Opportunity to meet literary agents

Literary agents may seem like elusive mythical creatures, but they're not.

Literary agents may seem like elusive mythical creatures, but they’re not.

How’s it coming on your book? Ready to pitch it to a literary agent? Some aspiring authors think literary agents are elusive, mythical beings who live in an alternate universe. But guess what? They really do exist–in OUR universe–and you can meet and learn from them!

Chuck Sambuchino, author and editor of Writers’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents, emailed me recently about two nearby workshops coming up that he is leading.

Milwaukee Writer’s Workshop
(with Pitch Sessions with 7 Literary Agents and Query Letter Evaluations)
Friday, May 15, 9 to 5, in Brookfield.
Details at:
http://milwaukeewritingworkshop.com/

Chicago Writer’s Workshop
(with Pitch Sessions with 9 Literary Agents and Query Letter Evaluations)
Saturday, May 16, 9 to 5, near O’Hare.
Details at:
http://chicagowritingworkshop.com/

Important Note: each workshop has a different set of literary agents on faculty.

Here’s what to do next

Visit the websites above, scroll down, and read through all of the agents’ bios. If there is an agent that covers your genre, and who feels like a good match, sign up for a pitch with them. Even if your book isn’t finished, but you’re only working on it, it is a worthwhile opportunity to meet an agent. A pitch session is 10 minutes, during which you can share your ideas and book info, ask questions, and gain valuable feedback. Furthermore, you’ll have a full 12 months to follow up with the agent with your query letter, and take advantage of your meeting.

DON’T DELAY! The Milwaukee Workshop is limited to 90, the Chicago Workshop limted to 100, and Pitch sessions fill up quickly!

How to prepare for pitching to a literary agent

Chuck has literally written and edited multiple books on literary agents including the veritable guide to the mythical creatures, Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents. If you are serious about finding an agent and landing a traditional publishing deal, I recommend subscribing to his blog. Here are some recently articles he’s posted on how to prepare for a pitch to a literary agent.

The business of book publishing, like any industry or business, is a “who you know” world. A wise success strategy is to take advantage of networking opportunities like these.

And yes–there is a charge for the workshops — $129 base price in Milwaukee, $149 base price in Chicago. Add $29 for a 10-minute pitch session, $59 for a query letter evaluation. See details at:

http://milwaukeewritingworkshop.com/
http://chicagowritingworkshop.com/

To Register for a Workshop

To register, send an email with the name of the workshop in the subject line (Milwaukee or Chicago), to workshop organizer Jessica Bell at writingdayworkshops@gmail.com. She will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event.

 

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