These one-on-one in-person meetings at the 2024 Writing Conference of Los Angeles are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind. More 2024 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open. We have seen many, many writers sign with agents after connecting after our conferences.
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Darlene Chan is a literary agent with Linda Chester Literary Agency. Darlene is interested in stories by and about BIPOC, women’s fiction, literary fiction, chick lit/rom-com, crime fiction, pop culture, narrative non-fiction and nonfiction books on film and the entertainment industry. She’s not seeking: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, family saga, children’s/YA or screenplays that have been turned into novels. Learn more about Darlene here.
Kelly Bergh is a literary agent with Lucinda Literary. Kelly represents authors writing practical nonfiction, particularly in the categories of health and wellness, spirituality, and popular science. In the adult category, she is looking for new perspectives on universal issues. She is particularly drawn to writers who make hot topics seem evergreen and cutting-edge research feel accessible. In the children’s category, she is particularly drawn to illustrated, interactive books that entertain as much as they educate. Learn more about Kelly here.
Paul S. Levine is a literary agent and the founder of Paul S. Levine Literary. He is also an attorney. His fiction interests include adventure novels, mainstream fiction, mysteries, romance, thrillers, and women’s fiction. His nonfiction interests include business/commerce, pop culture, how-to, self-help, politics/law, relationships, and sports. Learn more about Paul here.
Natalie Obando is a literary agent with Ladderbird Literary. Natalie is primarily looking for BIPOC stories, and stories inclusive of intersectional identities told from an authentic lense and NOT tokenized. In fiction, she is looking for character driven stories with a voice that is relatable yet quirky and worlds that feel real. For nonfiction she’s in desperate search of topics and issues that open up discussions often considered taboo. In Young Adult & New Adult: Natalie enjoys a YA or New Adult story that deals with generational relationships and ancestral threads. Throw in some contemporary fantasy, or magical realism, and/or cultural folklore and she’s all over it. In Romance: This can be YA or new adult. Contemporary RomComs with a cultural twist are her favorite as well as friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, secret identities, forbidden love, finding love in a foreign land, feel free to pitch if there is anything fairly similar to that. In Nonfiction: Natalie is looking for topics that dig deep into who we are as humans and what we have yet to tap into. She enjoys reading about new forms of wellness therapies, sexual empowerment, ethical non-monogamy, BDSM—in an educational and enlightening nuanced format, astrology, tarot, and modern day magic (brujería and curanderismo) tied to ancestral roots. Learn more about Natalie here.
Susan Finesman is a literary agent and founder of Fine Literary. She is seeking: mainstream/book club fiction, mystery, romance, historical fiction, and young adult. In nonfiction she seeks biography, business/finance, history, mind/body/spirit, travel, lifestyle, cookbooks, memoir, and sports. “I continue to be interested in all kinds of books but tend to be compelled by work that features characters that I cannot shake. I challenge authors to make me laugh or cry and you will have certainly won me over by doing both. Regarding nonfiction: cookbooks and lifestyle are a particular area of interest but I can be compelled to consider almost any subject that is honest and thoughtful.” Learn more about Susan here.
Noelle Falcis Math is a literary agent with Transatlantic Literary Agency. For fiction, she’s looking for literary, upmarket, and (especially) speculative fiction, including magical realism, fantasy, science fiction, and any genre bending and blending forms and risk-taking experimentation. For nonfiction, she’s looking for projects that explore the intersections of the personal, the political, and the cultural. She is specifically looking for narratives from the margins or from emerging artists and academics that know their niche deeply, with a heightened desire for Southeast Asian, Oceanic and Pacific Islander, and Indigenous voices. She would love to see strong essay collections, graphic memoirs, and narrative or prescriptive nonfiction exploring (or connecting) culture, decolonization, climate change, and revitalization efforts. Learn more about Noelle here.
Jolene Haley is a literary agent with Donald Maass Literary Agency. In middle grade fiction, I am particularly drawn to adventure, contemporary, horror, magical realism, and mystery novels. I love character driven stories with humor and authentic voices. In young adult fiction, I am interested in a wide variety of genres: adventure, contemporary, horror, magical realism, mystery, romance, and thriller. I love strong, unique voices and am always looking for diverse, inclusive reads. In adult fiction, I am interested in the following genres: adventure, chick lit, commercial women’s fiction, mystery, romance, true crime, and select horror. In nonfiction, she likes mind/body/spirit, true crime, and spiritualism, witchcraft, and/or magic. Learn more about Jolene here.
Mindi St. Peter is a literary manager at BAMbooks. In fiction, she seeks: action/adventure, children’s, commercial, crime, domestic thriller, erotica, family saga, fantasy, general, graphic novel, historical, horror, humor, LGBTQ, literary, middle grade, mystery, new adult, picture books, psychological thriller, romance, thriller, women’s fiction, young adult. In nonfiction, she seeks: humor, LGBTQ, memoir, pop culture. Favorite sub-genres: contemporary romance, contemporary YA, literary, middle grade, magical realism, narrative nonfiction, psychological thrillers. Learn more about Mindi here.
