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New York Write to Pitch Conference 2023 - Reviews


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I had such a fantastic and rewarding time at the conference. The pre-conference reading material and assignments were extremely helpful. Then during the conference itself I learned how important it is to write a pitch correctly, because otherwise no one will be intrigued enough to look at my actual pages. The way the pitch development sessions were structured was really wonderful, we all got to learn from the feedback each person received, and bond. Since writing is such a solitary endeavor, the community we built was super important to me.

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Guest Craig Gridelli

What a great experience. Exactly what I was hoping for. Really talented writers and our group leader Paula was amazing. She was informative, thoughtful, patient and worked hard to help us all from beginning to end. Definitely recommend for anyone wanting to understand the business better 

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Through pitch after pitch, this conference taught me to structure and deliver a strong pitch with the feedback of very expert professionals, whose questions and responses are clear clues about what's working and not working. These quick and practiced minds really listen, express genuine feedback about what aspects of my project will excite the marketplace, and what aspects may be problematic and need more honing. I felt that every person I pitched to was on my side, wanting to see my project clearly and to offer ways to enhance my positioning of its potential.  I learned a lot over the course of the conference. At first, I thought my mental pivots were only about the pitch itself, only to realize that the way I was pitching my story has huge implications in the way I structure and execute on the novel as well. I came away from the conference with a new model for how to restructure my novel, and am excited for all the tools that will assist me as I tackle a rewrite. So "Write to Pitch" is exactly what I am learning to do, and my novel will be better for it! Four months of writing groups did not move the needle as much as these three days + the pre-work. I recommend that people attend at a point in the lifecycle of their novel development that they have a well developed sense of their characters, their plot, and why they're writing this book; yet early enough that they're willing and able to make big pivots. 

It was also wonderful to bond with a group of other practiced writers, and learning from their projects and their pitch experiences.  We developed a community of support very quickly. 

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The conference verified what I already hoped:  I want to be a writer.  I received honest and clear feedback on my pitch and manuscript concept.  The professionals are rooting for us to get our work recognized and provided the feedback on what it takes to be commercially successful.  As a relative neophyte, I was prepared to be intimidated and that never happened as Michael created a relaxed and creative environment for us.   While I have my work cut out for me, I am only too happy to commit even more to the craft.  I received concrete and detailed recommendations.   While there was no sugar coating, everyone was nice and professional. 

After 4 days with my writer's group, I was sad to leave.  I have been home for 2 days now and I want to go back!  I highly recommend NY Write to Pitch and would not hesitate to return.  

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Guest Daryl P

I’m writing on my phone to keep me from giving three pages of how this event has effected me as a writer. I felt I was given a privilege to work with so many talented people for four days and to hone my craft and geek out on this all important concept known as the pitch!

The experience has transformed me by elevating my confidence, educating me about the industry, and given me concrete goals and steps to achieving them. 
There is no question this is as real and unique experience as it gets but you’ve got to come into it ready to play hard ball and accept the suggestions given to you-leave your pride at the door and you’ll get a ton out of it!!

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The conference is so much more than an opportunity to pitch your project to industry insiders. Through the process of developing a polished pitch, I found myself looking at my manuscript completely differently, and gaining valuable insight into my work. Paula, our workshop leader, gave all of us invaluable, and actionable advice on how to hone our craft, as well as how an agent/publisher evaluates the pitches delivered to them. I couldn’t recommend this conference highly enough, and the opportunity to pitch my work was just the icing on the cake to a thoroughly immersive, deep-dive into the art of writing.  

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Amazing! I have been a conference groupie since 2019. I have notched the grips on my revolver 3 times with a well known crime/thriller conference, twice with attendance at a murder conference, and once with a combo conference. I can honestly say, with no equivocation, this was the most helpful four days I have ever invested in. I was there to learn, and learn I did. 
I feel that I am now just inches away from that brass ring. Thank you so much!!

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I recall having once read that NY Pitch is not for the faint of heart. That it's markedly different from other conferences in terms of author skill level and real-world critiquing. That the challenges and rewards of four intense days spent among top-shelf industry pros makes you not only a more focussed writer, but one that's many miles closer to achieving your publishing goals.

Now, as I return home post-event brain-sanded and tingling with anticipation for whatever comes next, I can confirm: it's all true. 

The people, workshop leaders and attendees alike, were energizing. If you arrived willing to take criticism on the chin and prepared to work (really, really) hard, the creative buzz inside Ripley-Grier Studios soon became your get-better-by-osmosis community. It's impossible to be around that degree of talent and not be affected. The resultant camaraderie, the going-through-it-together-ness, was so swift and profound that many of us became close friends. Like, more than a dozen people—forever friends. Of this I'm certain. 

