How to talk to a literary agent at a conference
And the pub journey that made me gasp! (Plus TONS of writing links & resources.)
*For writing news and resources, scroll down.*
A publishing journey that will make your pulse pound!
I met thriller/horror author
in person at Bouchercon recently, and she mentioned that she’d had a long and crazy journey to publishing her debut novel, Beneath the Stairs. But I had NO idea what I was in for. When she told me the full story, there was a point where I literally gasped out loud.In fact, when my first listener heard the episode, here’s what she said:
My heart was beating so fast hearing her story of submission and rejection, holy cow. When you took a deep breath, so did I! 😆
So not only do Jennifer’s novels make your heart pound, her publishing journey will, too. And congratulations to Jennifer on the October 7th release of her second novel, Keep This for Me.
Listen to Jennifer’s episode (the 10th episode of The Long Road to Publishing!!) at the link below, or wherever you get podcasts.
You’re at a conference and find yourself chatting with the agent you’re going to pitch later that day…
OK, this was not my situation at the recent Maryland Writer’s Association Conference. I already have an agent and she’s amazing, so —fingers crossed— I won’t have to go through the agony of agent-speed-dating ever again.
But this was the situation for several of the people sitting at my lunch table this past Sunday.
One nice thing about the MWA’s conference (in addition to offering agent pitch sessions in the first place) is that the cost of the conference includes lunch, and at lunch they place each agent at a different table, so no matter where you sit, you’re guaranteed to be sitting with a literary agent.
There were several writers at my lunch table who were planning to pitch the agent at our table later that afternoon. They were all super chill about it, but I can imagine that if I had been doing a pitch session, I would have felt awkward sitting at a table with the agent I’d be pitching later.
One nice thing about being an agented author is that I don’t have to feel so awkward anymore. I can just sit at a random table and talk to the agent like they are a normal human person. Because, spoiler alert: they are. And that’s my biggest piece of advice: talk to an agent like you would to any other person.
I know, easier said than done when you feel like this person might hold the key to unlock your entire publishing career. So let me suggest a few appropriate conversation starters.
(The inappropriate conversation starter, btw, is simple: don’t pitch them your book unless they ask about it. You have signed up, and probably paid for, a pitch session with this agent. That’s the time to pitch them your book. Even if this is an agent with whom you haven’t signed up to pitch, I would suggest not blabbing to them about your book unless they ask. They are getting pitched to and talked at all day long. They might welcome a regular conversation.)
Conversation Starters When It’s Not Your Pitch Session But You Find Yourself Talking to an Agent:
Do you have any client books coming out soon that you’re excited about?
Agents are happy to talk about the books they’ve helped shepherd into the world. Plus, hearing about their clients’ books will help you better understand their taste and the recent deals they’ve brokered.
So, where are you from originally?
Yep, just a generic conversation-starter question you might use with any normal human. But, bonus, maybe they are from somewhere that connects with you or your book. You could even say something like, “oh, you’re from North Carolina? My novel is set in South Carolina — but I’ll tell you about it when I pitch you later.”
Do you have any fun Halloween/Thanksgiving/Holiday/summer/travel plans coming up?
That’s right, just another regular question you might ask anyone you’re trying to have have a pleasant conversation with.
Do you have any favorite publishing podcasts or Substacks you follow?
First of all, great way to get a new source of info on publishing. Second of all, most people like being asked for advice and enjoy talking about their favorite things. Third of all, once they share their suggestions, you can say, “have you heard of this new podcast called The Long Road to Publishing with Eva Langston? It’s really good.”
JK, but not really. Personally, I told my entire lunch table at the conference about my podcast, and the agent at the table asked me to recommend an episode for her to listen to on her drive home. I hope she liked the show and tells everyone she knows about it!
What are your thoughts on [fill in the blank with a recent publishing topic that’s not too contentious]?
For example, you could ask if they’ve been following the recent Anthropic lawsuit spearheaded by
, or their thoughts about how AI could further affect publishing. You could ask what they think about celebrity book clubs or Book-Tok or romantasy. Pick a topic in publishing that interests YOU and chat about it with the agent — they will likely have an interesting and informed take.
And if any agents are reading this, I’d be curious your thoughts about how people can interact with you casually at a conference.
