This is a list of all the panels at The Ladder Literary Conference that focus on the CONNECT rung.
Standing Out in the Commercial and YA Fiction Market
11:15am–12:30pm, Room A
Between the mountainous slush piles and the gangs of writers elbowing to be published, getting noticed seems like an impossible task. Never fear. Join literary agents and editors as they detail how you can stand out (for all the right reasons). Learn how to pitch your project, how to hook an agent, and what you can do to get a publisher to say “Yes.”
Panelists: David Pomerico, Regina Brooks, Alexandra Levick, Rhea Lyons. Moderator: Kyle Semmel.
Query Letters: Literary Fiction & Nonfiction
11:15am–12:30pm, Room C
You only get one chance to make a first impression. In the world of publishing, the agent query letter is your first impression. A great query letter can get your foot in the door; a bad query gets you tossed in the recycling bin. Leading agents will describe the do’s and do not’s of query letters. Learn what elements make them ask for more and find out the query sins that make them cringe.
Panelists: Amy Elizabeth Bishop, Mark Falkin, Markus Hoffmann. Moderator: Stacey Freed.
Getting Serious: How to Sell Your Literary Fiction/Nonfiction Book
1:45–3:00pm, Room A
That perfect pitch. The hook. High-concept images. Log lines and proposals. A decathlon of events stands between your manuscript and the finish line—your published book. In this brass tacks discussion, leading literary agents detail how you can be taken seriously as a writer. These publishing professionals will help whip you into shape and learn how to go from amateur to pro.
Panelists: Amy Elizabeth Bishop, Mark Falkin, Markus Hoffmann. Moderator: Sarah Cedeño.
Query Letters: Commercial & YA Fiction
1:45–3:00pm, Room C
You only get one chance to make a first impression. In the world of publishing, the query letter you send to an agent is that one chance. A great query letter can get your foot in the door. A bad query gets you tossed in the recycling bin. Join agents and an editor as they describe the do’s and do not’s of query letters. Learn what elements make them ask for more and find out the query sins that make them cringe.
Panelists: Regina Brooks, Alexandra Levick, Rhea Lyons. Moderator: Kyle Semmel.
A Divided City: Navigating Race, Gender, and Class in the Rustbelt
3:15–4:30pm, Room C
This candid discussion features women writers of color actively working to elevate marginalized voices in a divided community. How do we navigate the intersections of race, class, and gender while fostering our artistic communities and personal growth? Panelists will discuss strategies to avoid burnout and ways to make time for our own work while remaining engaged in our communities.
Panelists: Rachel McKibbens, Reenah Golden, Lu Highsmith. Moderator: Tokeya C. Graham.
