Industry Engagement Day

Take the waiting and guessing out of querying. 

When you sign up for Industry Engagement Day, you get your YES or NO, plus pitch feedback, from three industry pros all at once.

Live pitch panels are available for picture books, novels, and long-form nonfiction.

Your ticket also includes: 
  • the Write Match Method Bundle, a 3-step training to get your pitch submission-ready (a $99 value)
  • post-event submission opportunities with all agents and editors on faculty.

Online event - OCTOBER

Live Pitches. Real-time Feedback. Join us Saturday, October 24th.

cost

$185 for CTC MEMBERS
$270 General PUBLIC

Frequently Asked Questions

Registering with a Pitch

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What kinds of projects are faculty seeking? Can you tell me more about what genres they’re interested in?

The editors and agents attending Industry Engagement Weekend are interested in representing or acquiring books for children and teens ranging from picture books to middle grade and young adult novels and long-form nonfiction.

To learn more about faculty, we encourage you to check out IED Faculty Page

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How do I submit a pitch?

We will invite all registrants to set up an account in our new THRIVE portal. This is where you'll submit pitches, access replays, submission instructions, and more. So that we can organize submissions and share with faculty, pitches and other materials.
Yes, we’ve limited each panel to 25 pitches so those 25 writers are guaranteed to have their pitch read as long as they submit it by the deadline. Once those 25 spots sell out (or the deadline arrives, whichever comes first), that panel will no longer be available for purchase. 

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I can’t remember if I submitted my pitch.

Please check the THRIVE portal. 

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I need to update my pitch.

Great! As long as it’s before the deadline, you can log into the portal and update your pitch. Faculty will only receive the most recent version of your pitch.



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What happens during a pitch panel?

Faculty receive a list of pitches for their panel in advance. They provide responses in advance using these options: 

  • YES, totally my thing. 
  • YES, fills a gap in the market. 
  • YES, I am intrigued. 
  • YES, I can see/feel/imagine the readers. Emotional appeal. 
  • YES, has school and trade appeal. 
  • NO, not voicey, doesn’t stand out. 
  • NO, great pitch but just not for me personality. 
  • NO, pitch needs more development/a tad confusing. 
  • NO, fills the same space a current client has on my list. 
  • NO, a genre I am full on or don’t see potential right now. 
  • During the panel, Writing Barn staff read the pitches aloud and share them on screen. Faculty share responses and often include more context on why a pitch does or does not pique their interest, suggest appropriate comp titles, or discuss how a pitch could be even stronger. In the past, several faculty members have changed their no’s to yes’s in real-time after hearing a pitch read aloud! 

Once faculty respond to all pitches, Bethany synthesizes feedback from the panel and moderates the Q&A. 


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Do I need to attend live to read my pitch?

Not all writers can attend live or want to present their pitch, so Writing Barn team members read all pitches aloud. Don’t worry, they’re experienced presenters who will make your pitch shine. In several cases, their delivery has convinced faculty to request a project they’d originally declined! 

Writers are encouraged to attend live so they can participate in the chat and support fellow writers, but it’s not required. Everyone who registers will get the replays for all panels and will have the opportunity to submit to faculty. 


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What if someone copies my book idea?

As far as we know, this has never happened in one of our events or classes and it would violate our code of conduct. We encourage attendees to share “aha” moments on social media, but NOT to screenshot pitches or share them with anyone. If you’re still concerned about this and are pitching something like a picture book biography, you could describe the subject and what makes them book-worthy without mentioning their full name.


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What if I miss the deadline for submitting a pitch?

For the October Industry Engagement Day, all pitches are due by Friday, September 25, 2026 at noon CT. Manuscripts & critiques are due by Wednesday, September 30 at noon CT.
We will send reminders about this deadline. If you miss it, we unfortunately can’t guarantee that it’ll get shared with faculty, but you will still have access to replays and submission opportunities. 



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What happens if I get a yes from a faculty member?

Congrats! If a faculty member requests to see your manuscript based on the pitch, you should receive an email with submission instructions in the week following the event. In some cases, agents or editors create a separate submission process for manuscripts they specifically request. In others, they provide the same submission instructions for all attendees, and we encourage you to mention in the first sentence if they requested the project during Industry Engagement Weekend.

All our Industry Engagement Weekend pitch panels include a mix of editor and agent faculty, so sometimes agented authors get a yes from an agent on faculty. If you’re happy with your current agent, you can just pat yourself on the back for writing a great pitch and disregard that request.



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It’s been two months since I submitted a requested manuscript to an editor or agent, and I hadn’t heard anything. When is it OK to nudge?

For your first nudge AFTER AN ASK, wait 3 to 4 months. For the second nudge, shoot for between months 5 and 6. That’s ALL. And remember: Always update with any movement or news in your nudge (for instance, if you won an award), and always “reply all” to the original email thread you submitted through to provide context.



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When will I get the replays?

Replays go out via email within one week of the event, and often sooner.  Please check the THRIVE portal.