The New York Pitch begins before you arrive and continues after you depart. As professionals who have been running this event for over 15 years, we know that 99% of applicants and final attendees have manuscripts and skill sets that require tweaking to be as competitive as possible. Towards that end for pre-event purposes, our writers obtain logins to the New York Novel Prep Forum at Algonkian Author Connect, and for post-event purposes, as appropriate, writers utilize the Algonkian Novel Writing Program for final rewrites. No additional fees are involved.

Writers Who Need a Frank Reality Check

You've been working on your novel for a few months or a few years (or more) and you feel you need a reality check from professional editors to determine whether or not you are on the right track. Perhaps you are not sure about the premise or evolution of the plot and/or you've received conflicting or potentially bad advice from too many amateurs. Reality check time. The publishing house editors and other commercial veterans at the event will be analytical and frank with you, but best to evaluate yourself first and shed whatever thin skin remains.

Writers With a Complete or Near Complete MS

If you have a complete or near complete novel ms or narrative non-fiction and you feel it is ready to pitch to an editor at a major publishing house, the New York Pitch Conference is organized and designed to benefit you in a number of different ways. Please read the How It Works page for more detailed information. If you are six months or more away from completing a novel, you might choose to attend because you want guidance or instruction on shaping your novel (see "reality check" above).

Writers Who Wish to Understand Publishing

Regardless the condition of your novel, you wish to use this conference as a means of learning more about the publishing business from a variety of insiders, and just as importantly, in an atmosphere that allows for productive interaction. Both the acquisition and fiction editors will cover this subject matter in considerable detail. Also, all editors will be very frank. This is not for writers who simply want their backs slapped.

Who Should Not Participate?

Writers in Search of the Average Writer Conference

This conference is not for very new writers who would benefit more from the average writer conference, i.e, a conference that has panels, speakers, and classes for beginners.

Writers in Search of Praise Only

The New York Pitch Conference exists to provide writers an opportunity to pitch their novels to top editorial professionals, as well as a realistic window into the publishing business and what it takes to get a novel successfully published. As necessary, during the pitch shops and sessions, we will tell you what works and what does not. If we fail to be honest, we fail not only you, but everyone else participating with you. If you are not looking for honest evaluation, please look elsewhere.

Traditional Novel and Fiction Workshops and Conferences Algonkian Writer Conferences