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

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

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

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.

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.

Writing to Budget

Recorded

August 5, 2024

Duration

1.5 Hours

Cost

$35

Topics

Business, Craft

If you want to be a professional screenwriter you need to realize a couple of things.

  1. 95% of a screenwriter’s income come from works for hire. Rewrites, adaptations, writing for hire.
  2. Each one of those jobs comes with a budget to write to.

Every time you get a writing assignment of any kind it comes with what the budget for the film is, and you are expected to write to that budget. Every writer at some point gets these same limitations.

You either learn to write to them or they hire someone else who can.

There are a lot of ways to write to budget while still being as creative as you can be. You just need to learn them.

Bob Saenz will share the tips he personally uses to write to budget.

What Attendees Have Said ...

 "Great insight from a business professional! A well presented webinar that stuck to the topic plus Q&A at the end."

"Bob gave detailed examples of what is important to know about budgets when writing a script. His book, That's Not the Way It's Done, summarized some things I had not learned in my multitude of writing classes. This webinar on budgets taught even more things I would not have thought of, such as the cost of moving trucks from location to location. I always look for his Sunday posts on Facebook. He's definitely a working expert."

"Loved the detailed explanations and honesty."

Host

Bob Saenz
Bob Saenz is a screenwriter living in Nashville, with 21 credited produced films. Works include the comedy, Extracurricular Activities, Help for the Holidays, Rescuing Madison, A Christmas Star, The Right Girl, Sound of Christmas, Church People, The Christmas Yule Blog and The Farmer and the Belle. He regularly does rewrites and polishes on film and TV projects for Producers […]

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Upcoming Events

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.

The Art of Pitching

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.

Logline Workshop

February 25, 2026
You may have been banging your head against the wall trying to construct a great logline, but you’re frustrated you can’t quite hit the mark. Merridith with teach the components execs want to see in a logline, and provide tons of insights. You’ll leave with the tools you need to whip them into shape.

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Book Idea Workshop: Critical Steps to Examining an Idea

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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.

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.

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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