PITCH YOUR BOOK TO A LITERARY AGENT:
These one-on-one meetings at the 2023 Atlanta Writing Workshop are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent or editor, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind. More 2023 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open. We have seen many, many writers sign with agents after connecting after our conferences.
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Kat Kerr is a literary agent with Donald Maass Literary Agency. She is drawn to literary and commercial voices within the adult and YA markets, as well as adult nonfiction. Kat feels strongly about supporting programs like We Need Diverse Books and is passionate about creating space in this industry for those from historically marginalized communities. She is actively seeking to grow her client list and is particularly hungry for magical realism, literary leaning speculative and science fiction, women’s fiction, YA works with a lot of heart, and narrative nonfiction with something to say. Kat is drawn to strong, character-driven works with rich, literary prose. She loves books that make her think and have a strong emotional pull. Learn more about Kat here.
Pamela Harty is a literary with The Knight Agency. “I’m looking for romantic comedies, cozy mysteries, and historical fiction. For nonfiction, I’d like health and wellness, advice and relationship, and true crime.” Pamela serves as The Knight Agency’s Vice President of Sales, and belongs to the Association of Authors’ Representatives and Romance Writers of America. Learn more about Pamela here.
Kristen Terrette is a literary agent with Martin Literary Management. Kristen is a literary manager excited to build her list featuring titles in middle grade, young adult, female-driven crime thrillers, faith-based books, and the occasional picture book with an author/illustrator. Kristen has long been a voice for diversity. She’s written extensively on topics of racial reconciliation and unity and is a facilitator of groups around these topics in her church. In all her focused genres, she welcomes books with BIPOC or disabled main characters and diverse friendships. Kristen is seeking middle grade (all genres except sci-fi), young adult (all subgenres except sci-fi), women’s crime thriller, faith-based fiction and faith-based memoirs, and picture books by author-illustrators. Learn more about Kristen here.
Carlisle Webber is a literary agent at Fuse Literary. Carlisle is looking for: high-concept commercial fiction in middle grade, young adult, and adult. If your book is fresh and exciting, tackles difficult topics, reads like a Shonda Rhimes show, or makes readers stay up late turning pages, she’s the agent for you. Diverse authors are encouraged to submit their fiction. Within the genres she represents, Carlisle is especially interested in stories by and about people of color; with both visible and invisible disabilities and illnesses; who are economically disadvantaged; who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer; or who are members of religious minorities. Pitch her: Middle grade (any genre), Young adult (any genre), thriller, mystery, suspense, horror, women’s fiction, and popular/mainstream fiction. Learn more about Carlie here.
Michelle Jackson is a Literary Associate with Olswanger Literary. “I look forward to bringing adult fiction and select non-fiction of new authors work out there, especially BIPOC and underrepresented authors.” In fiction, she seeks: Commercial, Historical, Humor, New Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Women’s Fiction. Her fiction subgenres include: Contemporary Romance, Multicultural, Psychological Thrillers, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense. In nonfiction, she seeks: Biography, True Crime, Self-Help, Relationships, Cookbooks, Narrative, Spirituality, select Memoirs. Learn more about Michelle here.
Erin Clyburn is a literary agent with Howland Literary. Erin represents middle grade fiction, YA fiction, and adult fiction and nonfiction. In MG and YA, she is looking for horror, mystery, thriller, big-hearted contemporary, and grounded stories with magical or speculative elements (grounded sci-fi or fantasy elements). In adult fiction, she is most interested in upmarket and literary fiction, and she gravitates toward the dark and strange: horror, thriller, mystery, and grounded stories with speculative or magical elements. Send her your weirds. In nonfiction, she’s interested in intersectional perspectives and is looking for narrative nonfiction, memoir, and deep dives into topics including pop science, nature, food and culinary history, and sports and adventure. An Alabamian with Louisiana roots, Erin is particularly interested in Southern literary and upmarket fiction from diverse voices in the above genres. Learn more about Erin here.
Zoie Janelle Konneker (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Peachtree Publishing Company. “I am seeking fiction novels across middle-grade and young adult audiences. I am looking for timeless, emotive, and well-paced books.” In Middle Grade: historical fiction, contemporary, sci-fi (CYBERPUNK, steampunk, soft science fiction), fantasy (urban, animal, magical, dystopian, high fantasy), supernatural, and plenty of humor. My current priority is light-hearted historical fiction (anywhere from the 1800s to 1990s) with a unique setting and voice and/or anything magical realism. Women’s/LGBTQIA+/Black/Indigenous history and equality is a priority for me, so stories about a particular time in history that is often overlooked or whitewashed are particularly intriguing.” (That last sentence applies to YA novels too.) In Young Adult: “historical fiction (1800s – 1990s), contemporary, sci-fi (cyberpunk, steampunk, soft science fiction), fantasy (urban, animal, magical, dystopian, high fantasy with unique magic system), magical realism, supernatural, humor, romance (prefer rom-coms to dramas), retellings (of lesser-known myths/lore).” Learn more about Zoe here.
Elaine Spencer is a literary agent at The Knight Agency. In fiction, she is open to: General fiction, mystery, romance, suspense, thriller, women’s, Southern fiction, diverse stories. In nonfiction, she is open to: memoir, reference, biography, cookbooks, sports, lifestyle, pop culture, social media, platform-driven authors, health, mind/body, business/finance. Elaine continues to keep a focused author list as she believes it is important to work closely with her clients through each step of the publishing process. She relishes seeing her clients’ talents grow alongside their careers, and one of her favorite parts of the job continues to be educating authors about the market and business at large. Learn more about Elaine here.
Caroline Trussell is a literary agent with Metamorphosis Literary. She is seeking: Romance (especially romantic comedies, enemies to lovers, and fake dating); Fantasy (particularly magical realism and urban fantasy); Middle Grade (with lots of heart and that discusses tough topics in an age appropriate way); In any genre, stories that feature dynamic characters with non-visible disabilities and/or mental illness. Learn more about Caroline here.
ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2023 Atlanta Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at the Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2023 ATLWW on our event calendar.
That event is the 2023 Online Writing Workshop of San Francisco, April 14-15, 2023, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.
This means that 2023 ATLWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online WWSF agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online April 2023 WWSF. (That said, if you want to formally register for the WWSF and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Atlanta attendees.)
If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Atlanta. Following the ATLWW one-day conference on March 11, 2023, we will be in touch with all ATLWW attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2023 WWSF (April 14-15). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.
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More 2023 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.
These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.
(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings.)