Tag Archives: Pitch Wars

Pitch Wars Query and First Page Workshop

August 12, 2020Contests, Critiques, Literary, Webinar/WorkshopAdult, Author, สำคัญ, Critice, Criticiúil, Critico, Critigol, Deadline, Критических, Критични, Критичних, Entry, 重要, 關鍵., Feedback, First Page, Inspiration, Κρίσιμη, 중요, Kritické, Kritieke, Kritik, Kritikal, Kritikus, Kritinių, Kritis, Kritiska, Kritična, Krytyczne, Life, Manuscript, Mentor, Middle Grade, Mikilvægt, New Adult, Pitch Wars, Quan trọng, Query, Rafflecopter, Story, Submission, Taua, Winners, Writer, Young Adult, 关键, بحرانیpdpabst

Pitch Wars is offering a critique workshop for your query and first page. That’s right, both will get critiqued this year! They have mentors lined up, and ready to give you feedback. So, if you are entering Pitch Wars, or just need extra eyes on your material, you can enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Available age categories are:

Middle Grade
Young Adult
New Adult
Adult

Deadline for entry is August 16, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be announced on August 17, 2020 at 10am EST. As always, good luck!

P. D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Pitch Wars Webinar with New Leaf Literary Agent Suzie Townsend

January 10, 2018Literary, Webinar/WorkshopAdult, Advice, agent, Authors, books, Diversity, Написання, Письмо, писане, Editing, Escritura, Fantasy, Fiction, First Page, Genres, Hooks, L'écriture, Literary Agent, Manuscripts, Middle Grade, New Leaf Literary & Media Inc., Non-Fiction, Pitch Wars, Pitchwars, Psycological Suspense, Query, Querying, resources, Romance, Schreiben, Science Fiction, scrittura, Stories, Suzie Townsend, Tips, Voice, Women's Fiction, Writers, Writing, Young Adult, 写作pdpabst

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Pitch Wars presents a wonderful webinar with literary agent Suzie Townsend called Query and First Page Bootcamp. It’s no secret among writer’s to hook an agent immediately with their first line and first page if they want to snag a literary agent. What can sometimes be frustrating is the “how”. Suzie Townsend will “cover writing the most effective query letter, starting with your strongest first pages, as well as useful tips and resources about the actual querying process.”

About Suzie Townsend…

SUZIE TOWNSEND is an agent at New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. Prior to joining New Leaf, Suzie graduated film school, earned her Masters of Education, taught high school English, and coached a swim team. In her spare time, she read everything she could, which prompted her move to publishing. She got her start as an intern at FinePrint Literary Management where she was hired as an assistant before making the move to literary agent. She’s been part of the team at New Leaf Literary & Media since its inception in 2012. Suzie loves strong characters and voice-driven stories that break out of the typical tropes of their genres, and she’s always looking for unique new voices in stories.

SUZIE IS LOOKING FOR: Women’s Fiction, Psychological Suspense, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult and literary Middle Grade. She’s especially looking for inclusive and diverse stories with new and unique voices in all genres and age groups.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

If you want to signup, you’d better hurry because they are only taking the first 50 participants. The cost is $25 (USD) and the webinar will take place Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 8:30pm ET.

Have fun learning!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA Fiction

Brenda Drake’s #Pitmad Is Almost Here!

December 5, 2017Contests, Literary#amediting, #amwriting, #Pitmad, Adult, Age Category, Agents, Authors, books, Brenda Drake, Category, Characters, Children's, Editors, Fiction, Genre, Guidelines, Hashtags, Manuscripts, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Opportunity, Picture Books, Pitch Party, Pitch Wars, Pitching, publisher, Publishing, Rules, Stories, Sub-genres, Tweet, Twitter, Writers, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

Nothing soothes the writerly soul than a good twitter pitch party! Thursday, December 7, 2017 is Brenda Drake’s infamous #PitMad between the hours of 8am-8pm (EDT). Common age category and genre hashtags are below.