But of course it's really about getting published, and, as they say, you can't pitch a marketable novel until you've actually written one.

Michael and his team cut through the bullshit pretty fast. Whatever illusions you may have regarding your place in the publishing process are soon dispelled. NY Pitch is not designed to make you feel warm and fuzzy about your manuscript. The goal is to prepare you, quickly, for the publishers and agents you're about to be given direct access to. 

In a way, NY Pitch is like a Manhattan skyscraper: you can't see all of it until you take a few steps back. 

Today—from a few steps back—I can honestly say that I got exactly what I wanted from the experience. I view my manuscript and pitch differently. I see the publishing landscape differently. And I made some killer contacts. 

Though I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, my To Do list is now concise and actionable. 

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New York Write to Pitch is the only conference any serious writer should attend. Michael and his team expertly guided us into the world of fiction, while helping us understand the industry so we know what is selling and not selling and what is a high concept idea versus a middle concept (and why they matter). I couldn’t have asked for a kinder group of passionate writers to learn and laugh alongside each other. The NYC Pitch team was professional and honest in their feedback, and the opportunity to pitch to editors in person was invaluable. I highly recommend this conference to any serious writer. Thank you, New York Pitch! 

 

 

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The New York Write to Pitch event was intense and for good reason. I met industry professionals who were serious about their job and fellow writers who were just as passionate as I am to see our stories succeed. 

Some of the industry feedback was a tough pill to swallow as a young/new writer, but by the end of the event, I felt at home with the other writers in my group (and some in Paula's!) and especially with Michael, our workshop leader who was dedicated to making our writing future as bright as possible. I have no doubt that for every writer here, NYWP was our first step to a writing career/publishing deal.

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Great conference.  My group leader, Paula Munier, was terrific.  Former editor, writer and agent, she knows everything and, with generosity and good humor, worked incredibly hard to share her knowledge with us writers.   I don't know when I've learned so much in four days.  The real deal for commercial publishing.  And what you learn will probably also help with small and university presses as well.   

Just:  can somebody take control of the conference website and highly confusing pre-conference communication? 

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Guest Meeta

NY Pitch to Write 2023 has been one of the best experiences of my adult life. 

Michael was genuine, funny, and friendly from the get go. Never saying no to any questions that popped up in my head, never rejecting anyone's thoughts...but always offering advice that he thought would lead us to getting our work closer to a piece that would sell. He made sure everything from our titles, to the tone of our pitch, to the passion we felt for writing our books was conveyed when we spoke to the visiting faculty. 

He made sure we got several chances to show him our work, even if it was after working hours in the basement of an Irish bar, he was intent on giving us the best fighting chance. The faculty was warm and friendly and offered great advice. And then of course there was the gang - the group of authors that has now become a solid team rooting for each other, helping out with great suggestions and constantly wanting to stay in touch - I love the community we have created for each other and cannot wait to meet these fine folks again!

The conference was 4 days of nonstop thinking about our pitches, being able to take constructive criticism, and being ready to spend the evening hours rewriting and refining and was tough for sure, but Michael and the other authors made it such a worthwhile experience. It's been a week that I've been home and already Michael has been on top of his game sending us post pitch editorial input, responses from editors/ agents, and friendly check-in emails. 

What began as a journey to get feedback on a solo project has ended up giving me so much more in return - a big thanks to Michael for setting this up!

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This was my first pitch conference. It exceeded all my expectations. The pre-event materials were very helpful. Our four days together were a mix of tension, laughter, constructive feedback, building craft and camaraderie by the minute. As promised, they told me exactly what I needed to hear. By the end I had a clear—crystal clear—sense of the improvements I need to make in both my novel and my pitch. Who could ask for anything more?

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NY Write to Pitch was the first ever writing event I've participated in and all I can say is that it's serious. We got to hear real feedback from agents and editors, and Michael was always available for assistance on your pitch. The group was great and helps with networking--I just know there's going to be best-selling authors among us.

All that said, I do wish I hadn't attended March 2023's pitch event. It was emphasized to have high stakes/high concept work for pitching, and my manuscript wasn't. I feel as though I should've been rejected at the application stage, and not taken on since it was pretty evident two days in that my work didn't fit what the agents and editors wanted. This was an expensive learning curve.

Nonetheless, I appreciated the support I received from fellow writers who helped me persevere and remind me that my work is first and foremost for me and my audience, not a pub deal. 

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