New York Writers Workshop Non-Fiction Pitch Conference

New York Writers Workshop hosts a three-day Pitch Conference for writers of non-fiction. At this unique conference, participants meet with and pitch book proposals to three different editors from major New York publishing houses (houses including Viking, Penguin, Random House, Scribners, Simon and Schuster, and others).

Before the conference begins, participants boil the essence of their manuscript down to a synopsis of jacket flap copy length (roughly three minutes). The copy should include the book's premise and hook, and the writer's platform. Then:

Day 1:
Pitch participants workshop their flap copy with a workshop leader from New York Writers Workshop. Each participant reads his/her synopsis. The NYWW instructor provides guidance in revision for clarity, concision, and impact. The instructor also discusses, as appropriate, the realities of the publishing market. The rest of the group participates, as appropriate, and learns from each example.

Day Two:
Participants make two pitches to editors today. The first pitch is "public," meaning participants pitch to an editor in the presence of their group. The public session is followed by a short Q&A with the editor. The second pitch is private, one-on-one with an editor, with an NYWW instructor present. Each pitch lasts approximately five minutes.

Day Three:
Today each participant makes one private pitch to an editor, again with an NYWW instructor present. The day wraps with a group conference with an NYWW instructor.

Conference times:

Friday: 9:00 to 5:00
Saturday: 1:00 to 6:00
Sunday: 10:00 to 1:00

Optional Workshop: Building Your Platform

Pitch Conference Attendees have the opportunity to participate in this special workshop Saturday, 10:00-12:00, in the same location as the main Conference.

Instructor: June Clark, Partner, Get There Media, Inc. and Agent-at-Large, FinePrint Literary Management

What is your platform? This is one of the first questions a publisher will ask when considering whether or not to publish your book. A “platform” consists of these elements: your reputation in your field, your expertise on the subject of your book, and the connection and outreach you have to your target audience of readers. Without these elements in place, you might not get a deal for your book, no matter how well it’s written. How can you develop a platform? In this workshop, you’ll discover creative ways to establish yourself as an expert in your field, create some buzz, develop a following of people eager to buy your book, and, of course, attract the attention of a publisher.

Expected Workshop Leaders

Editors Who Have Participated in the Past

How to Apply:

If you'd like to attend the workshop, prepare an email with the following information:

  • Brief description of your project (up to 100 words)
  • What you do for a living
  • Contact information: email address, street address, phone

And send it to:

Charles Salzberg: charles@ducts.org
or
Tim Tomlinson: newyorkwritersworkshop@gmail.com

We'll get back to you within ten days to let you know if your application has been accepted and, if so, where you should send your check.