Age Categories:

#PB = Picture Book
#C = Children’s
#CB = Chapter Book
#CL = Children’s Lit
#MG = Middle Grade
#YA = Young Adult
#NA = New Adult
#A = Adult

Genres/Sub-genres:

#AA = African American
#AD = Adventure
#CF = Christian Fiction
#CON = Contemporary
#CR = Contemporary Romance
#DIS = Disabilities
#DV = Diversity
#E = Erotica
#ER = Erotic Romance
#ES = Erotica Suspense
#F = Fantasy
#H = Horror
#HA = Humor
#HF = Historical Fiction
#HR = Historical Romance
#INSP = Inspirational
#IRMC = Interracial/Multicultural
#MR = Magical Realism
#M = Mystery
#Mem = Memoir
#LGBT
#LF = Literary Fiction
#NF = Non-fiction
#R = Romance
#P = Paranormal
#PR = Paranormal Romance
#RS = Romantic Suspense
#S = Suspense
#SF = SciFi
#SPF = Speculative Fiction
#T = Thriller
#UF = Urban Fantasy
#W = Westerns
#WF = Woman’s Fiction

The rules clearly state to only pitch THREE times per manuscript during the contest. Don’t break the rules and clog the feed! Also, please remember anyone can stalk the feed. So, do your research before submitting your manuscript!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA Fiction.

Pitch Wars Submissions Are Open!

August 2, 2017Contests, Literary2017, Adult, Agents, Authors, Brenda Drake, Donate, Feedback, Fiction, Free Pass, Manuscripts, Mentors, Middle Grade, New Adult, Opportunity, Pitch Wars, Publishing, Scavenger Hunt, Stories, Storytelling, Submissions, Twitter, Writers, Young Adultpdpabst

This is a quick reminder that Brenda Drake’s Pitch Wars submissions opened yesterday and will close August 6 at 10pm EDT (New York time). Go here for the guidelines and here to submit. There are two other ways to get into the contest, a scavenger hunt (scroll to find the info) to get a free pass into Pitch Wars and if you donate at least $20 you can pick two extra mentors. Woot! Note the participating menotrs are on the post with the scavenger hunt information. Lastly, be sure and stop by twitter to watch the #PitchWars feed because they are giving extra mentor prizes away.

A Query Workshop with Agent Jim McCarthy

July 4, 2017Literary, Webinar/Workshop#amquerying, #amwriting, agent, Authors, Brenda Drake, Dystel Goderich & Bourret Literary Agency, Feedback, Insight, Jim McCarthy, Limitation, Pitch Wars, Pre-Submit, Query, Stories, Subjective, Vice President, Webinars, Website, Workshop, Writers, Writingpdpabst

WEBINARS

Pitch Wars Webinars presents a query workshop with agent Jim McCarthy, Vice President of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret Literary Agency.

Per Brenda Drake’s website: Jim McCarthy invites you to peek behind the curtain and watch exactly what happens when an agent considers your query. Working from your pre-submitted queries, participants will have the chance to read along with him as he decides whether to stop reading or carry on. You’ll see the exact moment in query letters that he perks up or passes.

Date: Tuesday, July 25
Time: 8:30 pm ET
Cost: $25 to attend the workshop
Note: 30 person limitation

This is an excellent opportunity to know if your query letter is working. But you need to hurry if you’re going to attend. Go here for information on how to enroll. And of course, remember this is a subjective market, so what doesn’t work for Mr. McCarthy, might work for another agent.

#MenteesHelpingMentees has opened early!

June 25, 2017Contests, Literary#MenteesHelpingMentees, 140, Adult, Age Category, Authors, Blog, Community, Contemporary, Critiques, Fantasy, Fiction, Genre, Hashtag, Historical, Hopefuls, Manuscripts, Mentee, Mentees, Mentors, Middle Grade, Paranormal, Pitch Wars, Pitchwars, Query, Rafflecopters, Romance, Science Fiction, Share, Storytelling, Subgenre, Suspense, Ten Pages, Tweet, Upmarket, Women's Fiction, Writers, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

For all the Pitch Wars hopefuls this year, the class of 2016 mentees have gotten together to offer critiques to 140 writers on their query and first ten pages at Mentees Helping Mentees. They have created seven different Rafflecopters for writers to enter based on age category and a few sub/genres:

Middle Grade
Young Adult Contemporary and Historical
Young Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal
Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy
Adult Romance
Adult Mystery & Suspense
Adult Other (Historical, Literary, Upmarket, Women’s Fiction)

The giveaway ends on July 2nd, 2017 at 12 am EST. Winners will be notified via Twitter on July 5th. Watch the #menteeshelpingmentees hashtag! Those selected will get their critiques back no later than July 24th (plenty of time to review before Pitch Wars submissions open on August 2nd).

