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Screenwriting Success: Start Your Year with a Plan

January 7, 2026
Lee Jessup, a seasoned career coach and a Business of Screenwriting professor with the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Art, will walk you through meaningful, actionable steps that you can take for your screenwriting career in the year ahead. 

Book Pipeline

Book Pipeline connects writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry through competitions and workshops, providing hands-on support to bridge the gap between emerging authors and the industry since 2014.

Script Pipeline

Script Pipeline connects writers with producers, agents, and managers, facilitating over $8 million in sales through competitions and ongoing industry support, helping launch major films and secure high-profile representation since 1999.

Film Pipeline

Film Pipeline connects filmmakers and writers with agencies and executives, focusing on diverse storytelling and playing an active role in developing and promoting projects, reviewing thousands of submissions annually since its launch in 2018.

Booking Author Speaking Engagements

Recorded

October 23, 2024

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Subject

Publishing

Topic

Business

You’ve written your book, gotten it published and even done a book tour, congratulations! You are probably noticing that some authors are popping up at conventions, conferences, colleges and at the local library but don’t seem to be talking about their newest book, so what gives?

They have probably been invited by someone like me to speak for a literary event and now a whole new world of literary engagement is unfolding for them. So how do you get on this side quest and find other ways to connect with audiences?

Led by a literary events expert, this workshop will teach you how to:

  • Spotlight on You: Learn how to create visibility around yourself as a speaker by putting together a clear route for engagement from initial contact to speech.
  • Crafting the Perfect Talk: Discover the key elements of an effective title and talk that grabs attention and gets you invited back.
  • Networking Strategies: Tips on how to connect with the right people and expand your speaking opportunities.
  • Overcoming Rejection: Learn how to turn a no into a maybe for a different engagement.
  • Everybody’s Doing It: How to get your literary friends to recommend you when the
  • opportunity arises.
  • Q&A Session: You’ve heard me talk for a while now so let’s hear from you!

By the end of this workshop, you will have a better understanding of different types of speaking gigs, how to connect with the right people, and how to make a great impression at your first or next speaking gig.

What Attendees Have Said ...

"This was lovely. So many generous tips that emerging authors need to hear. Thanks especially for sharing the realities of gig compensation/honorarium rates ... Thank you for putting this together and sharing from your industry experience."

"Ashley Wilkin's class was great and it opened me up to thinking on a larger scale about what I would speak about and how I can get the word out about my debut novel."

"I felt like Ashley's tips were very practical and she really dove into the nitty-gritty about speaking and how to engage once you have been contacted. Great points!"

"I confess to being a Pipeline Symposium aficionado. They are always interesting. And Ashley's calm, informative presentation hammered in some things I can't forget."

Host

Ashley Wilkins
Ashley Wilkins has been professionally dedicated to the literary world for the majority of the past decade. Known for her passion for creating inclusive writing spaces and seamlessly blending the creative and practical aspects of literary events, she specializes in writing workshops focused on the business of writing and the best tips on writing from […]

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Upcoming Events

Screenwriting Success: Start Your Year with a Plan

January 7, 2026
Lee Jessup, a seasoned career coach and a Business of Screenwriting professor with the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Art, will walk you through meaningful, actionable steps that you can take for your screenwriting career in the year ahead. 

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If you're a listener to the podcast "The Shit No One Tells You About Writing," you already know the amazing literary agent CeCe Lyra. We'll dive into the world of a lit agent and the advice writers need to succeed.

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Symposium, presented by Pipeline Artists, is a year-round virtual conference empowering creatives with honest, no-nonsense guidance across the arts. Through seminars, industry panels, and Town Hall discussions on screenwriting, filmmaking, publishing, and career-building, Symposium offers grounded advice from working professionals to help you forge your own unique path.

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