Querying Literary Agents: Query Letter Essentials

The path to traditional publication can seem daunting, especially when it comes to finding literary representation. In the end, though, agents are just very busy people who really love books.

As someone who grew up in the publishing world, Zoe Quinton has not only known many agents but also worked as one herself. She will help you navigate the landscape of writing queries and finding the right representation for your writing career.

This presentation will include:

How to look for agents
Tips on writing a query letter
When to give up (hint: don’t)

*Note: The live event included a query-letter critique, but the on-demand session does not include a critique.

What attendees have said ...

"I love that you dedicated a good amount of time for questions, even personal situations so writers could really make the best out of the seminar."

"I'm looking forward to the recording so I can retain the bullet points on the slides—all extremely important and helpful but so much was covered (a good thing!) so quickly that it was tough to absorb it all."

"As I get ready to query in the next couple months I will be using the information to structure my query letter."

One-on-One with J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is not only a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels, she's also an EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS, and one of the most generous professional writers in the industry.

As always, our Symposium one-on-one conversations are a community event. While Jeanne Veillette Bowerman and J.T. converse, your questions will be addressed, too!

Pour a beverage, sit back and relax. Join the dialogue.

Resources from this session:
J.T. Ellison's Website
J.T.'s Substack
J.T.'s Newsletter
Reckless Creatives Podcast with John Truby
Symposium: "Self-Publishing: The Fundamentals and Beyond"

Troubled Waters: Navigating the Agent/Author Relationship

For agented and un-agented authors.

It can be devastating when a literary business partnership changes and you're searching for the right fit for an agent ... again. Also, how can you be sure you're picking the right agent in the first place?

Agent Stacey Graham from 3 Seas Literary Agency will share how to recognize the signs of when your agent/author relationship may be headed for the rocks, what to try to right the ship, and when it's time to head for the lifeboat in this fast-paced presentation.

Included:

If the partnership can't be saved, what are the next steps to get you back on the path to publication?
What happens with projects that are currently on submission.
Tips on where to find agents taking on new clients, queries, and how to tell a new agent that they've left representation so it doesn't get weird.
What to ask your agent before you sign with them to be more confident the fit will be right.
Setting realistic expectations.

What Attendees Have Said ...

"The information shared was phenomenal!"

"Stacy Graham was a lovely choice to discuss the ins and outs of breaking a current relationship between authors and agents with grace, kindness, and aplomb. The information she provided on outside resources to find an agent, write queries, etc., was also invaluable."

"I had a general knowledge of the topic, but there were aspects of the Agent/Author Relationship that I had not considered that were covered."

"Loved hearing straight from a working agent what the business relationship is like, agent/client. Though not all are the same, Stacey was straightforward and down-to-earth, exactly the personality type of the new agent I'm looking for, so this really worked for me ... there is so much good material here it would be great to offer the workshop to authors at all levels. I'm sure other agents would appreciate potential clients receiving the education so expectations can be understood and negotiated/set right from the beginning."

The State of Hollywood: A 2025 Primer for Film & TV Writers

They told you after the strikes: “survive til ’25.”

Question is, what can you do to ensure 2025 is your most productive year as a film or TV writer?

Breaking in, staying in, and building a career has never been easy. To take meaningful strides toward becoming a professional screenwriter, you have to cut out the fluff, avoid the distractions, and pay attention to the ever-changing realities of Hollywood and the business.

Screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup brings a new Symposium, exclusively for film and TV writers—both new/emerging and semi-established—focusing on the current state of the industry, the hard truths rarely discussed (yet every writer has to confront), and exploring all that is required to move your writing—and your career—forward.

What Attendees Have Said ...

"Very thorough and informative. I found encouragement even with such a tough business to break into. Lee taught me things I didn't know."

"Lee shared an incredible breadth of knowledge. So generous!"

"This webinar was outstanding. I feel more prepared, organized and informed than I have in years. Lee Jessup is extraordinarily knowledgeable and generous. I hope this is an offering at the beginning of each year. As a result of our time together I've set my goals for 2025 and have amazing scripts to read that Lee graciously shared with attendees. Also, I love Jeanne's facilitation style and her support in helping me get registered was above and beyond."

