After successful 2016, and 2019 events in Houston, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2024 Houston Writing Workshop — a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event in Houston, TX on March 2, 2024.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Houston Writing Workshop! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next HWW is an in-person event happening in Houston on March 2, 2024. See you there.)

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:

• literary agent Jackie Kruzie (Olswanger Literary)
• literary agent Leah Pierre (Ladderbird Literary Agency)
• literary agent Ann Rose (The Tobias Literary Agency)
• literary agent Jennifer Chen Tran (Glass Literary Management)
• literary scout Andrea Kincaid (Corvisiero Literary)
• and possibly more to come

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Chuck Sambuchino of Writing Day Workshops (E-mail him to register for the event at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. Tell him you want to register for the Houston event.)

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 2, 2024: Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria, 2911 Sage Rd, Houston, TX 77056.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next HWW is an in-person event happening in Houston on March 2, 2024. See you there.)

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE & INSTRUCTORS (MARCH 2, 2024)

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

9:30 – 10:30: Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? How will A.I. (artificial intelligence) help or hurt writers in the years to come? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2024? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.

10:45 – 11:50: Everything You Need to Know About Literary Agents and Writing an Awesome Query Letter. This workshop is a thorough crash course in dealing with literary agents. After quickly going over what an agent is and what they do for writers, we will discuss resources for finding agents, how to ID the best agents for you, query letter writing, as well as the most important things to do and not to do when dealing with representatives.

11:45 – 1:15: Lunch on your own. There are several restaurants within quick driving distance on the block.

1:15 – 2:30: “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.

2:45 – 3:45: How to Turn a Messy First Draft into a Submission-Ready Manuscript. How many drafts should I write before I can submit my manuscript to a literary agent? How do I know when my manuscript is ready for submission? This class provides a guide to work through your novel’s major plot points, character development, dialogue, descriptions, and more.

4:00 – 5:00: 10 Evergreen Keys to Writing Success. Learn 10 things you can be doing right now that will help get your book(s) published and have more control over your writing destiny. This is a general course that addresses commonsense things any writer can do to give their work the best shot at getting published, such as writing the best thing they can, stealing from themselves to generate more content, and why writing for love and money is a good idea.

All throughout the day: Agent & Editor Pitching.

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PITCH AN AGENT!

Ann Rose [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency. Ann is looking for characters who aren’t afraid to stand up for their convictions and beliefs – whether they fight with their fists or their words. She’s open to all genres of middle grade—and especially love stories that push the MG boundary. By this she means they explore topics that affect middle graders but aren’t always talked about in MG books; like It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap. Ann also represents all genres in YA. In the adult arena, she adores swoony romances, light sci-fi or fantasy (emphasis on the light side), commercial fiction, and heartwarming – or heart wrenching – contemporaries. She really enjoys feminist stories that highlight women’s experiences in the world. She is a sucker for a strong female friendship narrative because she truly believes that empowered women, empower women! She’s always looking for unique voices, diverse perspectives, vivid settings, and stories that explore tough topics. Dark and edgy is totally okay too. She is also up for a good revenge plot. Above all Ann is looking for stories with compelling characters that push boundaries and make her laugh and cry, hopefully in the same story! Learn more about Ann here.

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Leah Pierre is a literary agent with Ladderbird Literary. Leah is exclusively looking for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander voices with or without LGBTIQA+ intersectionality—basically anyone underrepresented and/or marginalized. For Picture Books, she is selectively searching for an author who is writing diverse, heartfelt and emotionally resonant stories about family, heritage, and tough, complex topics (i.e loss, identity, divorce, disabilities, etc). She is also looking for stories that are fun, adventurous, and creative. For Young Adult/Crossover/Adult, she is looking to acquire across the following genres: sci-fi, fantasy, speculative, contemporary, romance, mystery, thriller, suspense, fairytale or classic retellings/reimaginings. Learn more about Leah here.

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Jackie Kruzie [SOLD OUT OF PITCH APPOINTMENTS] is a literary agent with Olswanger Literary. “I am currently seeking adult fiction including fantasy, historical fiction, magical realism, mystery, paranormal/supernatural, sci-fi, thriller, western, and women’s fiction. I am particularly interested in magical realism and supernatural stories (give me all the witches). I have a soft spot for historical fiction with dual timelines where events from the past impact the present. I am a sucker for stories with a romantic element and enjoy when budding romances develop organically throughout the story, and I don’t mind a little spice. I welcome diverse characters and would like to see more main LGBTQ+ characters in a setting where they exist without scrutiny and their sexuality isn’t the main issue. Learn more about Jackie here.

