Literary Agents return for the 2023 Nonfiction Writers Conference!
Our unique Pitch-the-Agents LIVE event is a special double session held during the Nonfiction Writers Conference. This event is a HUGE HIT with participants and attendees alike!
How it Works
NFWC Gold, Platinum, VIP, and Thought Leader attendees have the opportunity to apply to participate in the live pitches and 20 finalists are selected by a random lottery to share their pitches with a panel of literary agents who are actively pursuing nonfiction book deals.
Hundreds of conference attendees cheer on the participating writers as they share their pitches and received feedback from the agents.
Several participants from our past Pitch-the-Agents events have had proposals requested from participating agents and have gone on to sign agent representation deals!
How it Works
Each pitch lasts a total of five minutes and time is carefully monitored. Participants will have up to two minutes to deliver a pitch, leaving the agents with three minutes (or remaining time) to ask questions and give feedback on ways to improve your pitch and/or your book project. If a participating agent finds a pitch compelling, he or she may ask to receive your book proposal! That’s right, it is possible one or more attendees can end up with agent representation and a book deal! (Though please note there are no guarantees of any book deals or representation.)
How to Participate
NFWC Gold, Platinum, VIP, and Thought Leader attendees are eligible to participate, however you must submit an application to participate in the pitch sessions. Up to twenty writers will be selected at random to share a pitch live. (And notified a few days prior to the session.)
Pitch applications open about four weeks prior to the conference.
Be sure to register for NFWC early so you stay notified of event updates.
How to Prepare Your Pitch
- Try to distill your book into a one or two-sentence “elevator pitch” that succinctly tells us what your book is about and why you are the best person to write it.
- Make sure you distinguish your book from what has already been published: what makes your book different and why is it needed in the marketplace?
- Don’t forget to reference competitive titles if they help you better encapsulate what your book is about. You don’t always need to use comps but one or two well-known comps may be extremely helpful.
- If you have any kind of author platform (blog or newsletter subscribers, social media following, website traffic, etc.), be sure to mention the details during your pitch.
Don’t Want to Pitch? Here’s Why You Should Still Attend
Even if you don’t want to pitch your book project to the agents, there is a tremendous amount of value you can gain simply by watching the participating writers and agents in action. You will learn how a book pitch works, what makes it sizzle, what captures the interest of agents, and what recommendations they offer for improvement. Even if you’re self-publishing, it’s important to understand how the traditional publishing world works so that you can remain competitive. We can all learn from what sells well in traditional publishing and gain wisdom from these experienced literary agents!
Meet the Agents for NFWC 2023
A well-established agent, who began her career as an editor at major publishing houses, Rita Rosenkranz represents almost exclusively adult non-fiction titles. Her wide-ranging list includes health, history, parenting, music, how-to, popular science, business, biography, sports, popular reference, cooking, writing, humor, spirituality, illustrated books and general interest titles. She represents first-time as well as seasoned authors, and looks for projects that present familiar subjects freshly or lesser-known subjects presented commercially. Rita works with major publishing houses, as well as regional publishers that handle niche markets.
Lauren Hall is a literary agent, executive producer, and multiple #1 New York Times bestselling writer who comes alongside incisive thinkers and writers to bring ideas to life. Over her ten years in publishing, she has worked on 26 New York Times bestselling books, collaborating with and representing both new and seasoned talent. Having participated in every step of the publishing process—agenting, editing, designing, promoting, and co-writing—has provided her with a deep and holistic insight into what makes a book both commercially and culturally successful. Her comprehensive and integrated approach means she loves being a creative collaborator. Lauren is currently a literary agent Folio Literary Management and resides in Austin, Texas. When not reading books, writing books, or talking about books, she’s ideally on a bike ride, exploring some new city, or hosting a dinner and listening to stories over a long, unhurried meal.
Carleen Madigan is an Executive Editor at Storey Publishing, a division of Workman Publishing within Hachette Book Group. Storey’s mission is to publish practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment. The books we select to carry out our mission include nonfiction titles for adults and children in the areas of gardening, herbs, cooking, beer and wine making, nature, farming, animals, building, homesteading, natural health, home reference, crafts, and mind/body/spirit.
To participate in Pitch-the-Agents, you must be registered as a Gold, Platinum or VIP attendee and then fill out an application. Applications are announced a few weeks prior to commencement of the conference so be sure to register early.