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.

Marketing the Big 5 Way

November 5, 2025
Leila Siddiqui has spent ten years working in marketing in two of the Big 5 publishers and will walk you through what to expect when the book has passed acquisitions and finds a publishing date. Whether you’ve self-published, on the editor submission journey with your agent, or a seasoned traditional author, there’s always something to learn about the publishing process from an insider.

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.

Sara Wigal

Sara Wigal is an Associate Professor and Director of Publishing at Belmont University. She co-founded A Dolly Good Time, an annual fundraiser for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. She previously worked in literary PR, and speaks now at industry events, academic conferences and writing groups, and is the Executive Director of WriterFest Nashville, a conference for writers of book, song, and screen. Wigal is the Editor of Belmont Story Review, a literary journal recognized by Best American, a 2022 NCTE REALM First Class award recipient,and for which she received a 2021 Tennessee Arts Commission Grant. Wigal has been published by Library Journal, The Tennessean, Publishers Weekly, Writer's Digest, The Chaffin Journal, Miracle Monocle, New Plains Review, and Variant Literature.  She is a Next Chapter Society member, which supports the programming made possible by the Nashville Public Library Foundation at the Nashville Public Library. She is a literary agent. Find her on Instagram @yourpublishingprofessor.

Host of 1 Event

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.

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Upcoming Events

Marketing the Big 5 Way

November 5, 2025
Leila Siddiqui has spent ten years working in marketing in two of the Big 5 publishers and will walk you through what to expect when the book has passed acquisitions and finds a publishing date. Whether you’ve self-published, on the editor submission journey with your agent, or a seasoned traditional author, there’s always something to learn about the publishing process from an insider.

Demystifying Audiobooks: A Workshop for Authors

November 12, 2025
Professional audiobook narrator and producer Megan Tusing of Little But Fierce Productions®, LLC will guide authors through the essentials of audiobook creation. Whether you're looking to hire a professional, understand the audiobook production process, or make informed decisions about your audio rights, this workshop will give you the clarity and confidence to move forward.

How to Approach Edits Without Losing Your Sh*t

November 19, 2025
In this two-hour virtual workshop, bestselling author and editor Rea Frey (who recently rewrote her entire thriller in two weeks) will walk you through exactly how to approach edits without spiraling into self-doubt, analysis paralysis, or burning your manuscript in a ritual fire.

Latest Streaming

Signing Smart! What Authors Should Know About Contracts

October 15, 2025
From publishing deals to agent agreements, film/TV deals, merchandise licenses, and even cover art commissions—contracts can shape your author career. In this webinar, Lauren Emerson will break down what rights and obligations you’re taking on, how to spot risks, what key terms really mean, and how to protect yourself when the other side doesn’t deliver.

The First-Person Voice: Getting Past “I”

October 8, 2025
Building an interesting and dynamic world full of believable characters can be extra challenging when the reader can only see that world through one set of eyes. By the end of this presentation, you’ll be armed with a variety of techniques to help you use first-person effectively in a variety of genres and to recognize several pitfalls before you get too far along.

Privacy for Writers: Why Writers Should Care about Privacy in a Connected World and What They Can Do About It

September 24, 2025
Privacy is hard and its designed to be hard by the companies that profit from surveilling our lives.  How do you protect your privacy so that you can both have an online platform and connect with readers while protecting yourself, your family, and your reputation? As an author and a privacy professor, she understands that privacy often doesn’t matter to people - until it does.

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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