Publishing

Tune into live conversations with authors, editors, and literary agents sharing their journeys and expertise in the world of publishing.

Screenwriting

Watch live panels featuring screenwriters as they break down their techniques for crafting compelling scripts and navigating the entertainment industry.

Filmmaking

Discover live streaming events where directors, producers, and cinematographers discuss the creative and technical processes behind their films.

Book Idea Workshop: Critical Steps to Elevating an Idea

January 28, 2026
Amy Goldmacher will take you through an interactive process that will get you clear on your book idea so you can write it (or the proposal for it). Whether you're writing fiction, nonfiction, or memoir, Amy's strategies will give you the confidence you need to start writing.

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.

One-on-One with Literary Agent Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra

Recorded

January 14, 2026

Duration

1 Hour

Cost

Free

Subject

Publishing

Topics

Business, Craft

*NOTE: Zoom played tricks with CeCe's calendar, so we got the party started a little late. You can watch the first 10 minutes of Jeanne's impromptu AMA, or skip to the 10-minute mark when CeCe's genius starts.

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. To say we're thrilled to have her on Symposium is the understatement of the year.

At Symposium we have one important rule: To tell people what they need to hear not necessarily what they want to hear. Hard truths will get you farther in your career than false hope, and CeCe politely puts her Grinch hat on to deliver the honest advice you need to improve your odds at publication.

We'll dive into the world of a lit agent, the advice writers need to improve, and you'll even get to ask questions, too!

Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates representing adult fiction and non-fiction. She is drawn to books with strong hooks and smooth writing, told with originality, nuance, and authenticity. A long-term strategic thinker, CeCe prioritizes the creative reach and sustainable longevity of her authors’ careers, and she is especially looking for clients with whom she can build fruitful, lasting relationships.

Both a storyteller and a storyseller, CeCe believes that stories are empathy-generating machines capable of healing, connecting, and enacting true change. As a mixed race Latinx immigrant, CeCe understands the power of seeing oneself reflected in books, hence her passion for championing under or misrepresented voices and narratives that contribute to a larger cultural conversation. CeCe is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). The popular podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, for which CeCe is a co-host, has over four million downloads. CeCe is also a recovering lawyer, but asks that you do not hold that against her.

Resources from this session:

Panelist

Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra
Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates representing a range of fiction and nonfiction authors writing for the adult market. Born and raised bilingual and bicultural in Rio de Janeiro, CeCe is passionate about representing under and misrepresented voices. She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) and […]

Education for creators.

Join Symposium for notifications about upcoming events hosted by professionals in film, TV, publishing, and beyond.
Subscribe

Upcoming Events

Book Idea Workshop: Critical Steps to Elevating an Idea

January 28, 2026
Amy Goldmacher will take you through an interactive process that will get you clear on your book idea so you can write it (or the proposal for it). Whether you're writing fiction, nonfiction, or memoir, Amy's strategies will give you the confidence you need to start writing.

Polish Like a Pro: Self-Editing Strategies for Aspiring Authors

February 4, 2026
Join Sara Wigal, Director & Associate Professor of Publishing at Belmont University (a literary agent herself) for a hands-on, two-hour symposium designed specifically for aspiring professional writers who want to sharpen their self-editing skills.

Nailing Your Pitch

February 18, 2026
Angela Douglas will break down what pitching really is, why it matters, and how to craft a clear, compelling hook and logline that works whether you’re drafting your first novel or preparing for a major pitch event. You’ll learn the core elements of effective pitching, the different types of pitches you’ll encounter online and in person, and how to make the most of the elevator pitch and the typical three minutes you’ll get to sell yourself and your manuscript.

Latest Streaming

Finish Your Project This Year

January 21, 2026
This year you CAN finish your project. If you have a plan. Explore what it means to finish a project, how to create structures that create forward progress, common obstacles that slow writers down, creative solutions to the ever-present challenge of finding time and space in this busy world, and what relationships are essential to getting to the finish line.

One-on-One with Literary Agent Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra

January 14, 2026
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.

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. 

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.

© 2026 Pipeline Media Group
Contact