2025 Agents Symposium Package Schedule
(& Event Recordings)
February
Orientation Session
Monday, February 10 from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM CST
During this live webinar, we will walk you through the details for the upcoming year’s presentations, special events, agent consultations, and more. You’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have. If you can’t make it for the live webinar, no problem; we’ll be recording the orientation session and will share a link to the recording the very next day.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
“Before the Agent Search” with Abby Walters, Creative Artists Agency
Saturday, February 22 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM CST
Before you’re ready to share your manuscript with agents, it’s important to identify what makes you and your book marketable. In this session, we’ll consider some key categories like setting, character, themes, and style to identify what’s most compelling about a piece of writing and how to communicate it. This short phrase is known as a hook and will set you up for success in the agent search and beyond. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, February 27 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
March
“The Ins & Outs of Approaching Agents” with Mary C. Moore, Aevitas Creative Management
Saturday, March 22 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
In this presentation, literary agent Mary C. Moore will walk writers through the query process, starting with the reasons you should query, the timing behind the submission process, which agents/agencies you should reach out to, and finally how to package your submission so that it has the best chance of being considered. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, March 27 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording 1, event recording 2 (add’l clarification re: queries) (available until January 31, 2026)
April
“Standing Out in the Agent Search” with James Mustelier, The Bent Agency
Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
This presentation will guide authors through the agent’s experience sorting through their query inbox in order to better help them understand the things that persuade and dissuade an agent from spending time with an author’s query and sample pages. James Mustelier will discuss everything from fonts and formatting to opening pages and everything in between. In order to help authors stand out from the thousands of other queries an agent receives on a monthly basis, this presentation will focus both on removing impediments and emphasizing strengths to grab and hold an agent’s attention. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
May
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, May 1 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
“Comparison Titles” with Marin Takikawa, The Friedrich Agency
Saturday, May 31 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
You’ve written the book, you’ve almost finished writing the query letter, and all you have left is the comparison titles section. What to do? Where to start? Join Marin Takikawa as she breaks down comparison titles and the different ways you can approach thinking about what titles might be best to reference (and why and why not) for your project. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
June
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, June 5 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
Package-Only Presentation: “Crafting a Query Letter” with Allison Hunter, Trellis Literary Management
Wednesday, June 11 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm CDT
Join your fellow cohort at this package-only meeting-style presentation led by Literary Agent Allison Hunter as she presents on how to write a query letter.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026), Query Letter Examples Doc
Package-Only Presentation: “How to Write a Plot Synopsis without Losing Your Mind” with Amy Collins, Talcott Notch Literary
Wednesday, June 18 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm CDT
Join your fellow cohort at this package-only meeting-style presentation led by Literary Agent Amy Collins as she presents on how to write a plot synopsis.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026), Presentation Slides, Plot Synopsis Handout, Query Letter Pitch Handout, Another agent’s take on the query letter
“Between Signing & Submission: The Agent-Author Relationship” with Melissa Flashman, Janklow & Nesbit & Associates
Saturday, June 28 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
Agents sign authors at various stages of their development. Melissa Flashman will discuss how to think about this important phase of the author-agent relationship. Topics will include: the importance of preparing the most effective submission; knowing which variables you can control, which variables an agent can control, and how to think about uncertainty; and effective author-agent communication. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026), Event transcript (Please note, this link will download a .vtt file. You may open this file with a notepad app, or any other document editor, and it contains the entire automated transcript of the event, including some preshow chatter. There will be some errors in transcription as the Zoom auto-transcriber mishears things, so it will be best used in conjunction to viewing the recording.)
