(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next WCLA is an in-person event happening in Los Angeles on May 2, 2026. See you there.)
THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (MAY 2, 2026):
Agent pitches and critique consultations overlap with the sessions below. The schedule of presentation topics below is subject to change and updates:
9:30 – 10:30: Session 1
1. The Perfect Plot. Crafting a strong plot is a science. And every effective story ever told – whether in the form of a children’s picture book, or a massive adult novel – must contain a handful of essential plot beats. In this workshop, writers will understand these essential plot beats that you will need to map out a cohesive and captivating story.
2. How to Create a Compelling Logline and Pitch. You only have one shot to hook an agent, and the key is crafting both a compelling logline and pitch. This session guides you in creating your one-sentence logline and query pitch. In addition to using these essential pieces in your query letter, your logline and pitch will also be used throughout the life of your book for marketing and publicity purposes. So, it is important to get these just right.
10:45 – 11:50: Session 2
1. Tackling the Dreaded Query Letter. You’ve finished your novel or completed your nonfiction proposal. Now it’s time to start pitching your project. So what do you do next? In this workshop, we will discuss the dreaded query letter, and how to write one that will get the attention of an agent or editor. What are the turn-ons and turn-offs? How do they make the judgment calls? With real-life examples of queries that do and don’t work, you will learn how you can refine your own query letter.
2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media, Blogging, and Platform. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, everyone could use some helpful guidance on how to effectively market themselves and sell more books. This session includes easy-to-understand advice on social media (Twitter, Facebook, more), blogging, and other simple ways you can market your work online cheaply and easily.
11:50 – 1:15: Lunch on Your Own
You have 85 minutes on your own to break and eat.
1:15 – 2:30: Session 3
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. (All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be novels or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.)
2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
2:45 – 3:45: Session 4
1. Panel: Ask an Agent or Editor Anything. In this session, attending literary agents, publishers, and editors sit on a panel to answer your questions on everything to writing, publishing, building a platform, what agents want, what are the latest trends in publishing, how movie options work, and more. Come ready to ask questions about anything you want related to the writing and publishing industry, and our panel will answer them.
2. The Final Polish, taught by April Davila. In this session, writers will learn to transform their draft from “pretty good” to “powerful and engaging.” We’ll dig into the habits that muddy language (weak verbs, filler words, vague descriptions) and discuss practical techniques for tightening scenes, enriching sensory detail, and making every sentence earn its place. Writers will learn how to read their own work with clear-eyed awareness, spotting where their imagination has filled in gaps the reader can’t see, then refine their pages so that what’s written truly matches the writer’s vision. Writers should come prepared to shed verbose clutter, elevate their voice, and bring their manuscript to its strongest, most compelling form.
4:00 – 5:00: Session 5
1. Voice in a Manuscript. One of the most important skills for a writer to have is the ability to craft clear and strong voices in a manuscript. Sounding inauthentic or unrealistic can be the difference between a pass or an offer of representation. In this lecture we’ll target common mishaps and approach creating strong narratives on three levels: dialogue, prose, and characters.
2. What Happens After an Agent Offers Representation? Getting an agent is an incredible feat, but this is only the beginning. There are so many things that happen after you receive an offer of representation – from deciding which agency to go with, to editing your work with your new agent, to the submission process, to how deals work, to how you can aide your book’s chances throughout the process. While your focus may be on getting an agent, this workshop will provide you the landscape on what happens next. Publishing is an enigma — so find out how the industry works.
5:00: The Day is Over
FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:
We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 5 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Common First Pages Mistakes and How to Fix Them,” taught previously at the San Diego Writing Workshop
- “6 Pillars of Well-Developed Characters,” taught previously at the Texas Writing Workshop
- “How to Fix It: The Art and Craft of Revision,” taught previously at the Writing Workshop of Chicago