Do you have an idea for a book? A manuscript you’re trying to publish? This is your chance to put your creativity to the test! Come give a one-minute elevator pitch to a panel of experienced editors and agents for real-time Shark Tank-style feedback, or come to watch how it’s done. Book pitching has never been this fun!

$25 or FREE for Paragraph Members*

Our judges: 

LYNN JOHNSTON of Lynn Johnston Literary (literary agent) For more than 20 years, Lynn has represented nonfiction and a small selection of fiction. The books on her list have been called "firebreathng" and "righteous" by the New York Times, "exuberant" by O, The Oprah Magazine, and "a godsend" by Publishers Weekly. Among them are New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today bestsellers; Books for a Better Life Award finalists; winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award; Audie Award winner of the Best Nonfiction Audiobook, Grammy nominee for Best Spoken Word Album; Porchlight Personal Development and Human Behavior Book of the Year, and other "best of the year" honorees.

BRENDA COPELAND (editor) is an editor with more than twenty years’ experience at the big five publishers and over ten years’ experience as an adjunct professor in the graduate publishing program at NYU. She has published a robust list of fiction and non-fiction, quality books with strong commercial appeal, including The Good House by Ann Leary,  Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks, and A Big Little Life, Dean Koontz’s first non-fiction book. Now an independent editor, she works closely with authors through all stages of the writing and publication process, helping them reach their creative potential. 

DANA ISAACSON (editor) works with major publishers, literary agents, published writers and debut writers. In addition to conceptual editing and line-by-line edits, he has book-doctored numerous projects and ghost-written novels. Most recently at Penguin Random House, Dana has also worked at Pocket Books/Simon and Schuster and ReganBooks/HarperCollins. His experience in New York City book publishing includes editing both fiction and non-fiction. He has abridged books and worked as a literary agent. Dana’s writing has appeared in The New York Observer, the New York Times (syndicated in Palm Beach Post, Seattle Times and Fort Worth Star-Telegram), and the Racine Journal Times. Dana also blogs on the website CareerAuthors.com—named by Writer’s Digest in 2020 as the #2 “Best Writing Advice Website.” He has a BA from the University of Wisconsin and lives in New York City’s East Village.

*Paragraph Members: look for Zoom link in your inbox (check spam/promotions) a few days ahead of this event.