Washington Writers Conference: How Agent-Pitch Sessions Work

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Tentative timeline (subject to change):

March 15, 2025:

Sign-up begins for Super-Early Bird agent-pitch sessions.

March 20, 2025:

Sign-up begins for all other registrants’ agent-pitch sessions.

April 30, 2025:

Conference registration and agent sign-ups end.

You’re in charge of your own pitch schedule:

You pick the agents that best fit your project. Each agent has preferences (fiction, nonfiction, etc.). Please review our list of agents to find the ones best suited to your project.

• You can select three agent-pitch sessions. (If you register by Dec. 31st, you get four.)
• Each pitch session is five minutes.
• Pitch sessions run all day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a break for lunch. Please visit our panels and workshops in between pitches.
• There will be a separate room for pitches and an agent help desk.
  • Please be in line a few minutes early and wait to be called for your slot.
  • Agents will sit at numbered tables. We will direct you to the correct one.
  • Please do not enter the pitch room unless it is your assigned time slot!

Agent choice is first come, first served:

The earlier you register, the more likely you are to get the agents of your choice. Note that the agents are subject to change, and we cannot guarantee availability.  

How to sign up for agents:

1. Before you schedule your pitch sessions, please check out the schedule of workshops and panels, as well as the agent list. (Coming soon.)
2. Choose the agents and times that work for you.
3. If you register before December 31, 2024: We will send you an email on March 15, 2025, with a link to SignUpGenius. That’s where you’ll select your agents.
4. If you register after January 1, 2025: We will send you an email on March 20, 2025, with a link to SignUpGenius. That’s where you’ll select your agents.

Please be on the lookout for your sign-up email (check your spam file). If you register but do not receive your SignUpGenius link soon after, contact us ASAP at [email protected].

If you register after March 15, 2025, your confirmation email will include the SignUpGenius link. If it doesn’t, let us know right away at [email protected].

What if I register late?

If you register late, we cannot guarantee you’ll get your first-choice agents. For that reason, we highly recommend registering early!

What if I don’t get my first choices?

Don’t despair! We open our agent desk to changes at 11 a.m. on conference day. Time slots occasionally open due to no-shows, and agents may refer you to their colleagues. There will also be plenty of networking opportunities at meals and social times. And don’t forget our panels and speakers!

Are there extra sign-up slots?

If you’d like to schedule additional pitches with agents, you can sign up for those on Conference Day based on availability. Extra pitch slots are $20 each, payable when you sign up at the pitch desk.