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Jennifer Chen Tran is a literary agent at Glass Literary Management. In nonfiction, she seeks cookbooks, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and prescriptive nonfiction. She loves nonfiction (narrative or memoir with a platform) that sheds light on an unseen corner in society or history. Prescriptive nonfiction with practical takeaways, cookbooks with a unique angle or narratives centered on culinary life (see David Chang’s Eat a Peach), lifestyle titles (see Kate Oliver’s The Modern Caravan), humorous or visually-driven projects, and business books that read like memoir. Big idea books that shift how we perceive or navigate the world. In fiction, she seeks: middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, bookclub fiction, commercial/mainstream fiction, and women’s fiction. She loves middle grade and young adult that has heart and humor or visually-driven elements (see Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky). She gravitates toward contemporary fiction that braids together issues of social significance and identity (see Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek). Learn more about Jennifer here.

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Andrea Kincaid is a literary scout with Corvisiero Literary. As a literary scout, she is taking pitches on behalf of all the agents at her agency, and passing along worthy submissions to literary agents agents at Corvisiero Literary. That means she can take pitches for the following: adult fantasy (all kinds), intricate historical novels set before the 20th century, horror, psychological thrillers, LGBTQIA+ stories, science fiction, young adult contemporary, young adult sci-fi and fantasy, women’s fiction, literary fiction, upmarket/commercial, mysteries, work from historically marginalized and underrepresented voice, folklore retellings, and magical realism. She is personally interested in unique romance stories with strong heroes and heroines that work through their past trauma to find something real. She also loves Children’s lit that teaches valuable life lessons and can be tied into a teacher’s curriculum, YA stories, Mystery/Thrillers, and Fantasy.​ Learn more about Andrea here.

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ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2024 Houston Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at the Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2024 HWW on our event calendar.

That event is the 2024 Online Colorado Writing Workshop, March 8-9, 2024, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.

This means that 2024 HWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online Colorado agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online March 2024 CWW. (That said, if you want to formally register for the March 8-9 CWW and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Houston attendees.)

If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Indiana. Following the HWW one-day conference on March 2, 2024, we will be in touch with all Indiana attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2024 CWW (March 8-9). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.

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         More 2024 agents may be added at any time.

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, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

PRICING

$169 — EARLY BIRD registration pricing! This is the complete base price for registration to the 2023 HWW and access to all workshops, all day. As of fall 2023, registration is now open. E-mail Chuck Sambuchino at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com to register. Say you’re interested in the Houston event.

Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories can be seen here.)

“I met my client, Alison Hammer, at the Writing
Workshop of Chicago and just sold her book.”
– literary agent Joanna Mackenzie of Nelson Literary

“Good news! I signed a client [novelist Aliza Mann]
from the Michigan Writing Workshop!”
– literary agent Sara Mebigow of KT Literary

“I signed author Stephanie Wright from
the Seattle Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kathleen Ortiz of New Leaf Literary

“I signed an author [Kate Thompson] that I
met at the Philadelphia Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kimberly Brower of Brower Literary

“I signed novelist Kathleen McInnis after meeting her
at the Chesapeake Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Adriann Ranta of Foundry Literary + Media

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from instructor Chuck Sambuchino, formerly of Writer’s Digest, who previously taught at this Houston workshop. (This rate is a special event value for Houston Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 10-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

• Mystery, thriller, suspense, women’s fiction (in-person meetings): Faculty member Jennifer Moorhead, a published author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you in person at the event for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the in-person meeting.
• Any type of fiction except for picture books or science fiction (in-person meetings): Faculty member Elba Perez, a published author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you in person at the event for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the in-person meeting.
• Fantasy (both YA and adult), fantasy romance, contemporary romance, women’s fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Shauna Golden, a former agent, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes.
• Women’s, mainstream, science fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, mystery (virtual critiques): Faculty member Michelle McGill-Vargas, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy (virtual critiques): Faculty member Sean Fletcher, a developmental editor and agent scout, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your story, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes.
• Middle grade, young adult; adult fiction in the areas of low fantasy, literary fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and mainstream fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Joel Brigham, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes
• More critique options forthcoming

How to pay/register — Registration is now open. Reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com, and he will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event. Payment is by either credit card, PayPal, Venmo, or check. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Houston workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION

Because of limited space at the venue of Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria, the workshop can only allow 150 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next HWW is an in-person event happening in Houston on March 2, 2024. See you there.)

Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register: The easy first step is simply to reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by PayPal, Venmo, credit card, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The HWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Houston workshop specifically.

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your letter.)

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Houston Writing Workshop.