What a fantastic thing for them to do! And remember this is a new thing, so tweet, share, and blog to spread the word. Good luck to all that enter!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Pitch Wars Webinar with Michele Rubin of Cornerstones US

May 5, 2017Literaryadvise, agent, Ask Questions, Authors, Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, Cornerstones UK, Cornerstones US, editor, Learning, Managing Editor, Manuscripts, Michele, Michele Rubin, Pitch Wars, Publishing, Publishing Industry, Webinar/Workshop, Writers, Writers Housepdpabst

WEBINARS

The Pitch Wars Webinar will be on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 from 8:30pm-9:30pm EST. The speaker will be the Managing Editor at Cornerstones US, Michele Rubin. She previously had been a Senior Executive Literary Agent with Writer’s House for almost 25 years where she represented everything across the board before joining the literary consultancy team at Cornerstones. Join this webinar and ask Michele all of your burning industry questions—no topic is off limits!

While the cost is free, there is a limited seat of 50. However, if you can’t make the event, the webinar will be prerecorded for access afterwards.

About Michele Rubin . . .

MicheleRubin-140x180 Twitter | Cornerstones US | Cornerstones UK

Michele Rubin was a literary agent at Writers House for 25 years, leaving agenting in 2013 to work full-time as a freelance editor, writer, ghostwriter, and conductor of writing workshops. Her areas of expertise and interest are broad; she is open to all genres. Michele is a Cornerstones industry editor.

As for myself, I’m thrilled to say she is my editor at Cornerstones US and I can’t wait to get her feedback! Now, go forth and learn a lot!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

The Manuscript Academy Scholarship Giveaway

October 15, 2016Contests, Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways#PitchWars Community, Adult Ficiton, Authors, Brenda Drake, Conference, Memoir, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Pitch Wars, Published, Scholarship, The Manuscript Academy, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

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The Pitch Wars community, founded by Brenda Drake, has joined forces with The Manuscript Academy to give away scholarships for upcoming conferences:

Writing Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult, begins November 5, 2016

How to Get Your Adult Fiction (or Memoir) Published, begins November 26, 2016

THREE writers will be selected based on a brief description of why they want/need this opportunity. Authors should check out The Manuscript Academy and then fill out the form on Brenda’s blog to let the community know why they would like to win. The scholarship giveaway will be open until October 18th!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Pitch Wars Submissions are Open

August 4, 2016Contests, LiteraryAdult Fiction, Agents, Blog Hops, Brenda Drake, Donate, Fiction, Manuscripts, Mentors, Middle Grade, New Adult, Pitch Wars, Scavenger Hunt, Twitter, Writing, Young Adultpdpabst

This is a quick reminder that Brenda Drake’s Pitch Wars submissions opened yesterday and will close August 6 at 10pm EDT (New York time). Go here for the guidelines and here to submit. There are two extras this year also, a scavenger hunt (scroll to find the info) to get a free pass into Pitch Wars and if you donate at least $20 you can pick two extra mentors. Woot! Lastly, be sure and stop by twitter to watch the #PitchWars feed because they are giving extra mentor prizes away.

As always, good luck!
P.D. Pabst

FINDING CRITIQUE PARTNERS

August 8, 2015LiteraryAbsolute Write, Agent Query Connect, Contests, CPSeek, Critique Partners, Fiction, Hashtags, Ladies Who Critique, Non-Fiction, Pitch Wars, Query Tracker, Romance Critters, Sub It Club, Writingpdpabst

With folks wanting to hone their pitches, queries, and first chapters before PitchWars submission, I thought I’d help everyone searching for a critique partner. Contests such of these are great for finding people who write in the same category and genre as you. Here are some places and things to do:

Put a tweet out requesting to swap material using the contest hashtag. Be specific about the age group & genre you write to be clear to prospective partners.
Watch for posts about entrants forming groups on their blogs to give each other feedback.
Absolute Write Forums: These forums are for all age groups and genres. Not to mention the research on agents and publishers you can find.
CPSeek Forums: There are topics on specific age categories and one just for queries and synopsis’.
Agent Query Connect: This is a place to post you’re looking for a crit partner.
Sub It Club Facebook Critique Partner Group: This is a private group you have to join, so no worries about what you post.
Ladies Who Critique: This is a sight where you can join groups by the genre.
Romance Critters: Whoa! A place for romance writers to swoon over each others critique. Awesome!
Query Tracker Forum: Not only can you keep track of your queries with this site, you can go to the forums and get feedback!

If you’re a member of a writers guild, you can usually find a place to get feedback on those sites too. I’m sure there are many more places to find help honing your craft, but these are a few places to get you started.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction

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WEBINARS

Pitch Wars Webinars presents a query workshop with agent Jim McCarthy, Vice President of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret Literary Agency.

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About Michele Rubin . . .

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