know about their future. It would hurt them short-term but help them long-term. Tell them? (141)
6. “Excuse me, but isn’t there a back office position available?” Charlie Holiday has been offered the job of superhero. But he’s not ready. Or is he? (147)
7. “Clairvoyant.” Charlie looked up the word the woman on the train called him. “Supernatural ability to perceive … ” So that’s what’s been going on. (148)
8. “Relating to faculties that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, especially involving clairvoyance.” Charlie just learned what he had become. (149)
9. “I don’t have a dream,” Charlie said. “Everyone has a dream, they just are scared it might come true.” Charlie’s dream had come true and it was scary. (150)
10. What if you had a superpower that you didn’t want? It could help others, but you didn’t want to be the center of attention. What would you do? (142)
11. Charlie Holiday is being offered a job as a superhero. He’s hesitant. “What are the hours?” “Are there bagels?” “Will I get dirty?” What to do? (143)