Writing News & Resources:
For All Writers:
Writing for TV workshop (hybrid) from The Muse starts Oct. 28.
The Scary Story Challenge from NYC Midnight kicks off on Oct. 31!
November is National Novel Writing Month! The Nanowrimo website has shut down, but ProWriting Aid has taken its place with Novel November. Seems to offer all the great things Nanowrimo did (progress charting, writing community, advice/workshops), and maybe more?!
Check out #questpit on BlueSky November 5. Open to writers at any stage: drafting, revising, querying, or on submission.
Looking for a writing mentor? Roundtable Mentor applications for mentees open Nov. 6.
From
: Lit mags that pay writers and don’t charge a submission fee!Find a writers group (online or in person) using the Poets&Writers searchable database!
- has extended their call for submissions in select categories to November 30 and announced a new flash essay category of Hobbies! See their guidelines here.
Helpful round-up of posts about publishing and about writing/revising from
How to write a high-concept premise — another great post from Karin Gillespie.
Lit mags accepting micro-fiction (under 500 words) from Sub Club
Current (unpaid but rewarding) positions are open at Literary Mama.
Check out the upcoming workshops, Publishing Lunch Q&As, and other online events from Mary Kole & Good Story Company.
Every week the London Writers’ Salon publishes a fresh creative writing prompt.
Everyone is free to submit up to 500 words, in any genre, on the prompt. They award the winner a cash prize (£50 / $65) and publish our top 3 favorite entries.
Creative Parenting Club is actively looking for guest posts from parents juggling creative ambitions with family life and other responsibilities.
Check out these FREE event replays from The Manuscript Academy!
The Writer’s Center website is a GREAT resource for finding grants, fellowships, residencies & retreats, publishers (who publish non-agented authors), and literary journal opportunities.
Writing Workshops offers lots of online classes in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books, and the business of writing.
Check out the meet-up group called Shut Up & Write. There are in-person chapters all over the country, as well online events.
Looking for places to submit your writing? Check out NewPages.
For KidLit Writers:
The Highlights Foundation offers tons of programs, workshops, and events for children’s writers and illustrators.
Literary Rambles has information on kidlit agents and agent interviews. Plus contests and giveaways.
Here’s an incredible list of upcoming events for KidLit writers!
Check out SCBWI (The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) for events, conferences, critique partners and more. (Picture book through YA.)
For Querying Writers:
3 Hacks for Querying Writers from
.Comp Title 3-Day Workshop from Manuscript Academy, Oct. 21-23
Helpful posts for querying writers from Heather Garbo, Book Coach
Be sure to follow Writing Day Workshops on BlueSky for New Agent Alerts with new agents actively seeking submissions!
Upcoming Pitch Events where you can pitch to agents and editors:
Bindery PitchFest is open Oct. 20-22!
#MiseryPit on BlueSky for mystery, thriller, and true crime, Dec. 1
New York Write to Pitch Conference, in-person Dec. 11-14.
Here’s a list of small publishers that do not require agents.
Andrea Bartz has a list of successful query letters (including mine!).
Writing Conferences & Events:
The Writer’s Retreat at Good Contrivance Farm north of Baltimore is open year-round as an affordable writer’s retreat. The only requirement is that you use the time to work on writing. Spaces normally book about two months in advance.
Brand new literary conference January 17 in Boston! TBR.Boston is a one-day conference bringing 75+ authors, agents and editors to 35+ sessions. Keynotes from bestsellers like Celeste Ng, a Publishing Matchmaker app, and great workshops fromCourtney Maum and others.
Thinking about going to a conference or applying for a residency? Check out the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
The Writing Day Workshop “How to Get Published” Conferences are affordable and helpful. Plus, sign up for pitch sessions with agents. For online conferences, attend from anywhere in the world! Check out the upcoming conferences:
Writers Digest offers loads of virtual conferences on a variety of publishing and writing craft topics.
The enormous AWP Conference will be held in Baltimore, March 4-7, 2026. I plan to go at least for a day!
For more writing conferences, check out this list or the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
On the topic of a writer's path, it’s a profound reminder that even the most compelling narratives, much like elegant code, often emerge from a long process of persistent refinement and navigating unforseen bugs.
This is such a fantastic resource for writers of all kinds. Thank you for sharing (and for offering it to free subscribers!)