NYC Write-To-Pitch Writers Conference – Surrounded by Ar-teests

Writer’s Conferences are W-A-Y more fun than Lawyer Conferences. After years of the latter, when I hear ‘conference’, I think Muzak-infused, beige ballrooms with the forced intimacy of straight-backed narrow seats crammed so close you’re rubbing thighs with people you’ve never spoken to — and not in a fun romance-novel way.

By comparison, the NYC Write-to-Pitch Conference was held in the vibrant Eighth Avenue Riley-Grier Studios— a maze of big and little rehearsal studios for dancers, actors, musicians (and, apparently, writers)! Just walking down the hallway was a full-on sensory experience: the rat-a-tats of a tap dance giving way to a soprano solo rattling the windows; a duo rehearsing an intense argument against the backdrop of a smoky saxophone warming up in the next room, both punctuated by a Shakespearean monologue from across the hall. Suffice it say, the air practically pulsed with creativity. So much so they literally had signs posted telling people to keep it out of the hallways. LOL!

Our own meeting room had walls of mirrors and dance bars at the ready in case any of us were inspired to break into Swan Lake. And you could position your chair wherever you wanted — right after you pulled it off the stack of metal folding chairs in the corner. And so, we gathered in a ragged, wide-spread circle, balancing our laptops on our laps and trying not to kick over the coffee cups at our feet, as we plunged into the intricacies of pitching your stories to agents and editors.

Each workshop was led by a published author (shout-out to the talented Susan Breen http://www.susanjbreen.com author of The Fiction Class and the Maggie Dove mystery series for sharing her wisdom with my group!). We all took turns making our story pitches and getting feedback on how to make them better, followed by a couple of days making those revised pitches to agents and editors brought in especially for the purpose. I learned a TON.

I also had the privilege of meeting the amazing Patrick LoBrutto, editor, author, and person extraordinaire. (Just check out his bio! https://patrickjlobrutto.net). Turns out Pat just shows up at each of these programs just to chat with the workshop attendees between sessions, cheer folks on, and offer his card for some free advice and future assistance if we find ourselves stuck. (I wound up taking him up on that and he was FABULOUSLY helpful. He insists all I owe him is a sarsaparilla the next time we meet.)

I arrived in NYC with a list of things to do and places to visit while I was in town, but none of them happened. At the end of each day’s sessions, I was so inspired, all I wanted to do was write! Writing romance and gin & tonics go together quite nicely, so most of my off-time was spent with my laptop in the hotel bar, and I have absolutely no regrets. It was indeed a most excellent adventure. Highly recommend to my fellow authors out there!