"All the practical knowledge yet served up without any negativity, which is normally the case with these kind of industry chats. She inspired me to keep up the hope."

"It was great to hear hopeful news for the industry from someone so deeply entrenched in it. I also appreciated the candid talk on how to approach managers."

"Lee is so knowledgeable and so giving! She provided insight on things I didn't even know I needed to know. She was also very detailed in her explanations and responses."

One-on-One with Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss

Because of writers' passions for pursuing their dreams, we seem to be prime victims of scammers. No one works as hard as Victoria Strauss to investigate and educate writers on the people trying to rip money out of our hands.

Jeanne Veillette Bowerman chats with Victoria about her career and passion for protecting writers, including you in the conversation with a live Q&A during the chat.

Join us and learn what to watch for when an unexpected email shows up with an offer that's too good to be true.

Resources:

Writer Beware Website
Writer Beware Blog
Impersonation List
"How a Book Really Becomes a Movie" by Jeanne Veillette Bowerman

Booking Author Speaking Engagements

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."

Writer Therapy: Creating Opportunities in Film, TV, and Beyond

Get comfortable ... it's therapy time!

With screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup and writer-turned-therapist Phil Stark (Dude, Where's My Car?), we'll not only discuss the state of the industry but also the mindset needed to stay in the game.

Perhaps, the biggest question for survival is, “Are you a screenwriter or a storyteller?” We'll discuss the pitfalls of writers painting themselves into a corner by not at least exploring other writing avenues. Let's dispel the myth of “all I need is a manager” or “all I need is to sell one script.”

Yes, it’s hard out there, but it’s always been hard. A writer won't get anywhere unless they put themselves out there and be as efficient as possible in jumpstarting their career.

Lee and Phil will share advice on getting your mindset straight, and words on the page.

Logline Workshop

This workshop is available quarterly. All registrants receive a FREE entry to the 2025 Script Pipeline Pitch Competition.*

Everything you need to know to sell your story and yourself … in just one sentence.

There are two questions every writer must be able answer clearly and quickly:

“What’s your story about?"

“What do you write?”

The answer to the first question will reveal the genre, tone, hook, premise, and stakes of a single project. The second question will reveal what you as a writer care about in your work, and why you're the best person to to tell the stories you do.

You need your story idea boiled down to a single, compelling pitchable sentence to get the attention of a manager.

Our logline workshop will teach you how to do just that ...

In this exclusive two-hour event, we'll:

Discuss the definition and purpose of a logline.
Look at great examples of loglines that work.
Explore different ways to construct loglines based on who you might be pitching to.
How to use a story logline to sharpen the hook of your project.
How to manage the fear of marketing yourself and your project with one sentence.
Discuss the reasons not everyone will respond to your logline—and why that’s actually a good thing.
Workshop attendee's loglines in real time (Merridith will review as many as time allows).
Open Q&A

You may have never written a logline before. Great! We’ll do a lot of that together.

You may have been banging your head against the wall trying to construct a great logline, but you’re frustrated that you can’t quite hit the mark.

We'll workshop the loglines you love and the loglines you hate. You’ll leave with the tools you need to whip them into shape and build future loglines with ease.

While we hope to get to as many of the attendees' loglines as possible, we will only be able to get to a handful for live feedback. First come, first serve.

However, during the workshopping of loglines, you'll see how Merridith's advice will apply to your own process, and now you'll have the tools to use to get to the next level. If you're interested in working with Merridith in a one-on-one session after the event, we'll send all attendees her information to reach out.

*Rules for Free Contest Entry Bonus: Any Symposium event that offers a free entry to one of our contests applies to future submissions, not refunds on past submissions.

**CONFIDENTIALITY: In an effort to best facilitate event participation, the recording will only be shared with the registrants and not available on-demand. If you're uncomfortable sharing your logline, that's fine, too, as it's not required.

What Attendees Have Said ...

"The Symposium gave me a whole new way to think about the logline. Loved it!"

"Merridith was professional, knowledgeable, and encouraging. The logline info that Merridith shared is spot on and will help me tremendously, And that's the whole point!! Thanks very much."

"Great information that can be immediately put to use. Appreciated not only the content but also the facilitation of the workshop. Not too many workshops provide the course materials at the beginning of the class. Kudos!"