Helga Schier, PhD, is the Editorial Director of CamCat Books, a boutique publisher of award-winning genre fiction. Helga is heavily involved in the acquisition process, actively looking for stories with a sense of empathy for morally ambiguous characters, a well-structured plot that moves at a nice clip, and an inkling that a wrong choice could quickly lead us down an irreparably treacherous path. CamCat Books accepts submissions in adult and YA novel-length genre fiction. We’ll consider any good tale, but what we want to see most urgently revolves around these genres: Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense; Science Fiction & Fantasy; Romance; Historical; Paranormal; Horror; and Western. Please note that CamCat Perspectives will soon open for adult nonfiction submissions in the following subject areas: True Crime, and US History and Biography. Learn more about Helga here.
Ken Sherman is President of Ken Sherman & Associates, a Los Angeles based literary agency. The company was established in 1989, and handles film, television, and book writers, as well as selling film and television rights for books and life-rights. Concerning what he seeks, Ken is a generalist, and represents adult fiction and nonfiction of all types. He does not want pitches for children’s books or kidlit novels of any kind. Learn more about Ken here.
Halley Dunne Parry is a literary agent with The Hamilburg Agency. A graduate of the Washington University MFA program, she has spent the last decade working at independent bookstores and in publishing. She previously worked as an agent at Drift(less) Literary. Halley is looking for fiction that plays with genre and form, for plot-driven literary novels, commercial fiction, adult speculative fiction and hybrid works of narrative nonfiction. Learn more about Halley here.
Nephele Tempest is a literary agent at The Knight Agency. Nephele continues to actively build her client list and looks for fiction with both strong, well-developed characters and a story that pulls her in and won’t let go. She primarily represents women’s contemporary or historical fiction; contemporary, paranormal, and historical single-title romance; and adult fantasy and science fiction. More generally, Nephele always looks for work with diverse cultural influences, #ownvoices projects, and stories that inspire and/or make her think. Learn more about Nephele here.
Steven Hutson is a literary agent and founder of Wordwise Media Services. He is seeking: “I’m interested in representing a wide range of fiction and nonfiction books for children and adults. Surprise me.” Some of the categories he enjoys, though is not limited to, include: Action/Adventure, Children’s, Crime, Fantasy, General, Graphic Novel, Humor, Middle Grade, Military, Mystery, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, Women’s Fiction, Young Adult. For Nonfiction: Biography, Cookbooks, Crafts/DIY, History, Humor, Illustrated, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, Sports, Travel, True Crime. Learn more about Steven here.
Dana Newman is a literary agent with Dana Newman Literary. We are interested in practical nonfiction (business, health and wellness, mind/body/spirit, psychology, parenting, technology) by authors with smart, unique perspectives and established platforms who are committed to actively marketing and promoting their books. We love compelling, inspiring narrative nonfiction in the areas of memoir, biography, history, pop culture, current affairs/women’s interest, social trends, and sports/fitness. A favorite genre is literary nonfiction: true stories, well told, that read like a novel you can’t put down. On the fiction side we consider a select amount of literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and suspense/thriller. We look for character-driven stories written in a distinctive voice that are emotionally truthful. Learn more about Dana here.
Michaela Whatnall is a literary agent with Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Their background in school and library marketing accounts for their strong interest in children’s literature, particularly middle grade and young adult fiction of all genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, historical, adventure, horror, and rom-com. In the adult fiction space, Michaela is particularly seeking contemporary, speculative, and historical upmarket fiction, as well as character-driven sci-fi/fantasy and other genre fiction that features historically underrepresented characters. They are also open to select narrative nonfiction for both children and adults, graphic novels, and picture books. Learn more about Michaela here.
Emma Kapson is a literary agent with Verve Talent & Literary Agency. Emma is a native Los Angeleno and a member of Verve’s IP Team. She loves strong female driven narratives, epic worlds, romance, and works by foreign and diverse writers. She has been privileged to work on books with Melissa Arnot, Dan Ahdoot, Liz Kerin, and many other talented artists during my tenure at Verve. The agency specializes in acquiring powerful voices in Memoir and Horror specifically. Learn more about Emma here.
Lucy Hamilburg is a literary agent at The Hamilburg Agency. Lucy is looking for picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction. As a former middle school teacher, she knows what flies off the shelves and is always seeking novels, graphic novels, lyrical prose, and picture books that make kids and young adults laugh out loud and simultaneously pull at their heart strings She is open to all genres and categories within kidlit books — including fantasy, suspense/thriller, romance, contemporary, humor, paranormal, historical fiction, and everything in between. Learn more about Lucy here.
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ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2024 Writing Conference of Los Angeles attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at theWriting Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2024 WCLA on our calendar.
That event is thePittsburgh Writing Workshop, May 31 – June 1, 2024, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.
This means that 2024 WCLA attendees can have access to pitching all those online PWW agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online May/June 2024 event. (That said, if you want to formally register for the Pittsburgh conference and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Los Angeles attendees.)
If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Los Angeles. Following the WCLA conference on May 4, 2024, we will be in touch with all Los Angeles attendees and ask them if they want to partake inpitching online agents at the 2024 PWW (May 31 – June 1). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.
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More 2023 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.
These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.
(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings.)