July
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, July 3 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
“The Submission Process” with Samantha Fabien, Root Literary
Saturday, July 26 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
You’ve got an agent. (Yay!) You’ve done the necessary revisions. (Yay!) Now it’s time to go on submission. From the pitch letter and submission list to officially sending it out, there can be endless questions about what comes next, but you don’t know what you don’t know. In this webinar, Samantha Fabien of Root Literary will demystify the process by sharing a peek into the strategy and next steps, so you can feel empowered while on submission. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025), Interview Template for Agent Call
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, July 31 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2026)
August
“Understanding Publishing Contracts” with Jennifer Chen Tran, Glass Literary Management
Saturday, August 30 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT (Rescheduled from August 23)
Publishing contracts contain many terms and details that can be confusing to authors. In this presentation, we will review common publishing contract terms and provisions, such as rights granted, royalties, accounting clauses, etc., and discuss whether such terms are drafted in a manner that is beneficial and fair to authors. We will also discuss the broader contours of copyright law, First Amendment law, and some trademark law as it pertains to publishing contracts and the writing process. Attendees can expect to gain a basic working knowledge and understanding of publishing contracts by the end of the session. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025), Presentation Slides (please do not share or distribute)
September
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, September 4 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT (Rescheduled from August 28)
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
“From Acquisition to Publication” with Stephanie Delman, Trellis Literary Management
Saturday, September 27 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
In the year or two (or more!) between book deal and publication, there will be lulls and periods of activity as your manuscript goes through edits, copyedits, proofreads, etc. In this webinar, Stephanie Delman of Trellis Literary Management will demystify this process, as well as the in-house, trade-facing, and consumer-facing preparation that goes into launching your book’s big debut. She will peel back the curtain to discuss marketing and publicity, sales channels and social media, and so much more. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
October
Consultation Preference Forms Sent Out
Wednesday, October 1
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, October 2 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
Consultation Preference Forms Due
Wednesday, October 15
“Publication Day and Beyond” with Tamara Kawar, DeFiore & Company
Saturday, October 25 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CDT
In this presentation, literary agent Tamara Kawar will talk about publication day and what comes next, from day-of expectations to the weeks and months after, including what authors can do for continued publicity and marketing, what sales data to be looking at and when, what the conversation about your next book with your agent can look like, and more. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
Lunchtime Debrief
Thursday, October 30 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
November
“Practice Makes Pitch Perfect” Presentation with Lance Fitzgerald, Penguin Random House, and Becka Oliver, Kevin Anderson & Associates
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025), Presentation Slides
Rescheduled Pitch Lab (+Q&A with Becka Oliver)
Wednesday, November 12 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM CST
Join your fellow cohort at this package-only interactive pitch lab, where you’ll be able to practice your pitch. The first half-hour of the Pitch Lab will feature Becka Oliver providing a live Q&A, answering any and all questions that arise as you watch the recorded version of the “Practice Makes Pitch Perfect” presentation. Please take the time to watch the event recording and prepare your questions in advance of the Pitch Lab.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)
1-on-1 Agent Consultations
November 17-21 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM CST
Your 15-minute consultation(s) will take place during this week and within these hours. All consultation appointment details were sent out on Tuesday, October 21. If you purchased an additional consultation, those details were sent out on Monday, November 3. If you cannot find your appointment details, please reach out to us ASAP. Please review these Consultation FAQs in advance of your meeting.
“Building a Writing Career” with Ann Leslie Tuttle, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret
Saturday, November 22 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM CST
Establishing a career as a writer is about more than selling your first book. It requires tenacity, resilience, flexibility, professionalism, and long-term thinking and goal setting to realistically achieve this coveted dream. This presentation will strategically explore the initial first steps of what to consider when accepting an agent’s offer of representation and strategizing on the submission process. From there, the presentation will explore points to consider when negotiating a publisher’s contract and working with your new editor and the publisher’s PR and Marketing teams to successfully launch your debut and subsequent works into the marketplace. The presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation and an audience Q&A.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025), Presentation Outline
Lunchtime Debrief
Tuesday, November 25 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
Led by WLT staff, these meet-ups are opportunities to come together to process and ask any lingering or follow-up questions after the agent presentations in addition to meeting and connecting with your fellow cohort.
Event recording (available until January 31, 2025)