"It was awesome and incredibly helpful for someone like myself who is just learning about screenwriting and the various skills one needs to have. Really enjoyed it. The two hours just flew by, and it was of real benefit. Thank you."

"I had a fabulous time—very knowledgeable instructors. They kept things moving along and gave attendees great suggestions."

Hard Truths: Book Writing Competitions

Writing contests provide an opportunity for writers to get recognition for their work, win monetary prizes, and even have their work pitched to literary agents.

Understanding how contests actually work and what types of projects typically resonate is essential to any writer looking to compete—the story idea, the quality of the writing sample, the voice of the author, etc.

Our Book Pipeline execs, Matthew J. Misetich, Ciara Duggan and Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, join contest-winning writer Laura Picklesimer to offer insider tips on writing competitions.

Networking Advice to Get and Stay in the TV/Film Industry

You have dreams as a screenwriter. You work and write and sacrifice and say no to fun stuff with friends because you're working on your craft. Getting better.

But the thing is, if you don't know people in the industry, you'll lose out on opportunities to people who do.

You might have the chips stacked against you.

Not a lot of free time to meet people
Not living in an industry town
Not good at talking to people
Maybe small talk makes you want to hit your head with a ball-pene hammer to escape
Or you feel you've never been invited to the table in the first place

But what if you could learn actionable hacks that could save you YEARS of mistakes and propel your career relationships, in the time that it takes to watch one film, for the cost of a few coffees at Starbucks?

During the first ten years of my time in the TV industry, I made EVERY SINGLE freaking mistake you can make when it comes to networking.

I cringe every time I think about it.

But all those mistakes bring a lot of award-winning, kick-ass insight. So, I reverse engineered how networking is in the industry, and how to do it, especially when you have no bloody clue what you're doing.

And it completely changed my career. Previous session attendees contact me all the time to say these tips have changed things for them, too.

Straight up—this is NOT a dry, boring session. Why should it be? We need to kick down those doors! This is our livelihood!

It will help you with some of the most common challenges writers face. Here are just some of the things you'll learn:

1) Secrets and attitudes we need that people don't tell us.

2) Hacks from the TV and film industry on who writers should network with and who is usually overlooked.

3) Adjacent industries we can build our skills and presence in until the TV/film industry recovers in the next year or two.

4) Networking in person, like at live events, including how to know who to talk to, the best areas to find them, and what to say. (P.S. And how everything can come down to a foot!)

5) How to send an email to someone you don't know and get a response. (P.S. And tips like why "I" makes people run for the hills!)

It's super high-energy, it's funny, it's irreverent, and it's filled with TRUTH. I will bear my soul and tell you cringeworthy stories!

The session has received 100% positive feedback, including from industry bodies like WFTV CA, LSF, MANFF, writing groups and international universities. It was voted "most useful session" at LSF, University of Derby, and Bolton U. Upcoming sessions include Ed TV Fest, WGGB, BAFTA, NFTS, etc.

Join in! You'll feel so much better, and empowered with actionable steps to take. The sooner you start (even if you're a new writer), the sooner you'll get all the benefits!

What attendees have said ...

"Great, practical advice, even for writers who already research the crap out of this stuff. Great advice for introverts and neurodivergent types! One of my favorite parts was the even photo and analysis of body language and people dynamics—so helpful!!"

"I was really thrilled to find that this webinar was very concise and accurate in the objective of giving meaningful advice! Amanda was so great, and it was truly inspiring."

"Amanda’s no-bull brand of advice was welcomed by this newbie “Imposter.” She exfoliated at least a decade’s worth of mistakes, offering practical insight into an intimidating and overwhelming industry. Networking is the one big bad monster I feared couldn’t be overcome, making me question whether or not this industry could be my home but Amanda normalized the fear so many of us face when trying to meet new people and make new connections while offering solutions to help us get over the hump."

"Loved Amanda's energy and positive mindset. It also gave me fresh inspiration and a more lighthearted approach to networking, generally. I'm going to have some fun with it. Some practical stuff like the social media purge was good to include. Be yourself was kind of an underlying message I got from Amanda and I'm going to embody that—my peeps are out there."

"I loved hearing the first-hand experiences, and I adored the visual elements enhancing the speaker’s thoughts regarding cold-emails."